Most MMA enthusiasts think traditional martial arts do not belong in MMA. They believe that traditional styles do not apply, have no meaning, and are not viable for techniques or attitude. Look at UFC 1. Royce Gracie proved that Jiu Jitsu beats pretty much everything traditional. Sumo, Karate, Savate, and Kung Fu were all beaten. Then wrestling came and ground and pound was born. Next was Maurice Smith with his Muay Thai, learning to sprawl and brawl. Everything else was made invalid in comparison. Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Wrestling were proven to be all that was needed. Muay Thai beat all other forms of striking. Wrestling beat everything for take downs. Jiu Jitsu beat everything for submission ability. So how do the traditional arts fit in? Can they be applicable to today's fighter?
Look at GSP and Lyoto Machida, they were karate guys before they learned Muay Thai. The discipline they learned helped them become stronger mentally. Albeit there styles were considered a harder breed with their competitive knock out competitions. So maybe for striking it depends on how severe the training is and the level of competition if it can be applicable for MMA.
Karo Parisyan has made strides with proving Judo can and will work for MMA. His Judo has taken care of his take down needs instead of the classical wrestling approach. He sends opponents flying with his throws. Look at any of his fights to see his skill in action. He stands up with most wrestlers and goes throw for throw. Also his cousin Manny Gamburyan has submissions from his Judo background. For him Judo can add to his take down ability and ground mat work.
People who compete or train in MMA believe that the traditional kata, form, or set are meaningless. Most believe that fights don't happen in a choreographed manner so learning a form to simulate a fight is meaningless. Fights are too chaotic to be set in one pattern or another. For the most part conventional fighter wisdom would be correct about that. But forms can have some meaning for the person that has done traditional martial arts. Forms can be a form of exercise and cardiovascular activity. Forms can be a form of meditation and focus. With Tai Chi the effects of the forms are not so much in learning combat at fast rate that is required in MMA, but in the long term benefits such as increased relaxed mind state, less stress, and possibly a longer and healthier life. Look at Wushu, the acrobatic martial art of china. To be able to jump, leap, contort, and land in the pose of a Wushu form requires coordination, body control, and some level of athletic ability. It may not have a direct affect as in technique but in body strength it can have advantages. Every person that has seen Jet Li on screen knows that if he tried he could be a great MMA fighter. His Kung Fu ability learned in Wushu has helped with that.
There are also techniques that are in traditional styles that have some fighting appeal. Aiki-jiujitsu has some joint locks that can work for grappling as well as Judo. Kung Fu has trapping and striking techniques that can work if brought out of the form and put into MMA practice. That is the key. If not used within the training or sparring of an MMA format, the traditional styles fail. It’s liken to what Bruce Lee said, "Absorb what is useful, Discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own.” Any style can work, a fighter just has to make it work.
In regards to the mental aspect of fighting traditional styles can add to the MMA game. The ideas of respect and control of a person's character can add to the mental strength of a fighter’s game. A fighter with a strong mental base and positive attitude is a most dangerous fighter indeed. MMA fighters are gladiators but they can be respectable.
MMA fighters must not get caught in the trap of traditionalism and not be able to grow and change. Things which cannot evolve die. That is why traditional styles in general in the world of MMA fail. They get stuck in their ways, old masters refuse to learn, and share new tricks. Traditional stylists can’t evolve and change with the times. The fighter that can adapt and learn from the old and the new is something special. The opponent that fights this man or woman is in for a big surprise and most likely a beatdown.
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