RobertG

1 on more than 1 there is no most effective style. Well, ok, if you're armed and they aren't and you're able to draw your weapon(s) fast enough, you might have a shot. I fail to see how Krav Maga is any more effective than anything else in a totally ****ed up situation. The only advantage KM has is that you specifically train for self defense situations. But if you're out numbered, you're in trouble. It helps to train for being in a ****ed up situation, but that art should simply train you to get the hell away from a multiple opponent situation ASAP. So I'd say your sprints might come in handy more than your m.a. training.

As for one on one, saying BJJ is the end all, be all is simply naive. It depends entirely on the situation. What if you're on concrete covered with broken glass? You don't want to roll around, you want to end it on your feet. So boxing or MT would be optimal. What if the guy has a blade? Well then you need Kali, not BJJ. What if the guy is a college wrestler? You probably don't want to go to the ground with him. What if he's a professional boxer? Then you do want to go to the ground. There are any number of variables to consider--therefore the best art is called cross-training. That way you're prepared for suboptimal situations (which just about any real street fight/self defense situation is going to be less than optimal for you).

And now I'll finish with my normal rant on these topics. Statistically speaking you are unlikely to be involved in a street skirmish. Trouble can usually be avoided. And when and if trouble does arise, 90% of your training is going out the window (unless you've trained over and over again for such situations--which means having training partners randomly attack you, training outside on concrete, at night in the dark, and/or fighting in lots and lots of competitions against new opponents etc.). It naive to think that if you haven't trained for a street fight that you're technique honed on the soft mat with the same guys every week, with good lighting, with being able to tap out, with a mouthpiece, with loose gym clothes, with you stretched and warm--that this is going to translate to a street fight. Some of it will, but a lot of it won't.