Apollo

Since the majority of Thai Boxers are very lean and lack bulk, they would be easy for Mike Tyson to knock out. I think it would depend what distance they start out at. If they start at kicking distance I can imagine someone like Peter Aerts knocking him out with a head kick. If they start out close, I think Tyson could consecutively knock out half a dozen people in one night.

Ken- So in Muay Thai Mike Tyson could compete in the heavyweight division and kill every Muay Thai fighter there? Alright, I'll let him know. They want to see whose KARATE is best, if someone wants to compete in an open kata, they can go to tournaments like the Battle Of Atlanta, etc. I personally have never competed in kata. I have always competed in full contact standup (I have fought Muay Thai fighters, one of my losses comes from a TKO AND Referee stoppage from a roundhouse to my ribs and a follow up cross to my face.) I think kata is ok for those who are interested in the tradition, etc.

As for Sakuraba, he is a pro-wrestler and a national freestyle wrestling champion. In Japan, pro-wrestling has submissions, knockouts, etc. Thats where he learned techniques like the armbar, heel hook, etc. He has nothing to do with BJJ, other than beating the tar out of its best practicioners. In the early days, Mark Coleman was not technical at all, but he is improving in his submissions, knees, kicks, etc. You also have to remember that there were thousands of people in this country already training in judo, traditional ju-jutsu, greco-roman wrestling, freestyle wrestling, folk style wrestling, etc. These people were not as surprised when they saw grappling be used effectively in the ring. Royce Gracie expanded NHB, but in a way, limited it. He made people think ground technique is the only important thing, in the past, you would have been foolish to throw a low kick, much less a high kick. Then, came people like Maurice Smith, who knocked out a BJJ black belt (Conan S.) with a high kick. Sakuraba came and demolished Royce, Ralph, Renzo, Royler, Conan S, and many other BJJ black belts. Shonie Carter knocked out a Renzo black belt with a spinning backfist in UFC 31. The game is constantly changing, and if Royce came back, he would be demolished. Royce isn't even the best in sport BJJ, Wallid Ismail beat him, as well as Renzo and Ryan, and he is only a first degree black belt. I do respect and sometimes train in BJJ, over at Carlson Gracie Jr's academy in Chicago and in Naperville, Illinois. If you are ever by the area, I reccomend you stop by at the school, they will welcome you with open arms, and teach you many techniques and strategies you have never even heard of before.

Angus, if you want to increase your metabolism, drink as much water as possible, and eat 6 small meals a day, rather than 3 or 4 large ones. You can improve your metabolism with weights, etc. When you get older, your metabolism just keeps dropping, if you don't eat right (doesn't have to be strict, high protein low carbs is actually easy to follow.) and excercise at your age, imagine how it'll be when you're 50, 70... (if you plan to live that long ) Don't mean to keep ragging on you, just trying to help.

By the way, Kickbutt, I don't think its fair to say I have no compassion to anyone thats different than me. I am not black, but I have been in protests that are against discrmination, I have many friends with different beliefs and opinions. My comment on gays isn't really true either, I was just frustrated, I support equal rights for everyone. Anyways, I apologize, I hope I am forgiven, but my beliefs on religion are still the same.

Ok, I apologize, I should have kept that to myself. Kickbutt, I sincerely apologize if I offended you, you are right, I should have been more compassionate. "And on that stupid, stupid, stupid argument about Egypt being some made up thing - i could buy a plane ticket right now and bloody well go there couldn't i!?!?!? hdfweahgdhj gjshf sd gjh fb !!! I'M GOING INSANE!!! i can't control myself when people make stupid reasonings like that, when they can be easily played off! " Angus, I didn't mean it literally at all my friend, I am sorry if I angered you. I sometimes go out of line when I am arguing in something I believe in. Thaiboxerken, thanks for taking the time to look it up, at least see what the Koran has to offer. Honestly, I didn't expect to be attacked this much, I'm sorry.

Ken, I am sorry that you have bad information, but the group who thinks the white man is the devil is the Nation Of Islam, which is not Islam at all. Orthodox Islam is arguably the most peaceful religion in the world. "What you should keep in mind is that man created "God" to explain the world, it wasn't "god" that created man. Man also created religion as a sort of law to control the masses, either in a good way or in a bad way. Religion is just another tool of powerful, charismatic men to use." Not very smart to ask me to keep that in mind, since I don't believe in that statement. I didn't prosecute anyone. If someone is non-religous, Islam teaches to let them live their non-religous lifestlye, and they should be able to life their life as freely as they want. "Muslims, middle-east muslims, tend to think the USA is an evil empire that stand against everything in the Koran" That statement made me literally laugh out loud, ignorance ken, it is not a virtue my friend. I have never met any Muslims that believe that. The thing is, every middle eastern country has a terrible leader whose rules, laws, and actions are against Islam. So ignorant people like yourself make that a sterotype. I am sorry that you do not have more inforamtion on the subject. You have obviously never read the Koran, you have no idea what it teaches. "My point is that religion is just something people use to justify their own views. This isn't wrong, more power to you. But when those views and actions start to harm other people's lifestyles then the religion is becoming just another cult." You are starting to sound like the guy who wrote the article on how the Martial Arts are bad, except you both lack info, and you both argue your points with little knowledge to back it up. "Teaching belief is fine. Do your little religion things, but to expect others to believe what you believe isn't right" Ok... don't know where that comes from. I do agree that the bible today is written poorly, that is why I am not a Chrstian. Ironically thaiboxerken, it is people like you that often convert to Islam, those who see religions as stupid, often see the science and logic in the Koran. I am not saying you are going to ever believe in God or whatever, just that I understand your non'religous views. And on homosexuality, I personally believe it is sick and wrong as well.

