Does anyone else see how mma fighting could be revolutionized by aikido principles? (ex. blending)?

Question

Kick defenses are not even utilized, they just stand there and take it. Nobody parries attacks, or enters from an attack. Maybe it is just that these aikido principles take years to grasp and be able to utilize efficiently

Answer 1

Jared,
Your question is an awesome one. I am a black belt in Tomiki Ryu Aikido and I'm from NC. I have often thought the same thing while watching every single MMA fight. I worked out with Rich Franklin on June 10th and even asked him why MMA fighters didnt use Aikido. He told me that if I wanted to seriously enter MMA fights that I needed to give up Kung Fu and Aikido, then get a Muai Thai and Boxing coach. I love Rich Franklin and I totally respect him, but I dont think he understood my question. Before utilizing Aikido, (most effectively) your opponent needs to be commited in his attack. In MMA it seems that everyone now are really good with the jab (none commited attacks) and use them effectively until damage is done to set up for the commited attack, or of course they go in for the take down. This then puts an Akido practitioner at the disadvantage. It can still of course work, but when your paired up with a world class athelete who attacks like one, it would take a Highly trained Aikidoist to stay in total control.
When I ask that same question I am wondering about the "TONS" of close quarters jpint lock techniques that I have learned. Like all the million finger and wrist locks that hurt really bad and can easily make anyone tap out or break there arm.

The next time I watch a MMA fight when to opponents are in the clinch or even grappling on the ground, I want to see one of them grab a finger or a wrist and wrench it back in a lock. even if they dont tap out they will have a hard time punching with a finger thats flopping around or a hand that cant be bent.

Also I saw something the other day I had been wondering about, why dont you see anyone stomping feet? A well placed stomp to the instep could easily break the foot bones making it almost impossible to walk.
So my answer is Aikido could easily be applied in a MMA but it would require a person of years of skills and of course some other training as well.
Im [e-mail] hit me up and we could chat

Answer 2

An interesting thought you have provided here today.

Blending would be effective, but Aikido is not the only art that teaches this concept. When I was taking Kempo, the sensei would use blending techniques as a means to bring your opponent in and either move them away, make them submit, or level them to end the action. Blending is apparently easy to beginners until they start to actually apply that tactic.

Kick defenses in MMA are also more subtle. Instead of lunging for a kick or swinging for it, many MMAers will tighten their leg and bring it up to take the brunt of the kick. That reduces the power of the kick somewhat and allows the fighter to continue. For high kicks (i.e. to the head), the best defense I have seen is quite simple: DUCK.

There was an Aikido kick defense move that would prove beneficial to MMA tactics. It is a mid-level kick where the receiver would move slightly inward to catch the foot, then make two quick moves to turn the attacker around. When it was taught, the final part was a quick throw to get rid of him. However, instead of that idea, I saw an opportunity for a submission ... a drop down ankle lock on the attacker. Do it quick enough, and the fight is over.

Good luck

Answer 3

As some of the other posts say, Aikido isn't that good to use in the UFC or Pride on its own. But then again, the whole point of MMA is in the name: mixed. You're supposed to infuse ideas from other martial arts. So in situations where Aikido would call for you to push the opponent far away, modify the maneuver to include a submission.

Answer 4

ok, i'm totally down with aikido as a self real life self defence strategy. But this is a timed competition here. In Pride, you have 20 minutes, to completely disable a world class athlete. Or 15 minuts in UFC. Wasting time trying to not get hurt at all won't get the job done as consistantly as trying to get the upper hand in a war of attrition. Now don't get me wrong, that would be a very dangerous way to fight on the street, but this is competative fighting, not self defence. So, as practiced in Muay Thai, the kicks are lightly if even checked and you progress forward through them trying to wear their mind, body, and overall stamina down before they wear you out, going for knockouts as often as the oportunity presents itself. There is no time to do the beautiful dances and dodging and parrying included in many gentler forms of martial arts. Only very hardcore martial artists would enjoy watching it anyway and if MMA doesn't stay mainstream the money will go and thus the fighters would leave. I'm not trying to bash aikido, i'm just saying that the time constraints and the crowds that boo at the slightest hint of innaction of todays MMA don't really lend themselves to the utilization of advanced defence moves, instead we must rely on a more attrition based and barbarian styled form of fighting that has developed and enjoy the benefit that at least it is exciting to see what these young athelets are capable of absorbing and instead of criticizing them for that applaud them for their conditioning and durability.

Answer 5

Have you ever got kicked by a real Muay Thai fighter? If so I really doubt you would really want to grab their legs. Their kick are so powerful that many untrainned/unconditioed person would easily get dropped by single well placed kick. Their kicks power are probably harder than a wood bat hitting you at full force. Plus their kicks are ridicously fast and unpredictable. How the hell are you gonna to deal with that if they fake a punch or kick? If you watch the sport carefully, you will see them fake a punch or kicks a lot to set up something. It's not like they are gonna to let you grab their legs.

Answer 6

bawwwhaaaaaaa aikido to rev mma fighting.. bawhahahahahahahahahahah that hilarious man. oh my god wake up aikido works, i will tell you who it works on women and small children

Answer 7

I think those techniques work in lighter contact competition, not full contact.