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Kenpo and UFC style fighting By seca2man - Sat, 11 Nov 2006 05:21:36 GMT

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Does anyone remember when the UFC first started? I think it was UFC 1 or 2 and I remember a guy named Keith Hackney (sp?) who was fighting this monster sized guy. At the time I think his bio said that he was an American Kenpo Karate practitioner. He won the fight against the giant, but in the next UFC, he went up against a Brazillian named Marco Ruas who basically took him to the ground and tied him up into submission.

I've watched UFC and Pride fighting off and on, and aside from Mr Hackney, I don't recall ever seeing another Kenpo fighter in the ring. Is Chuck Lidell (sp?) is a kempo practioner? Do you think the rules against eye gouges and direct groin strikes limit what a Kenpo fighter can do in the ring against a skilled MMA?

Please keep in mind that I'm not trying to start a blog war about whether the new breed of MMA is more effective than Kenpo, nor am I trying to insinuate that cage style fighting and street combat are the same thing. Just curious what the skilled kenpo fighters out there think about their chances in a MMA arena.

Thanks

Sean


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jtheath

I don't know if I can answer your question about Chuck Lidell. I can say that his style of fighting doesn't look anything like the American kenpo I've seen.

I wouldn't consider myself an expert kenpoist but I do hold a Black Belt in the Ed Parker system and have studied quite a few other Martial Arts. My problem with kenpo (and the reason I decided to pursue other paths in the Martial Arts) is that there is way too much emphasis on self-defense techniques. Learning self-defense techniques does not make you a fighter. Fighting and conditioning and the application of tactical concepts make you a good fighter. Most of the kenpo schools and practitioners I've come into contact with lack this sort of training. I've noticed that most of the "World Champions" in kenpo are often champions in either self-defense competitions or in forms competitions. It is my opinion that neither performing a self-defense technique really well against a willing opponent nor performing a flawless kata prove your fighting ability.
Referring to your point about the prohibition of devastating strikes like eye- gouges and groin strikes in MMA competitions, I don't believe this would put the kenpo practitioner at an advantage. If these strikes were allowed don't you think the Muay Thai, Sambo, Brazillian Jiu jitsu and Judo players could employ the same strikes with the same effect?
I hope I've gotten a point or two across. I'm a little sleepy. I don't want to start a war either.

JT