| The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has | | | | survival in the ring, cage or octagon (or the street |
| experienced a meteoric rise in popularity and | | | | for that matter!) |
| ratings over the past couple of years. Love it or | | | | To be a successful UFC fighter you need to have |
| hate it, it looks like the UFC is here to stay. | | | | a great stand-up game and a great ground game. |
| Consequently many men in the 18 - 34 | | | | In addition to this you need to learn take-downs |
| demographic are becoming more interested in the | | | | and take-down defenses. This doesn't even |
| martial arts. | | | | include the physical conditioning or the mental |
| After watching great strikers such as Chuck | | | | aspect of preparing for a fight. So here are some |
| Liddell, Anderson Silva and Houston Alexander and | | | | suggestions as to which styles you should study |
| watching the incredible grappling and wrestling skills | | | | to give yourself the best chance of becoming a |
| of Randy Couture, Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, | | | | good fighter. |
| many martial artists are asking themselves the | | | | · Striking Skills: Boxing, Muay Thai, |
| question "Will my martial art get me to the UFC?" | | | | Shotokan, Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Savate |
| The answer to this question is very simple. | | | | · Take-Downs: Judo, Hapkido, Sanda (San |
| No, your martial art will not get you to the UFC! | | | | Shou), Sambo |
| Make that a maybe, instead of a definite no. | | | | · Grappling and Submissions: Wrestling, |
| OK, I can already tell that some of you may be | | | | Brazilian Ju-jitsu, Japanese Ju-jitsu, Aikido |
| shocked at that one line put down of you, your | | | | There are many other martial arts not on this list |
| chosen martial art and your UFC aspirations. After | | | | that are also worthy of in-depth study; and some |
| all I don't know anything about you but let me | | | | of them on the list include all of the above skills to |
| expand on my answer so you know where I'm | | | | a greater or lesser degree. |
| coming from. | | | | So will your martial art get you to the UFC? Not |
| First of all, it is important to understand that no | | | | by itself, but if you combine the strength of your |
| one style has all of the elements of a complete | | | | chosen art with the missing elements that you |
| fighting system for success in the Octagon, but | | | | need from some of the other styles above, then |
| many styles have a lot of them. The UFC, Pride, | | | | you will be well on your way. |
| WEC and Elite XC are all labeled under the | | | | For more in-depth information on many of the |
| category "Mixed Martial Arts." This should tell you | | | | most commonly practiced martial arts, get my |
| a lot in relation to the question of whether your | | | | FREE "Beginners Guide to Karate". You will find out |
| martial art will get you to the UFC. Mixed martial | | | | how to download it at |
| arts is exactly what it says it is - a mix of | | | | Good luck and best wishes on your journey in |
| several different martial arts pulled together to | | | | karate. |
| create the full skill set of techniques needed for | | | | |