Thai_Kick2

Principle... This is still theory, you can understand all the principles of the techniques or styles you want, but all those principles will still be based on theory until it is proven to work time and time again. The truth is style does matter. If I want to become a MMA fighter I'm not going to train in Monkey Kung fu and Tae Kwon Do, If I want to improve my heath I'm not going to train in Muay Thai and Sambo, If I want to learn Self-Defence I'm not going to train in Tae-bo and Yoga.

I see, but do you spar/fight using whips to the eyes and shots to the groin, if not then your not missing anything or be at a diaadvantage if you were to compete in MMA. The only style that would be at a disadvantage with these rules would be Burmese Boxers, in their fights they allow eye whips, and eye jabs to stun their opponent and get the easy KO. Yes, even UFC is allowing elbow shot to the head now.

I would have to disagree, Karate styles such as Kyokushin, Seido Kaikan, Shidokan are fast, hard and powerful with many great fighters coming from those styles and competing in K-1 and MMA (Andy Hug, Francisco Filho, Sam Greco...) To be honest with you, who really cares if you can count the amont of strikes or not. What matters are the strikes powerful enough to KO someone? Would they work in the streets or ring? Are the strikes even effective? IMO These are the questions and the format that should use to judge effectiveness. Oh no, not death strikes anything but death strikes!

1. Do you use protective gear? If so what? - Yes, boxing gloves, cup, mouth guard and shin pads 2. How hard contact do you use? Do you KO each other often? Injuries? - Contact is usally 40% to 60%, rarly knockouts happen but people do get injured often but thats the way Muay Thai is. 3. What rules do you use? Punch the face? Groin? Grabbing? Wrestling? Submissions? - All targets of the body are legal except the groin, no elbows or knees to the head and no ground fighting. 4. Don't forget to mention your style! - Muay Thai

Muay Thai Strength: Effective and proven stand up techniques both in the ring and streets. Weakness: Lacks groundfighting and weapons training.

"MMA fighters" All I want to learn is effective, proven techniques that will work in the ring or streets. All theory-based styles and techniques need not apply!

This is very true, the rules in UFC are in favor of the grappling styles, but this is why the majority of the fighters compete in Pride where the rules do not favor either style. Also the WVC in Brazil only has three rules; No grion shots, biting and eye jabs these rules of coarse don't favor anybody.

Their are ALOT more stand up fighters that have done MUCH BETTER then Tank Abbott against grapplers... Vanderlei Silva(Muay Thai) beat Kazushi Sakuraba (Shootfighting) Murilo "Ninja" Rua (Muay Thai) beat Mario Sperry (BJJ) Chuck Liddell (Kickboxing) beat Murile Bustamante (BJJ) Jose "Pele" Jons (Muay Thai) beat Jorge Patino (BJJ) These are just a few, but this whole discussion about striking vs grappling is old news and dosen't even apply any more since all MMA's cross train, so drop it!