should mma have a black belt system?

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 10/31/2009 6:12am

Originally Posted by BadUglyMagic

The idea for a ranking system of mma practitioners is primarily to allow for identification of skill.

That's what a fight record is for.

Originally Posted by BadUglyMagic

How many different instructors does anyone have. How many does GSP have? Minimal complete MMA skillsets require grappling (wresting and/or some jits), striking and throwing.

So:

So say your core consists of :
MT, Wrestling, Jits and judo.

There are levels of technique and skill that can be divided up into progressive skillset module within each art (and thus ranked by a belt or hello kitty patch).

To get any ranking for the MMA you would have to meet a minimal skillset criteria for each art.

and MMA rank progression might be something like:

apprentice, journeyman, scholar, professor.

**BadUglyMagic** · Posted On: 10/31/2009 11:53am

TEM, I agree with you with regards to fighters. Belt level or rank is meaningless if you cant deliver.

How many fighters actually study and train in more than one style? My limited experience is that most have one primary style (may be two) where they have any high level rank and incorporate other style techniques into their fight game.

Many people appear to be reading too much into my posts. They were answers to a slightly larger question than "should MMA have belt rankings." Still in context, just a larger view.

Dude this thread should die. I responded because it was you.

**BadUglyMagic** · Posted On: 10/31/2009 12:57pm

Originally Posted by Teh El Macho

I just realized the poster was a part of the reply and not a sig. That is an awesome poster and very relevant to the thread. For the record, I was playing devil's advocate.

If you have some specific questions regarding individual posts, PM me. In a larger context they may make more sense. Or not.

**crappler** · Posted On: 10/31/2009 4:36pm

Originally Posted by Hesperus

A black belt doesn't mean anything other than someone died your belt really dark and that's why you bought it.

That, and whatever importance or value you yourself place on it.

being unable to spell the word "dyed" doesn't mean anything other than someone does not know how to spell, and is pontificating about the MA when they have taken 8 months of Judo.

**Hesperus** · Posted On: 11/01/2009 2:37am

You don't need any months of anything to realize that.

**Diesel_tke** · Posted On: 11/01/2009 7:24am

Man, I love how these belt questions get debated so much! It shows you how brain washed we are by Hollywood. We are all grown adults and most of us have years of martial arts training. But for some reason, we are still able to dismiss all logic and say, "your only good if you have a black belt". I mean seriously!!

If the belt is your only motivation, the GTFO!

**Beorn** · Posted On: 11/01/2009 1:17pm

Originally Posted by diesel_tke

Man, I love how these belt questions get debated so much! It shows you how brain washed we are by Hollywood. We are all grown adults and most of us have years of martial arts training. But for some reason, we are still able to dismiss all logic and say, "your only good if you have a black belt". I mean seriously!!

If the belt is your only motivation, the GTFO!

To be fair, a good portion of this site's posters are not legal adults. And as Sirc has pointed out, in his normal hissyfit way, many posters have quite a bit less than a year in a style that they claim knowledge of