sandinista

really? hmm, thats odd. I guess it depends on what type of karate you studied. For instance, we spend a lot of time on weapons training and striking to specific targets, and forms. Sure we do kicks, punches, etc, but they are all done without hand wraps or gloves (which change things a lot). Also, besides just eye gauges we practice throat strikes (illegal in mma), spine attacks (illegal in mma) small joint locks (illegal in mma), and of course kicks, and knees to grounded opponents (illegal in mma). I would have to agree with Montana, it IS apples and oranges. Two totally different things with training geared towards completley different objectives. mma is only worried about one unarmed opponent of the same general size and weight with a referee present in a controlled environment, that is NOT what someone studying karate is interested in.

I don't think a karate master would ever want to fight in mma. All his best techniques would be illegal in the ring.

vegetarian here. Haven't touched any meat (including fish) for a decade or so. Me and my girlfriend are the only non meat eaters in our club. There are a few people who eat no red meat. I have never had any problems due to not eating meat. Someone said tofu isn't "as good" as meat, I would have to disagree, you just have to know how to cook it properly. My brother is a yoga instructor and has been vegetarian for about as long as me, he is raising his kids vegetarian and there have been no negetive side effects. Humans do not need meat for anything, IMO it's as bad for the body as smoking especially if your eating factory farmed meat.