Best Martial Art for Street Fighting | John Danaher and Lex Fridman

[@hewlikehew8682]

Best street fight defence = avoid street fighting at all costs Most of the time it doesn't matter what you know and what you've trained in anymore weather that be boxing, kickboxing, karate, muay thai, judo, wrestling, BJJ ect. A few years ago an 18 year old amateur boxer (very talented) from my area got into an altercation with an untrained guy around the same age as him while they were out with friends. In a controlled environment the boxer would have totally dominated the other guy 100 times out of 100 but this wasn't a controlled environment. The boxer was stabbed by the untrained guy multiple times and later died in hospital. This made me realise it doesn't matter how hard or long I train in whatever martial art there will always be that one random guy out there who's willing to go a step further than I am and it could be anyone

[@CraigCallister]

That’s a weak shitty attitude!

[@markoshivapavlovic4976]

no just find a good piece of something when striking.

[@resxion6315]

Just get into street fights and you’ll get better that’s the game

[@evilpandakillabzonattkoccu4879]

@@CraigCallister Is it? In the video, the man mentions Mike Tyson's street fight with Mitch Green. He didn't mention, but feel free to look it up...that Tyson said that the fight was scary. Tell Tyson his mindset is 'weak'. If you have the best MMA skills in the world....and I have distance and my firearms..... you'd need more than skill, talent and luck to defend yourself. now, if you have little to no training in martial arts but you do have training in firearms or fighting with a blade...why would you resort to fist fighting? honor? ego? pride? 🤣 😂 something adults interested in combat (not MMA or fighting, but combat) should know is the following: if you willingly enter a fair fight, your tactics are shit. Think about it: How many fighters go into the cage or ring having stated "we are both completely even when it comes to skill, strength and heart, so it should be a fair fight and I have as much confidence in myself winning as I do my opponent." .....? none. No fighter enters a fight thinking "he is my equal, so this should be a 50/50 fight. I very well might lose, even if I do everything correctly." Fighters have training camps, where they study their opponent's fights and practice exploting their weaknesses. come fight night, they feel they have an edge (but assume their opponent has done similar. their edge is that they worked harder than their opponent. sometimes that isn't true but it's what they need to convince themselves and their opponent of) and they need that feeling to help them overcome the mental hurdle of the harsh reality they are about to face: things are fair in a sactioned fight. Thats why we watch MMA and other combat sports: because that minor 'edge' is barely an advantage and is usually nullified if the opponent does equal studying and put in as much work. ....but when it comes to street fighting, there are no rules except those that apply to Game Theory. That means that a person who will use a particular fighting style during a street fight (just boxing, just grappling) has a very high probability of losing to a person with ZERO martial arts training. remember "be like water" and have no style? If you get into a street fight with a person who is untrained in martial arts but is trained with firearms....you just brought your ego and your unarmed body to a gunfight. what is going to stop you from being shot? your huge amount of heart and your strong mindset? ....I'm not a badass at all. I don't live in a bad city and I don't fight. I have, however, seen teens who thought that picking a fight with an old man was a bright idea. They got the old man to pull over and get out of the car. The teen had a very misplaced but strong mindset. he wasn't going to let an old man make a fool of him. ......that young man's 'tough mindset' blasted out of his skull was what I rolled up on, moments before the cops showed up. It's the same principle as the book "The Secret" ....which claims 'if you want something bad enough, you can will it into existence by simply thinking about it and asking the universe to give it to you.' Saying that "Avoiding a street fight is the best defense" is a "weak mindset".....is like saying "you can win any fight if you have a strong enough mindset". It's nonsense and it, frankly, makes you seem equally insecure and dishonest. Seriously, think that through: Imagine meeting a man in person... a man who worked his whole life (so much so that he was forced into illegal child labor and was physically disabled due to wear and tear arthritis by his mid 20's....like he was raised in a third world nation) and when he was unable to work, he stayed home and not only raised, but taught his children at home public charter school, while still doing chores at home and making money on the side. That man...a hardworking, disabled father....... is weakminded if he chooses to not engage in fights he likely will lose? you honestly feel that way? .... I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming you're a better person than that, but correct me if I'm mistaken. two final questions: 1) if you had the money to provide your family with security.....would you want them armed with a weapon and verbal judo skills, where they choose to defuse situations rather than fight? ......or would you want the Patrick Swayze from Roadhouse mentality guy you seem to be describing....due to his tough, never say die, devil may care mentality? ....I don't mean to mock you but if I'm making you feel silly, good....that's pride fuckin with you. you know the rest of that speech, don't lie. ...if you don't feel silly..... the you may be legit 'slow of thought'. I can't be frank here because feeling being hurt is an offense here, but, if you don't feel a bit silly, then: "the logical understanding of reality and real world consequences" = fire .....meanwhile..... "your idea of what is logical" = fire retardant ......like a plane warning you that your speed is too fast for landing....you should be hearing an alarm stating "Woop, Woop! Retard! Retard! Woop, Woop! Retard! Retard!" TL:DR Version: If you actually believe you're statement, then it won't be a surprise when you get shot, unarmed, after an ego battle at a 7-11. "Terrain! Pull Up! Pull Up! Terrain! Pull Up!" ......if you even follow that post, I will be impressed. it's simple to follow..... but I bet the majority will be like a mid flight 747 to you: miles over your head. prove me wrong. please.

