Top Martial Arts for Street Fighting and Self-Defense: A Mixed Martial Artist’s Perspective
As an enthusiast and recreational MMA fighter, I’m constantly researching that complex question every self-defense trainee asks – which fighting disciplines are truly viable when rival gangs brawl outside bars or racist skinheads awaiting with sharpened screws wrapped in bandanas? Of course, no martial art is some magic bullet against the 7ft tall state prison bruiser threatening your girlfriend at the ATM late night.
In my view, the most pragmatic approach combines trained versatile techniques taken from combat sport MMA systems with pure aggression and situational awareness. My friend James, an ex-bouncer constantly fending off two drunk muscle heads trying to impress their dates, drilled this philosophy into me. As he secured one lout in a rear naked choke while using the other face down as a step stool, he remarked:
“Out here, no referee steps in for illegal moves – break knees, gouge eyes, smash groins autogmatically. You want drunk idiot number one tearing your date’s blouse or idiot number two throwing bottles from behind once I let ‘em up?”
Point taken. No rules, no fair fights on concrete.
Certain disciplines still maintain clear advantages that translate well to chaotic street violence compared to traditional single arts focused on meditation or sport points. The most pragmatic styles reflect core principles of inflicting decisive damage, weaponizing the entire body, and relentless pressure testing against non-compliant opponents across full contact competitions.
Who better understands the brutal intricacies of weaponized bodies colliding with personalized rules of combat than professional warriors who’ve fought all comers for paychecks spanning the globe? I invest special trust in the proven opinions of career mixed martial artists when it comes to self-defense choices.
So I took interest when I stumbled onto the YouTube video “Best Martial Arts Ranked by PRO MMA Fighter”. It features great insight regarding his picks for pragmatic fighting disciplines best suited for the streets. His criteria included simplicity, battle testing, versatility and proven weapons to disable or cripple fast during chaotic violence.
While I don’t fully agree with all his assessments universally, they represent an outstanding foundation for breaking down key elements that separate traditional from modern self-defense oriented martial arts. I’ve supplemented his framework with additional statistical data alongside perspectives from law enforcement, military combatives instructors, renowned MMA coaches, as well as my own experiences competing across semi-contact and full contact rules formats.
State of the Streets – Soaring Gun Sales & Violence Renew Self Defense Focus
Let’s establish first that more US citizens are arming themselves in response to the recent violent crime pandemic – especially stranger attacks and hate crimes against vulnerable groups. FBI data confirms aggravated assaults spiked 12% from 2019-2020 while murders escalated an unprecedented 29% in their largest single year surge [1].
Criminologists attribute the volatility to societal issues like pandemic lockdowns, mass unemployment, riots, de-policing initiatives in inner cities allowing violence to flourish – with minorities suffering disproportionately [2]. Regardless of root causes, individuals and vulnerable communities are clearly taking self-protection seriously.
Small Arms Analytics reports monthly US firearm background checks hit all-time highs in 2020 upwards of 3.9 million while gun sales to Asian Americans already tripled this March over 2021 totals [3]. Handgun concealed carry permits also just hit 19.48 million, fueling enrollments for defensive firearms and tactics training nationwide [4].
Table 1. FBI Reported Violent Crime Increases (2019-2020)
Offense Percent Change
Murder & Nonnegligent Homicide +29.4%
Aggravated Assault +12.1%
Source: FBI 2020 Uniform Crime Reporting Program
Cross Training Stigma – When Traditional Meets Modern Mayhem
The unnamed MMA expert first addresses the question of whether devotees practicing a traditional single style their whole life can really dominate an aggressive habitual street fighter versed in modern close quarters tactics. Like many instructors, he feels their lack of crosstraining against non-compliant opponents or with weapons leaves gaping holes:
“I think it is stupid to train in only one martial art your whole life. All of the traditional martial arts have a lot of flaws today. Karate, Kung Fu, Aikido were made more for the spiritual training.”
This aligns closely with perspectives from most military and law enforcement combatives trainers I’ve encountered over years participating in regional grappling competitions and cage fighting events.
They generally dismiss training regimes relying heavily on esoteric traditional rituals, dances, or learning complex techniques over physical conditioning. Point sparring focused on tag scoring without body contact gets dismissed just as fast.
Case in point – I remember a Kyokushin karate purist named Hiro who entered an underground Denver no rules fight night to test his 30 years punch/kick point stop training against a prison-hardened ex-con brawler named Rocco, sporting crude prison tattoos visible under his wife-beater tank top. This mismatch ended fast with Rocco charging from the bell, grabbing Hiro’s throat then angrily driving repeated knees skyward through the hapless karate master’s caved-in ribcage until he gasped out the words “MAITTA!MAITTA!” (I Quit in Japanese) after maybe 90 seconds.
