Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Wright
I wouldn't, my immediate question is why would you feel the need to? My subsequent question is, why feel the need to expand something that clearly works with proven, dominant efficiency?
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I think boxing is awesome and works very efficiently, but from time to time someone brings a skill set that they can use just as efficiently that catches others off guard and adds to the evolution of MMA.
For example, during the first couple of years in UFC (or Extreme Fighting Championships) the current dogma was that grappling was king because it worked with dominating efficiency.
Strikers got taken down and submitted again and again.
Everyone went out to become the best grappler they could be, including strikers. The strikers figured out how to grapple and were then able to make grapplers play their game (think Mo Smith vs. Silveria or Smith vs. Coleman) and so grapplers had to up their striking game - a good high profile example is Gracie cross training in Hapkido with Master Noni.
We started seeing Gracie throw and trade alot more kicks to his opponents legs and mid section to set up his entry. Other grapplers started catching on to the striking game as well - Couture, Hughes etc.
I've got nothing against boxing - but it would be interesting to see someone get into the octagon, pull out a new bag of tricks and make the striking game just a little more competitive.
I think several guys here are doing just that, cross training in tae kwon do, kenpo, judo and other arts.