[@evilpandakillabzonattkoccu4879]

@@resxion6315 I've never been in a street fight. I've had people try to instigate a street fight but they either wisen up and walk away when I ignore them.... or they say "dude, chill" when they get a gun pulled (low ready, not aiming at them) on them. sub 2 second draw from an increase position. somebody gets mouthy and threatening, I'm not going to fight them. fuck that. if I fight them and lose, I could get seriously hurt or die. That, I don't care about.....but I have a family, so I have to care. thus, a violent, threatening jerk gets a choice: .45colt [.45lc] or 9mm delivered to them until the threat stops....or they suck their ego up and go home. Listen to DeNiro in Casino....next time, being a pistol so you stand a chance. your mindset may be bulletproof.... your training may be equally bulletproof. your body, however, isn't. ......and if you honestly think you're going to disarm somebody who is trained with a firearm.... you're "I practice ninjitsu and can throw chi balls" type delusional. no trained firearm carrier is going to let you close enough to disarm them and even if you did.... that what the backup is for, plus the blades.... and that is after training in various martial arts, in my case. I'm not a badass at all! nowhere near it.....so, what happens when you meet a dude like me, except bigger, meaner and willing to catch a case for ego? happens all the time, sadly.

[@craighorton8339]

I believe that badminton and table tennis prepare you best for a street fight.

[@faithhopecharity2843]

Ah yes. FOOTWORK

[@Luis-nw4xr]

What about Chess?

[@JR-wj9bh]

And tennis/baseball.. that snapping power.

[@gregoriofracassi9776]

You kidding? Golfers just brutalize everyone

[@n-wordheelflips2648]

@@gregoriofracassi9776 brutally boring

[@Radiuhh]

This is the most intensely thought out and well spoken non-answer I’ve ever heard in my life

[@Radiuhh]

@@dranreb1118 I think you’re super fake deep and pretentious and missed the Mark on trying to change my initial opinion. This is nothing but a non answer... and I damn near idolize Danaher lmao

[@SeanRosati]

His answer is “live sparring” over any drilling and theory. Makes sense to me.

[@SamtheWarden]

@@Radiuhh It's not a non answer. What's the best martial art for self defence? - Any martial art where there is an emphasis on sparring to mentally and physically prepare you for an altercation. There are PLENTY of martial arts where they don't spar. John respects all legit combat sports and he also realises, in a street fight, a pure Muay Thai fighter might kick the shit out of a pure grappler, and vice versa. There are so many variables. Train. Spar.

