For all the guys out there doing BJJ, how transferable is that type of fighting to the real world? It just seems like if some guy is trying to choke you out, your best defense would be to take a bite out of his forearm. Or, when they try those arm bars, it seems like you could take a bite out of their hamstring that would make them let go. I haven't ever tried it, so I'm probably completely off base here, but thats the first thing that comes to my mind to do when I watch these poor guys getting choked out on UFC.
By the time you bite that guy if he's got you in arm bar, your arm is broken and is now destroyed. Not to sound crazy, but go ahead and I'll let you bite me if I've got your back or an arm extended. I can get a tet shot, but the biter is getting a cast. Again, I'm not trying to sound like a douche bag, so please don't think I'm trying to talk tough or anything.
As for the UFC, it is so technical at that level that something like a bite wouldn't matter. Then again, biting is illegal in the octagon and every other fight sport out there these days, so that's irrelevant anyways...
I've seen two blown out legs in competition now, and they aren't pretty at all. The first one came from a heel hook that was set up, then executed in a matter of maybe 4 seconds. That move isolates the knee, then turns the foot around with no movement in the knee. So, imagine your foot being turned around backward with no movement of the leg to relieve any of the pressure. Obviously, we're talking terrible damage to MCL, LCL, PCL, etc.. The whole knee was destroyed, and that guy was out for over a year from what I hear. It sounded terrible as well...
In my opinion, knowing how to grapple is supreme in a fight. There's always a puncher's chance for anyone to get knocked out, even extremely good boxers. All it takes is one haymaker and you're done, or you're cut badly and you'll need medical attention...
So, a trained striker CAN get KTFO by a random drunk at a bar if he tries to stand with him. A good grappler stands the risk of getting tagged, but his opponent is going down in a moment. From there, it's only a matter of time, and not much time at that...
A grappler isn't going to give that drunk the chance of hitting him if he's trying to work his BJJ. A boxer is trying to work hands on him b/c that's what he does right? Well, by doing that, he runs the risk of getting hit as well...
But if you're a BJJ guy and you're changing levels on his ass....you're less likely to get hit, more likely to put that guy in a position where you can either control him until police/bouncers/whoever arrives, or do some serious damage to him like breaking an arm, blowing out knees via heel hooks, etc. The name of the game in grappling is getting close to your opponent, shooting in for a takedown, clinching into a throw, and things like that, but it's not staying in striking distance where you run the risk of getting punched...no matter who you are. Crazy people do crazy things, and sometimes it might even take 10 punches before the guy goes down, if he goes down at all...
Meanwhile, your hands might be broken, you might have punched him in the teeth and gotten cut up, you could have hit him in the top of the head and smashed your fingers (been there), **** like that.
A drugged out dude can take an enormous amount of punishment, and can withstand punches in bunches. You break his arm, he physically can't do much to you. It's simply a mechanical deficiency. That limb is now out of the picture completely. You choke him out, **** man...You can do whatever you want to do to him now.
I think that if you took just one BJJ class you'd learn more than you'd expect to learn, and you'd probably stick with it as your primary means of self defense. The things you learn are so common and simple that you'd be amazed at it. You'd also see just how much damage you can inflict on someone, and do so without running the risk of getting hurt yourself...
Competition is a whole new ball game, but you get the idea...
Best case scenario? Do BJJ, pick up Muay Thai, take some boxing, learn some judo, and wrestle...
Sorry for the long reply. I'm sure there is plenty of spelling/grammar errors...
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