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I guess no matter how I frame this new karate league entitled the, “World Combat League” (WCL) my bias is going to be apparent. So off with the perverbal gloves and here goes. I found some of this type of fighting on VS TV the other day and I had a hard time figuring out what was going on. At first I thought I had found some type of wrestling or such because the two participants were just meeting in the middle of the stage and going at it. The strikes and kicks seemed real enough but there was not anything thrown below the belt. There did not seem to be much tactics other than just slugging!
I looked this up on google and found these were team competitions that were scored on how many kicks and punches landed in a round (rules). You could not clinch, hold, or do any take downs. I did not see any rules against leg kicks, groin shots but I assume those are not legal (groin shots are not normally legal in MMA). Here is a quick clip Chuck Norris’s World Combat League.
This is billed as full-throttle fighting. Looking at this clip I found it interesting but I also knew the fighters could not do half of what they are capable of, such as using fighting tactics! Most of these fighters looked like they could fight but just meeting in the middle and going for broke, I would argue, does not showcase their (the fighter's) talents. It is hard to figure out if a fighter that won a match - would do well in a more traditional Mui-Thai or Kick Boxing match.
I do not watch traditional boxing matches because the fighters are kept from using most of their tools. I have the same critique of this World Combat League, the fighters cannot fight anyway they see fit (plan their game) and then fight their game plan. Brawlers (in the karate sense) would do better even if they would not win in a normal full contact match. I think I will skip these fights on VS TV.
By the way, I do not want to (or mean to) slight boxers by my comparison. I have the highest respect for pugilism as a sport and fighting method. The only way (in my view) boxing compares to the World Combat League is from the reduced striking areas in the competition standpoint. When I was learning full contact karate in the 80's, boxing was a big part of that training.
We have plenty of exciting fighting leagues out there such as UFC, Pride, WEC, IFL and such that I will not be lacking MMA entertainment. I know there are Mui Thai and other full contact events that are sanctioned by other governing agencies that are also realistic and fun to watch. The next time I happen on the WFL matches on TV, I will vote with my channel changer!
July 19th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
I see where you are comming from really I do there is a lot of tools in the World Combat League (WCL for short) that may seem limiting to a spectator such as yourself. Such as No elbows, no kicking below the belt, no throws ect…… But one should understand this, The WCL wasn’t ment for people with yellow belts in six styles and daddy issues to get in the ring roll on the ground and hug each other untill the rounds over. It is made for we trained well conditions “Martial Artist” (and I cant express that enough) to get in the ring and give it there all and blast on each other with technique timming and style to find out who is the better man on that day and try to help your team win in the process.
Back to the original point the rules do limit the fighters but its full contact and fair the people competing are striking masters or at least experts and the rules are fair for all of them to meet on a middle ground in a sport enviroment. its not muay thai or kickboxing or karate its somwhere in the middle they all know the rules before they get in the ring and they all have to adjust from there core training yet they all can relly on the weapons they have been trainning for years. In conclusion I believe the WCL is great entertainment and its a step in the right direction for Martial Arts.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Hi Bugg,
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First off, thank you for leaving a comment. I think we might not have any middle ground because the WCL matches I watched on TV and youtube seemed to favor sluggers as opposed to fighters. There does not seem to be any tactics at all.
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For instance if a fighter wanted to hold back and pick his shots for greater advantage – he would be penalized.
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About the only way your argument makes sense to me is if neither fighter has any tactics to fall back on, then, arguably the best slugger would win.
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My comment I believe was by watching the WCL – one has no idea who the best fighter is.
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The positives:
1. stamina – takes a lot of work to slug it out
2. it is full contact – you have to take a punch
3. you could get into good shape training and fighting this way
4. the ring looks cool to me
5. it does not appear to be fake fighting like the WWE
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The negatives
1. its not fighting – meaning if they got into a real fight by any other rules – who knows which fighter is the best – you cannot tell from watching the WCL
2. no generally accepted fighting skills are used by combatants
3. striking areas are about as bad as PKA kick boxing used to be
4. the rules that force the fighters into engaging without retreat
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I’m not a Jiu Jitsu stylist but that art is meant for fights that go to the ground. My guess is if the ground fighters like going to the ground – it is because they are more effective there. Me – I’m more of a striker and would go to the ground as a last resort. Not really sure how the ground game got into this discussion.
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I guess I don’t see the entertainment value because in my view the WCL is not real fighting. I don’t think it is fake like WWE but I don’t see the benefit of slugging it out every match rather then wining because of superior technique.
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Sorry but I don’t agree with your arguments Bugg.