No surprise there based on predictable outcomes when Midwestern Toughman meatheads apply wrestler’s dirty boxing against strip mall McDojo practitioners with zero clench defense or ground work.
Wrestler’s Control Vital Foundation for Street Fights
Shifting topics, grappling stylists who train submission and trauma wrestling strategically control where street fights unfold, thereby mitigating damage from strikes, environments or weapons. The MMA expert rightly singled out Brazilian Jiu Jitsu reflecting principles that align with elite military combatives doctrine emphasizing bodily weapons and controlling dimensions.
“Brazilian Jiu Jitsu I think is very very effective if you find yourself in a street fight situation” he said, which I fully support given its iconic history of smaller exponents like Royce Gracie dismantling larger strikers and street thugs during Brazilian Vale Tudo’s no holds barred era.
Gracie Jiu Jitsu (which spawned modern BJJ) banking victories using leverage and technique over strength against Luta Livre catch wrestlers offers classic examples of practical ground fighting applications by a master.
I’d expand further by arguing that Greco-Roman clinch throws, Single/Double Leg takedowns allow controlling the horizontal dimension critical in self-defense situations. Shooting effectively from strikes or against bodylocks surprises street fighters expecting sloppy drunker’s haymakers from every direction.
The dirty secret remains many strikers neglect defending hips and legs or training with upright clinched fighting in real time. This allows even moderate wrestler’s reliable entries into disrupting balance or seizing dominant ground positions.
Once horizontal, competitors versed in Catch Wrestling, Luta Livre or Japanese Jiujitsu all become dangerous opponents applying devastating leg locks or submitting from front or back mount.
Striking Styles – Simple Destruction Over Complexity
Muay Thai earned top praise from the MMA pro for its simple integration into modern self-defense training given sheer knockout power and overall effectiveness. I believe Kyokushin Karate, Boxing deserve equal notoriety as fundamental striking arts as well – traditional or otherwise.
Kyokushin’s brutal full contact sparring ethos alone bred world champions like legendary knock out artist Andy Hug and K-1 legend Semmy Schilt pressing forwards behind vicious punishing blows. Some posit Kyokushin’s lack of punch defense reflects Japanese Budoka mentality of physical and spiritual hardship strengthening the individual striker against impact damage more so than deflecting strikes [5].
Western pugilists wielding fluid angled combinations see no reason to absorb excessive blows when non-telegraphic slick head movement, strategic footwork allow exploiting openings or setting up counters shots instead.
As the renowned MMA coach Firas Zahabi said of boxing’s applicability: “If you understand distance and footwork, it’s going to amplify your power 100 times rather than if you’re flat-footed or have sloppy footwork.”
Muay Thai maintains versatility integrating more elbows, knees, kicks and punishing leg kicks than traditional Karate styles which South East Asian Nak Muay exponents test weekly against opponents in Lumpinee stadiums and rural gambling dens full of blood, flying teeth where death occasionally finds overly bold upstarts.
Savage Street Effectiveness & Unconventional Targets
Krav Maga deserves mention as the ubiquitous military combatives system of the Israeli Defense Forces. Its no nonsense gutter fighting concepts draw from Muay Thai, boxing and Jiu Jitsu but focused purely on destroying hostile threats attacking civilians.
Groin strikes, eye gouges, tactical pens impaling jugulars, improvised weaponry – violation of unlawfully attacking bodies represents core Krav Maga doctrine. DVD sets sold at shopping mall kiosks promising to transform accountants into Special Forces Operators in 6 weeks excessively commercialize its significance.
However, Krav earned legitimacy from alumni pressed into urban warfare against terrorists and rioters employing blades, explosives on buses or restaurants. One instructor related how three gang members assaulting his sister immediately fled once her Krav trained boyfriend permanently detached one assailant’s nose from his face utilizing explosive palm-heel strikes.
Kali knife fighting principles work wonders against human waves given angles of attack and putrid techniques meant to bleed out targets by severing ambulatory arteries. Training military application differs wildly from traditional dance like demonstrations with Chief Instructors Inosanto or Ilustrisimo usually reserved for seminars or backyard get togethers.
These days dedicated supervision progresses necessary to minimize badly self-inflicted injuries by overeager "tactical" civilians attempting to wield their street purchased KBar boot knives recently removed from bubble packaging.
Self-Proclaimed Ninjutsu “masters” sometimes appear at events near army bases or college campuses demonstrations full of beautifully choreographed forward and rear rolls, synchronized high kicks seemingly stolen from a Broadway Kung Fu musical and performed in frankly laughable costumes.