[@Radiuhh]

@@SamtheWarden so…. Non answer?

[@etagged]

It was the most eloquent way to not say wrestling.

[@tkugsify]

Steps for self defense: 1. Situational Awareness/Avoid fighting 2. Strength and Conditioning (look less like a target/able to escape more easily) 3. Concealed carry

[@kevocos]

1. Try to avoid it 2. Try to escape it 3. Blow a fucking hole in it

[@ayabongamaseko9313]

But muay thai prepares you most for rushed inexperienced street fights. What is your take?

[@michaelsmelt5218]

​@@ayabongamaseko9313 Boxing + wrestling/BJJ.

[@funkstrummer2151]

An absolutely fascinating bloke. I could listen to John speak for hours.

[@kenwu7]

He's got a zoom call with roger Gracie that's about 2hrs. I haven't watched it tho so can't say anything about it

[@matthewdunlop2623]

He always sounds like he needs a drink of water

[@daggaboom]

His talking pace is slow it takes hours to listen to what he has to say

[@daggaboom]

@Richy G I’m teasing really. He always talks like this. Been following him for years now

[@bauerj3398]

Funk Strummer: and you could. Just ask him any question. How is the weather. And he is off.

[@paulattaboyatreides6414]

Love how he didn’t call out any specific martial art either as best or worst for self defense, a very nuanced and comprehensive answer. You can tell this man is not only a martial arts genius but a scholar as well.

[@PT-tv9my]

He used to be a professor at Columbia University. Hes a legit comic book character lol

[@nomoreliberties]

Mr. Danaher, at 3:36 not every single time because that is factually incorrect but if we wanted to round it off 95% percent plus time

[@nomoreliberties]

Also Mr. Danaher @4:17 u should know the difference between a boxer and a real martial artist that spends time developing the little bones in the hand and wrist hitting various objects like heavy bag, sand bag, wood with rope around it etc so that there hands are used to punching hard without wraps on like a boxer who hits very hard but hasn’t spent that time training those bones and muscle for that. All that boxer has to do is spend 20 to 40 percent of there time or extra time punching one of those objects mentioned above building up correctly so they can punch a head in various ways with most or all there power and not break there hand like brittle pound for pound best boxer in the world floyd mayweather who has broke his hands many times because he never cross trains punching without very wrapped up to the extreme hands and wrists! Not that he needs to for his profession which when you make that kind of money why would you cross train. But if we are talking about boxers having that issue it is very easy to solve. They just don’t know that or are taught that from a self defense/martial art aspect and only taught mostly purely from a boxing in a ring aspect. Again as Mr. Danaher knows all martial arts have limitations and weaknesses but on this point and the previous one made, he should have delineated that difference as i know he knows it. Maybe for the masses he was making a point slightly incorrectly on purpose!

[@nomoreliberties]

But who am i to be a critic after the fact?!

[@nomoreliberties]

Dam John at 439 if he can do it anyone can break there hand! That is where now i know u missing an aspect or fighting or martial arts. Dam there every single boxer that trains daily with there hands only wrapped is going to break there hand over 50 percent of the time at least if they are involved in a street fight hitting someone in the head with a closed fist with all there power. However in one month of cross training with our hands and wrists wrapped that percentage of breaking hand will go down very significantly! Cmon John! Just saying though i have the utmost respect for this man!

[@JLewis1979]

I feel like with the prevalence of MMA gyms now, that simple MMA training would be the best for street fighting. Being good at everything > being great at one thing. That way no matter where the fight takes place, you won't be out of your element. I still say the best street fight is the one you can avoid though. I understand that some people attack you first and you have no choice, but if some chump is just talking crap, walk away. It's not easy sometimes, but in the end it's the better choice. It's not worth possible serious injury to yourself or them, in which could possibly land you in legal trouble.

[@derekuhm]

I disagree. In my experience, a guy who's really good at one thing (ex: one-two in boxing) beats a guy with mediocre skills in everything. But I agree that avoiding / de-escalating a tricky situation is the best skill to learn.

