Is fighting pointless?

[Kaoshin]

I've been wondering lately if learning to fight was pointless..?
I'm sure this topic may have come up before but i'm new to the forums and i'd like some thoughts on this.

Many of the greatest martial artists have bodies that are built but very small and skinny and could beat many average people in a real life combat situation.

But if these martial artists were up against people that were very big that were really bulk and had tons of muscle and/or fat, would the martial artist not lose?
When it comes down to a real life situation, i think maybe the only thing that matters is size...regardless of martial art abilities or fighting abilities and tactics. If you are in a situation where you must hand to hand combat someone 3x or more larger then you, no matter what you did i believe the larger man will win...
A testical kick or punch may be done but what if he did that to you also? If you struck him in the testicals then he could strike you there too where you are both equally hurt and he could just endure the pain and sit on you or push you down or whatever with his large mass...

Any thoughts on this topic?

BTW: I DO NOT THINK MARTIAL ARTS ARE USELESS DO NOT GET ME WRONG

[Tom Yum]

The only way a smaller fighter can beat a bigger one is if he is superior in a particular range of combat that the bigger fighter is weak in.

Look up Genki Sudo vs Butterbean (Pride).

Butterbean is a 300 lb super heavyweight toughman contender, who has KO'd big guys left and right. Sudo is a 154 lb MMA fighter.

Sudo's striking hardly affected Butterbean, until he landed a flying knee, then Butterbean lost his balance and fell down (barely phased). On the ground, Sudo was agile enough to get good position and executed a heel hook.

Butterbean tapped.

If Sudo fought someone like Vitor Belfort or Vovchanchyn (Heavyweights) who are equally skilled grapplers and hard hitters, he wouldn't stand a chance.

[Ikken Hisatsu]

excuse me? you think igor can grapple as well as sudo? what planet are you from?

but yeah, a high level of skill can overcome size. look at Tuli, he got destroyed by gerard gordeau in the first UFC even with a HUGE weight advantage. Mirko Cro Cop broke bob sapps face, and bob sapp beat the crap out of akebono who had a BIG weight advantage.

[wardancer]

Have a look at the first UFCs (when they did not have a weight categories) and decide.
Have a look at Ray Sefo and Bob Sapp K1 fight and decide.
The rest like kick in the testicle, I think this is a MMA an BJJ forum, so I do not care to 'theorize".
By the way, in the BJJ competition the option is available to fight in the open category and try your skills against any opponents of any weight categories.

[Thai Bri]

Size is merely one attribute. No more, no less. It stands out more than the others merely because it is the easiest attribute to see.

[Nick]

...

3x or more larger than you? LOL. You would be fighting a giant, even if you were only three feet tall or weighed 130lbs.

Later...

[Ahoym8e]

big and skilled > little and skilled.

little and skilled is often > big and unskilled

The big guy wil not always win if you're small and skilled, HOWEVER: the big guy WILL always win if you're smaller and unskilled.

And to answer the question

is learning to fight useless?

I don't think so. It's good exercise, for one. I don't ever plan on competing in the UFC, but I am getting stronger, more fit, more confident and learning to relax and focus in what used to be very tense moments (like being headlocked and "ground pounded" by someone 60 pounds heavier). I think a lot of the training (besides the physical benefits) carries over into regular life.

Plus, if you spar, you'll know what it's like to get hit. I know some big guys (6'5", 270 lbs) whose legs go to jelly when they catch even a moderate punch to the head (or especially chin). They've just never experienced it and don't know how to deal.

[EmptyneSs]

size matters but not as much as u think. ther will always be someone bigger and stronger and more skilled, thats y u remain humble and polite always. u dont try to pick fights, and act tough. then when the time comes when u need to really defend urself, u wont be helpless.

also if u are smaller than ur opponent, u can use this to ur advantage alot of times. for example if a bigger taller guy throws a punch at me, its easier for me to duck or dodge it than if someone my own size threw punches at me.

there are advantages and disadvantages to all kinds of size and height and whatnot.

u can either make the best of who u are as an individual or just think that since u arent as big as u would like to be that u are helpless and theres no point in training, but thats on u.

