Do you see the problem?

[MasterPain]

The only problem I see is the free triangle choke the karate fellow had around 1:20 that he didn't take.

It bothers me so when I see such awful grappling.

I understand you here, but neither one of these guys is likely a grappler. Its just a natural human reaction when you are getting pummelled to close and clinch, to take away those weapons pummelling you. Even non-grapplers will end up doing this.

I agree with you completely, which is why I think everyone should practice grappling in the first place. This is almost always what these cross-style matches end up as, sloppy grappling.

Despite the efforts of some good coaches, I have been Sloppy Grappling for a long time.

[tallgeese]

Hopefully, everyone in a martial arts class in some degree is preparing for something like this. What videos like this should point out to everyone, as has been stated, is the importance of cross training.

Just because these two might not be the A list reps of their respective styles doesn't mean that the outcome wouldn't have been similar with just tighter movements before they hit the ground. Skill and movement have a way of cancelling out. Had they been better, the clinch would have probably still happened, just out of a desire to not get hit with so much power on everyone's part and not sloppy movement.

Sloppy wrestling happens to all fighters if they haven't cross trained on the ground. Even second hand lessons from a blue belt could have tilted the balance in this ground fight. Put high level black belts on each and that doesn't change simply because if they've never trained on the ground those high level guys will look just like this once the clinch occurs.

Despite all of the protests that so many people give about staying off the ground at all costs, the fact remains that it happens. This is evidenced easily by the clip of two stand up artist ending up there. Best to be ready.