[@JLewis1979]

@@derekuhm Everyone in a reputable MMA gym learns a crisp one-two. In fact a one-two in MMA gloves is a lot harder to defend against than in boxing gloves, but I digress.

[@ethanbernard7671]

@@derekuhm No you're wrong... someone who can box, wrestle, knows some muay that, and some bjj would beat someone who is one dimensional and only knows boxing. I'd take an MMA guy over a pure boxer/wrestler/muay thai guy in a street fight

[@Christian-ll3wk]

@@ethanbernard7671 THe thing is, getting good at "Everything" is a lot more difficult than honing in on one skill... Most MMA guys have a hole somewhere. Good boxing, ok grappling, bad kicks... etc.

[@ethanbernard7671]

@@Christian-ll3wk Becoming proficient in everything takes far less time than mastering one art though. Take BJJ for example which the average person takes 10 years to get their black belt. Imagine if you had spent those 10 years doing bjj, wrestling, boxing, muay thai, judo...? You'd be a much more complete fighter. Plus over the years you'd develop good fundamentals of multiple styles so instead of picking up EVERYTHING from one art, you'd pick up techniques that compliment your preferred style.

[@thebjjlifestyleguide1139]

You know he's a Jiu Jitsu guy when he casually sits with a 10 Finger Grip 1:07

[@mrtravelhub4313]

@@Purelylogical1 Its the new iluminati sign

[@jcglez9491]

@@Purelylogical1 I always notice when Khabib and DC hug eachother you see technique in their hugs 😂😂😂😂

[@hoochfarmer4394]

@Richy G pretty sure Matt Serra does it a lot

[@timothylee9721]

cable grip 4 life

[@hv4285]

🤣😂 I came here to say this. I catch myself doing this while sitting at a coffee or in a meeting or even just standing outside. Either S grip or Nut/Bolt grip for no reason

[@marcwareham9351]

As Bruce Lee said, “you can’t learn to swim on land!” You absolutely need to have contact.

[@cosbro5389]

Think how much Bruce Lee would have said if he had lived for a long time

[@nzt1423]

Not even half

[@marcwareham9351]

@Tony correct I doubt his fighting ability in a real life situation. However I was just referencing his quote.

[@ludo2914]

Bruce Lee dedicated his whole life to being the best fighter possible. Physical training and more importantly his martial arts training. There are countless interviews of 'real deal' fighters talking how spectacular he was. Unbeatable so much he forwent weight classes (in a streetfight, not regulated combat sports). I personally believe that someone who creates such a philosophy in his own martial art invention/outlook can be dismissed so easily, just because of his side hussle to pay the bills.

[@jewellui]

@Tony he definitely did spar, he created an early type of MMA glove

[@felixsu375]

Basically what he is saying is that no matter what you're doing, you need experience that most closely simulates an actual fight. Without that experience, you're going to be surprised and shocked at the intensity and flow of the fight. And I agree with that. So the counter argument is that any martial arts can be turned into a combat art if you add real sparring to it where you face off with an opponent who will hit you and come after you with whatever they have. This is how you turn a martial art into a combat art.

[@iamawuss]

Put boxing and wrestling together with a basic knowledge of a few fundamental subs: RNC, guillotine and arm bar to name a few...you're pretty well set

[@JeanJacqueJaenJeux]

I would just add some good low kick to win without having to really throw hands

[@SamtheWarden]

@@JeanJacqueJaenJeux low kicks, take downs, positional dominance, submissions. Boxing is important to avoid hands.

[@thomasomalley510]

I’d take Muay Thai over boxing. If I’m ever attacked my instinct will be teeps and low kicks. If that doesn’t scare them off then I’ll move to the hands and head kicks. If it goes to the ground I’m fucked 😛

[@SamtheWarden]

@@thomasomalley510 worked well for Wonderboy……

[@appledough3843]

A Muay Thai fighter with a black belt in jiu Jitsu is your worse nightmare then lol. Wrestling? Jiu jitsu loves to go to the ground and he’ll chock you out of great your limbs. Stand up? Try getting close with your little boxing stance he’ll kick your legs out right from under you. Before you even get to wrestling if you try a take down and fail, and you’re clinching with him, you’re in trouble. Knees, elbows, and sweeps are coming your way.