Bigrokido, wow, we should make a forum about this amazing martial art with jackspratt as the moderator. I think we should all quit whatever martial art we are doing and follow the amazing bigrokido.

Don Wilson acted in horrible B-class movies, that I did not enjoy one bit. But a guy has to make a living.

Jack- It is actually much easier to develop the upper abdominals than the lower abdominals. Most common ab excercises (including crunches) benefit the upper abs rather than the lower abs. To make your lower abs show, you need to have 8-10 percent body fat or less. This can be accomplished by drinking lots of water, running, lifting weights, eating right, etc. The excercise that helped me the most with the lower abs was leg lifts. Do those, and do a LOT of them. Angus- Having strong abs, and a six pack is actually very important. It helps you take a shot to your stomach better, for one. Since the abs are the center of your body, they help the power of your punchs, allow you to flick your hips faster, and much much more. Bruce Lee explained the value of strong abdominals in his book "Expressing The Human Body."

Angus, have you ever been to Egypt? Probably not, how do you know it exists? Just because people have TOLD you they've been there doesn't mean it exists, correct? Maybe Egypt does not exist at all, people have made up pictures and stories about going there to amaze other people... That is why I choose to believe in God, I Don't just believe in what I see, I aceept more than that. I am a Muslim, and I have convinced many of my non God believeing friends to convert to Islam and they have became much happier with their lives. My point here isn't to advertise my religion, but to advertise belief. I think if you look at everything scientifically, life starts to lose its meaning, it becomes nothing but numbers and equasions, experiments, and scientists trying to prove that theire is no God by creating such things as the theory of evolution. (Which does not make the least bit of sence to me.) I am happy with my religion and beliefs scientifically as well. To this day, no scientific errors were found in the Koran, it makes predictions that came true, it talks about how mountains are formed, how babies are born, how clouds give off rain, this information was not known to any man around 600 AD, when this religion was created! SO it has to be from something else. It is also in interesting fact that 3 out of every 4 non believing scholars that try to found errors in the Koran, actually convert and become Muslims themselves! (Again, no advertisement, this might have happened with other religions as well.) Anyways, that article is ridiculous. Are those people trying to get people killed? That having faith in God will stop a thug from slitting your throat or raping your wife/girlfriend? Unbelievable, that article is one of the dumbest things I have ever read. So the kids that go once a week to the YMCA to learn Judo/Tae Kwon Do/Whatever are empowered by demons?

I know it is worthwhile to train in, I was being sarcastic. It is not set in stone that you have to train BJJ, Muay Thai, and boxing. What about all the wrestlers that have beaten the crap out of experts in BJJ? (Sakuraba beating 4 Gracies, Mark Coleman beating Alan Goes, Dan Henderson knocking out Renzo Gracie, etc.)

Van Damme's ONLY martial arts experience is a black belt in Shotokan Karate. Steven S. is actually a 7th degree black belt in Aikido, but his skills have withered, and so has his sadly overweight body. Jackie Chan trained in a Chinese Opera school. It combined traditional kung-fu with singing, acting, gymnastics. etc. His biography is an excellent book, btw.

The only "self defense" that Bas Rutten and Moe Smith train in is the basic "he grapbs your hair, you take hsi arm and do an armlock" type scenarios. That is for their videos on Panther Productions. They train for the ring, NOT for the street. I think Moe and Bas can handle themselves excellently in a real situation, I never doubted that. My point was that they know their training is for sport, not for a real encounter. There is a BIG difference, as real street training also involves a lot of mental training, firearms and first aid training, etc. Muay Thai fighters (by themselves) have never done well in MMA. (Anthony Macias in UFC 4 was beaten by Dan Severn, Moe Smith has a halfway decent record, but he sucked in Pancrase when he didn't know submissions, the same with Bas Rutten.) So I guess there is no point in training in Muay Thai either, according to your reasoning?

Thaiboxerken- No, of course I don't mean Dim Mak. Dim Mak is not real. Thaiboxerken, those rules were copied straight out of the UFC rules my friend. Pride has less limitations (such as kicking a downed opponent.) But even in Pride, there are still no elbows to the head. Thaiboxerken, since you have never fought in a Muay Thai Ring, and I am guessing you have never fought MMA style, you can't argue like someone who has been. I have been in MMA fights in Japan, and full contact stand up matches in Japan. (where any style can compete) No one there thinks it is a real fight, or even close. Maurice Smith, Bas Rutten, listen to their interviews of http://www.kickboxing.com. Their idea of self defense is a gun. (if thats what they like, more power to them.) They are not trained to fight on the street, but in a ring. Again, if point karate fighters want to play tag sparring to improve reaction, speed, etc. then more power to them. "At least a MMA competitor can actually fight in a street brawl." Some people join the martial arts to get enough confidence so they can avoid fights. 99 percent of the time you can just apologize for whatever the problem is or run away. That phrase wasn't a good argument. Tim Greer: Very nice post, I agree.