[wardancer]

Bruce Lee weighed around 135 pounds. Dan Inosanto is around 5'4" tall, and probably around the 135-145 mark. Both of them could (and Guro Dan most assuredly CAN) hold their own with just about anyone I know of. Certainly anyone they would have been likely to have to confront in a streetfight. Those who've trained with Ajarn Chai can tell you he's not exactly a big man. They'll also tell you he's a fully certified bad ass. Big isn't everything...

Once again,
Such comments cannot be back-up by any fights that such people have done in a MMA events.

[Ikken Hisatsu]

bruce lee and dan no.

but ajarn chai IS a fucking badass as well as being small. I wouldnt fight him. anyway, the point has been made.

[wardancer]

bruce lee and dan no.

but ajarn chai IS a fucking badass as well as being small. I wouldnt fight him. anyway, the point has been made.

I never heard of Ajarn Chai.
Is he a MMA fighter?

[Thai Bri]

wardancer - when are you going to realise tha MMA is not the be all and end all?

Sure, MMA produces fantastic fighters, supreme athletes etc. But there is a whole world out there and, of course, real fights are not held on a mat, in a ring, with a ref, no weapons and an extensive rule book.

[El Mastero]

The bigger fighter usually has the edge. For one, they have a longer reach. Second, their size may give them alot of confidence. Third, they may be able to intimidate their opponent, which has a psychological effect that can be to their advantage.

But as long as the smaller fighter is confident in his skills, not intimidated by his opponent and has the skill to enter on his opponent and strike with all he has then he has a good shot at winning.

I was watching a fight on a dvd I have called IFC:Caged Combat which is a knock off of the UFC. This one Ukranian guy who must have been about 5'10 was fighting a much taller man (6'+) and heavier. As soon as the fight started both men squared off. The smaller guy stepped in quickly and threw a hook to the guys head. It brought the taller guy down to his knees. The smaller guy then jumped in for a choke hold but the fight was stopped by the ref.

After the fight they interviewed the smaller guy and asked him if he was intimidated by the size of his opponent. He said that he was a bit concerned but knew that he was there to fight and that there was no turning back. That's a pretty good attitude. A winning attitude. Thankfully he had the skills to back it up.

[SamuraiGuy]

Size Owns

The bigger fighter will always most likely win, as opposed to what everyone else is saying, if u look at boxing for instance.... the lighter weight fighters are usually far more skilled then the heavy weights, but who would win , obviously the heavyweight, no light or middle weight is going to take on a heavy weight unless there head has been hit too many times. Size usually wins... this applies to other fights as well.... for instance there is a 6'4 310 pound kid at my school.... you cant fight him because even if u were tall enough , you wouldnt be able to get close enough to hit him without getting urself fucked up... his size around the waist protects against his head because no one is gonna want to lean in to exchange punches with him.... I dont care if ur bruce lee... this kid could kick most peoples asses. Size is probably the biggest factor when it comes to fighting. No one is afraid of the karate black belt who can break a board, when the big fat kid can break ur face.

[Tom Yum]

Size usually wins, but it doesn't allways win.

Rocky Marciano was 5'8" and 186 lbs. His KOs include guys in the 230lb range. The Rock was an exception, because he was extremely tough and could throw a really hard punch.

You're forgetting skill factor too. Roy JJ, pounded John Ruiz's face, whom had a 40 lb weight advantage. There's a still pic out there, where RJJ is slipping Ruiz's overhand and answering with a left uppercut as Ruiz's nose explodes. Remember UFC 3 - Keith Hackney vs. Emmanuel Yarbrough? Hackney landed a rising palm strike to Yarborough (600lb sumo) chin and he fell like a giant tree.

When you fight, you're not going to keep your head still, body stiff and let yourself be a target against a bigger fighter.

Samurai G, do you train in boxing or kickboxing? Ever spar bigger guys with less experience? Then you know what I'm talking about.

Likewise, if you've trained with bigger guys with similar amounts of experience, it will test your limits.