[@DraRed73]

A big factor that is often skipped in such discussions is the importance of the actual schools. Same style taught at different schools and thus using different approaches welds different results. I can draw upon personal experience after studying traditional Jujitsu at different locations. One school used far more realistic drills and regular grappling while the other was purely based on practicing technique against passive opponents. Same style, different schools, different results.

[@unknowable2432]

Keyboard Warrior

[@DraRed73]

@@unknowable2432 , whatever. It is self evidently true.

[@DraRed73]

@@bobbymccullough3210 Are you suggesting that it is not obvious that different instructors will produce different results? I am thinking you have landed in the wrong part of the web. You probably want to do search for philosophy or linguistics and go from there. Good luck

[@DraRed73]

@@bobbymccullough3210 Ouch. For someone who claims to have spent a decade studying language, your comprehension is on the light side. That has to hurt. I suggest you have another few goes at reading my last comment to try to grasp the meaning. Maybe breaking it down in an essay might help?

[@fileboy2002]

There’s some truth to that. However, within any given style, the similarities between schools are far more pronounced than the differences.

[@parjau4554]

I do remember reading about a very early competition between traditional Jiu jitsu practitioners (who could theoretically do all sorts of deadly things) and Judo players (Judo being Jiu Jitsu with the nasty bits taken out). The Judo guys won because they were used to actual fighting against resisting opponents.

[@martiallife4136]

Well, not entirely true. Many of the jujitsu guys sparred as well.

[@thomass.4007]

Thats how judo became japans national sport

[@Valkaneer]

Also widely not known is the Gracies made sure no world class Judo users were allowed in the first few UFC's. It's because Masahiko Kimura, Judoka knocked out Hélio Gracie, then when they gave Hélio Gracie a long time to regain his composure the refused to call it a knock out and Kimura kept fighting which resulted in Kimura breaking Hélio Gracie's arm in two places and where the famous move got it's name. "The Kimura", Also of importance the Gracie's had very cushy mats laid down in the fight (since it was fought in Brazil), this they knew would greatly reduced the impact of Kimura's throws.

[@Kwisatz-Chaderach]

​@Valkaneer it's true. BJJ is just Newaza with Portuguese words slapped on. It's like little girl Judo.

[@quasarte4701]

I believe you are talking about a tournament or tournaments held in Japan to see what martial art was going to be taught to the Tokyo police. This happened in the late 1880s. The details are hazy but the outcome was that the police started training in judo as opposed to traditional jujitsu. This catapulted judo from a fringe martial art/sport to one of Japan's largest and most practiced martial arts.

[@chrismlone]

Merge Lex and John together and you have created thee PERFECT real life Lex Luthor.

[@ivandrago1757]

i was always a huge boxing advocate but mma has made me believe a good wrestler has the advantage over most

[@contemplativeidiot1]

Having done both, wrestling me would win over boxing me 9/10 times

[@kingcannonade7282]

Exactly; wrestling teaches grips, throws, clinch, and different defenses to grappling, and if a striker gets close enough to throw an accurate punch I would easily take the chance for a blast double.

[@bigsmall2842]

Wrestling is also the most viable to learn. The skill floor for wrestling isn’t nearly as high level as the skill floor for bjj or boxing. Wrestling is easy(compared to other combat sports. Obviously it’s still hard, and it has a huge skill gap)to get into, while also being extremely effective.

[@gamar1226]

Fights always end up in clinch. Look ar any boxingz kickboxing fight. Happens more than a few Times in under 3 minutes

[@OnlyMoneyJM]

Until you Gay Wrestlers Fight 2 attackers in a street Fight

[@thomaschristopherwhite9043]

"If I fought a world champion boxer I would just poke him in the eye" Lol! As if he can't do that do you faster and more accurate.