These serve best as entertainment before asking amused bouncers to "kindly escort" them forcefully off premises after injuries (or sexual harassment complaints) inevitably mount.
Legal Impacts of Excessive Force
However legitimately dangerous at inception, several of these military methods sport combat techniques gnaw uncomfortably close to attorneys I’ve interviewed regarding “excessive force” interpretations utilized in altercations by civilians or off-duty officials depending upon circumstances.
Prosecutors increasingly advocate filing charges against individuals claiming self-defense once forensics exposes evidence conflicting with initial statements.
Always best immediately contacting authorities soon after acting defensively even given legitimate fear of safety.
District Attorneys take dim views of good Samaritans as its difficult perceiving "noble intent" after caving in someone‘s face withbottle strikes based on misinterpreting their girlfriend walking away angry from a loud argument. Or assuming the teen vandals are armed while chasing them off the construction property at night.
Jurors don’t relate to momentary rage, confusion or terror during group attacks. They sympathize more with crying parents of the paralyzed minor child, coaxed by prosecutors into illegally entering an abandoned warehouse with friends on a dare exploring the darkness within urban decay.
Pepper sprays, tactical batons, rescue knives – all become weapons of potential intimidation later demonized by officials despite lawful ownership. Stress inoculation training against adrenal overload allows more socially acceptable application of legal tools including judgemental justification afterwards.
Situational Escape & Evasion First Rules of Engagement
The first rule of surviving violence remains situational awareness and threat avoidance. Attending unknown house parties in dangerous areas or making prolonged eye contact with suspicious gang members should be minimized. Predators leverage ambush tactics targeting vulnerable individuals exhibiting oblivious behavior.
Fighting skills strengthen confidence yet risk creating false sense of security. Always respect blades, bats or firearms introduced suddenly into altercations. Early disengagement allows safe navigation away from potential police intervention. Never underestimate psychotic meth addicts impervious to pain or Reason.
Choose gegenpressing tactical withdrawals towards public visibility over showdown throw downs in dark alleys or against superior numbers when escaping remains viable option. De-escalation principles require encouraging aggressors successfully satiate narcissistic instincts or imported primal needs to dominate without requiring physical sacrifices.
Final Thoughts – Mixing Martial Arts Maximizes Street Survivability
This lengthy analysis still only scratches the surface on adapting specialized martial arts for dangerous street engagements based on veteran mixed style fighter perspectives regarding pragmatic self-defense choices suited for countering legitimate threats. While their recommendations surely display some bias, I believe the underlying concepts hold merit.
Against spontaneous violence, hybrid systems maximizing full contact sparring under varied rulesets appear best suited for cultivating combative attributes like composure under pressure and fluidity in transitions between striking/clinching/grappling ranges.
Continuous crosstraining arms for uncertainty and chaos – whether by integrating Muay Thai close quarters tactics with Catch Wrestling limb destructions and Brazilian Jiujitsu controls – or forging personalized striking combinations from Kyokushin Karate power fused with Boxing angles and weaving head movement ultimately expand options against spontaneous attacks.
Conclusion: Mix core techniques from multiple disciplines after mastering proper execution separately, then pressure test personally through scenario run throughs to ingrain combative reaction to weapon threats. Accept no fantasy based delusions about secret teachings or untested rituals ever substituting for battle proven doctrine.
Choose reactive mobility early when confronting violence but train proactively with moral awareness that legal, ethical consequences follow all fighting.Compare holistic risks before assuming heroic roles. Then decide whether discretion remains the better part of violent valor in crisis environments. Surviving chaos requires balancing situational exploitation of targets with societal costs extracted from sentient bodies and minds left mangled upon bloodstained concrete.
About the Author: Patrick Parker is an avid recreational Mixed Martial Arts practitioner and regional semi-pro competitor based in Denver, CO. Over 10 years, he has cross-trained and taught fundamentals across boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, Krav Maga disciplines under veteran instructors comprising special forces, MMA champions or decorated police combatives experts with proven experience subduing human threats in both sport and street engagements.
Beyond executing techniques, Patrick takes special interest in analyzing realistic dynamics of applied violence across security professions, sociological factors influencing conflict escalation plus legal precedents guiding use of force application.
Sources Cited:
[1] “FBI 2020 Uniform Crime Report” – FBI National Press Office, Sept 2021[2] “Pandemic Fueling Global Violence – WHO” – BBC News, March 2022
[3] “Personal Defense Market Heating Up in 2022” – Small Arms Analytics Report, April 2022
[4] “Surge in US Concealed Carry Permits” – Washington Times, Dec 2021
[5] “History of Kyokushin Karate” by Sean Levin – Black Belt Magazine, 2011