[@andychang2739]

Lol. I've never gotten how people make that argument. Anyone can kick someone in the balls

[@MrGlostuber]

Yes but obviously I think what the guy was saying is that because you have safety rules, you won't necessarily think of doing it as you're disciplined in not doing such things in a sparring session. The same way the boxer probably wouldn't elbow instead of punching with unwrapped hands to protect them from breaking.

[@thomaschristopherwhite9043]

@@MrGlostuber Boxers throw elbows and headbutt their opponents in professional fights all the time. it's not like if you're trained to box that it will never occur to you to curb stomp someone's face in in a street fight.

[@aarontours]

You perform as you train. Groin shots, eye gouges, elbows, ear tearing, etc. are techniques that need to be trained for them to be available and effective during a fight. Same for bladed weapons, firearms, etc.

[@thomaschristopherwhite9043]

@@aarontours Krav Maga uses those things. Would love to see someone use that on an MMA fighter.

[@cristobalheiss5349]

IMO is Combat Sambo, well rounded in terms of distances and fighting scenarios, strong sparring (as Jigoro Kano saw, randori is KEY for a martial art to be effective), plus the possibility of competition usually raises the bar and provides an opportunity to test oneself in a controlled yet brutal environment.

[@appledough3843]

The only issue with that is that it takes a long time to be very good at 2 specific martial arts. Boxing and jiu Jitsu. All the others you can learn quicker (yes it still takes years of hard work) but it takes like double that time for boxing and jiu Jitsu unless you’re naturally talented at it. That’s why they start young (boxing and BJJ). I say focus on boxing and BJJ for a few years to get the fundamentals and be very good at the basics then move to combat sambo. That way you enter with a good grappling and striking base. Also, boxing is the only real martial art that puts heavy focus on footwork and head movement. Footwork will help your kicks and takedowns by placing you in a better position.

[@cristobalheiss5349]

@Projectile Live 1. Those are 3 martial arts, the discussion is about one of them. 2. Even so, there is a lack of wrestling in your combo. 3. No idea which Sambo tournament you saw, but the likes of Khabib, Fedor, Arlovski, Islam etc. come from Sambo background (all of them being champs in that discipline).

[@aplus1080]

Combat sambo is just mma.

[@cristobalheiss5349]

@@aplus1080 it’s a form of mixed martial arts in terms that it mixes several of them, but imo is a unique blend (ruleset, attire, high percent techniques etc).

[@ajmjl9102]

Kudo

[@vojomihajloski]

There is no rule in a street fight, who ever punches and lends a punch first got the upper hand ,boxer or Muay Thai guy are trained to take punches so they have advantage in this particular situation over many Martial arts , if they got punched first, (because they can take that punch ) they can counter punch or do a combo and possibly manage it out ,they have the stamina to do that ,liver punch is the most dangerous of all ,boxer ( Muay Thai) know this and that is the first spot they protect ,head is not the problem ,you jaw is your weakest spot ,my advice ( have been in several bar fights) try to avoid it at any cost if not strike first and run ,street fights are so unpredictable and dangerous ,there are many UFC guys who have had their asses whooped in a bar fights.

[@IcyFlare]

This is so comprehensive and nuanced. I appreciate the thought and wisdom that went into this answer!

[@TheRealAT]

It’s a non answer

[@heeebeeegeeebeee]

Most well articulated answer I’ve heard on this topic. The same goes for gunfighting - the best gunfighters throughout history have been competitive shooters.

[@Dynamic6000]

Definitely a grappling art. It’s proven grapplers can win fights with beginner level striking. I actually like Judo for this scenario. Before people freak out, I don’t believe it’s the best art, or even best for MMA but I do think it may be a top contender for the street. My reasoning is this, you have the biggest library of takedowns, sweeps and throws, many of which don’t require you to go to the ground if you don’t have to. This is crucial and gives you the ability to disengage or focus on a second attacker. The stance is a more common fighting stance rather than hunched over or requiring a level change. The throws are not strength focused so it gives maximum efficiency. If the fight continues after the takedown, Judo ground game is fast pace and focuses on fundamental pinning and submissions, really what you need if you were “in the street” You do not want to be on the ground in a street fight, but if you are, you need to have some skill in that department. You’ll hear people say Judo black belts have the proficiency of a bjj blue belt on the ground, and that might be all you need, nothing fancy. Obviously all this is subjective and variables change outcomes, but this is assuming the fight is with an untrained attacker.

[@ongogablogian1876]

If it's a 1 on 1. In practice, especially in America where we have lots of jogging enthusiasts, taking it to the ground means getting your head kicked in by 10 other people.

[@Meinan4370]

I agree with this in my own experience too with judo. It’s does have its problem in its training for too complicated throws that expose your back. But when you clinch with a judoka it’s freaking scary, there is no way you are not getting thrown on the ground The problem I have with BJJ, I still learned it is that John says this himself that BJJ tends to be poor in the standup grappling because there is no incentive, and people like to pull guard. Pulling guard is not a good self defense move for most people!!

[@TheFightingHippo]

@@ongogablogian1876 grappling is also important for NOT going to the ground if there’s multiple people. If you’re not a grappler anyone who has played JV football can just tackle you and then you’re defenseless

[@ongogablogian1876]

@@TheFightingHippo True and wrestling or even judo is way better for this than BJJ.

[@JakeSimmons-r2u]

I keep reading this in comments from people who practice judo…..and not in a cocky way. And as they say, nothing hits harder than the earth. Let’s face it, Rhonda Rousey went to the Olympics for judo. That was her sport. Her opponents literally knew what she was going to do and they couldn’t stop her!…….of course until she decided to stand and go toe to toe. 😳🙄

[@gregoryford5230]

As a HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) practitioner, stoked to hear a reference to Fencing for weapons based self defence! We have a lot of competitive sparring with safety equipment and blunt weapons. There's nothing quite like trying to stab someone that's trying to stab you at the same time- it's all about timing and distance.

[@seams4186]

What do you think about blacks taking over Europe?

[@gregoryford5230]

I hope you're referring to the customary black outfits that we tend to wear in HEMA and not some gross racist bullshit.

[@mr.purple250]

Escrima would be better since there’s more applicability to knives and batons

[@gregoryford5230]

@@mr.purple250 depends how much actual sparring takes place. HEMA knife and stick work tends to get thoroughly pressure tested.

[@mr.purple250]

@@gregoryford5230 yes, but that’s usually not the main focus. HEMA is a close #2 imo just because of applicability of most things taught

[@rachet0704]

I had a jujitsu instructor that constantly told us the only way you are gonna know where your skills stand or to build your skills is to actually get into fights. You have to actually experience violence to understand it, you cant train for that in any dojo. In any street fight violence of action determines who wins, whomever strikes first with the most violence and brutality wins, no exceptions.

[@loverofhumanity]

I would say real competition fights outside uour gym would prepare you for fighting more than anything else.

[@brynjones3445]

ive trained japanese jiu jitsu since i was 4 im 18 now, you echoed exactly what my coach said. We did sparring with cups and kudo like headgear to allow head butts and simulate eye gouging. It was all great but for the first 2-3 years there was a heavy emphasis on how to carry yourself when facing an attacker where to look and how to talk. I didnt really think much of it when i was young and hated doing it as i found it boring, until my first fight where the deescalation kicked in i quickly realised a fight was about to vreak down from all the signs he taught me and the next thing you know a haymakers coming in i just rememeber framing and throwing an elbow in return just as i trained. The fight was over, Ive had many aggressive encounters most of which i have been able to intimidate the aggressor enough to back down but whether it kicks off or not i resort to these same moves i have been taught when i was 4. This is true street fight training in my opinion i also train mma and have witnessed many of my training partners fight when it can be avoided or not recognise the signs early enough. I think every martial arts school that claims street defence should rigoursly drill these scenarios for years and years.

[@VitaminDonbosco]

Danaher is so true. 1 year after training Muay Thai for five days a week. I dropped a guy(who followed me into the restroom at a bar) with an elbow

[@justinsnow3979]

As long as you do spar and have a good instructor, many martial arts are effective for street fighting! I’ve done several different styles throughout the years. Many don’t spar, stay away from those schools. I agree with most of what he had to say, but some traditional arts with a good instructor and lots of sparring will work well against most people. Obviously if your fighting a really good mma guy, gonna be hard to defend against him with anything but mma. But most people starting shit aren’t mma fighters.

[@af4396]

His answer is obviously very well thought out. Personally, I also suggest there isn't "one". Learn to be good on your feet and on the ground. Pick styles that suit you, and styles that would suit each other. With a limit of time, maybe don't take Judo and Karate, take Judo and Jiu Jistu, for example. And while you're at it, learn some basic MMA style striking and take downs. Then, learn how to weave them together. Most of all, learn how to be prepared for a fight but with the intention of not getting into one. Be aware of your surroundings and potential opponents, learn how to read people, and don't get itchy to use your "new skills".

[@markez1199]

Lex Fridman and John Danaher: conversations worth listening to. Articulate and defined questions. Articulate and defined answers.

[@AZadeh-nd8vx]

This guy, word for word, says what i said aboit martial arts/combat sports and street fighting! Nothing beats full contact sparring/fighting for street fighting/self defence. Boxing, Kickboxing, Judo etc are the best because you lear how to get roughed up and rough up.

[@Parlefalk]

John Danaher rocks. But he's much better when you listen to him in 1.25 speed.

[@zxzxzx4661]

😭😂 fr

[@jonathangustafsson6744]

Thank you

[@brandonb1121]

Thanks bro

[@Suflenny]

1.5 dawg

[@paultequlabeer]

Paradigm shift just happened ty

[@JayB.USMC.]

Outstanding answer! I came right out of the Marine Corps running security at night clubs with only knowledge of punching. As soon as sought out grappling standing and and on the ground my chances of injury dropped considerably. Just like Mr Danaher said a combination of skills and live sparring is the best way to prepare yourself for an altercation. Such a intelligent gentleman 🙏

[@zippo_muk9254]

*Muay Thai with a focus on boxing is the best for self defence.* Elbows when clinching. A surprise knee. Body/low-kicks. Jabs and movement when at range.

[@dylan_krishna_777]

I think muay thai and judo are the best for self defence on the street. Muay thai push kick , low kick , elbows, knees and Judo with the takedowns.

[@ricardokerscher]

@dylan_krishna_777 Judo, in addition to takedowns, masters ground fighting, if any.

[@christianhorcher6038]

PRO TIP: make sure you have the sobriety advantage if you get caught up in a street fight.

[@dburke4754]

learned this the hard way

[@hongkongkev3941]

This is a timeless question... I had a couple of scraps growing up, I have been in many 'street fights', prior to training and competing in Boxing, Grappling, MMA. I have worked as a nightclub doorman for over a decade and had 'straightners' since I have been a trained martial artist. My answer is, there is no singular martial art that is 'ideal for the street'. A BJJ black belt with no striking is gonna be KO if he doesn't at least learn the basics of striking. Vice versa, to be battle ready and confident in your ability to protect yourself... Get to a MMA gym, where you can try them all. Boxing, wrestling, grappling, kickboxing etc. Then once you feel the fundamentals, focus on the martial art that you feel works for you the most. Based on your body type, preference and personality. Just remember "With great power comes great responsibility"

[@ineedmore_catvideo]

So what he's saying is to find the toughest combat sports gym you can and then train as hard as you can against live opponents, and that will give you the best chance of preparing for a real fight?

[@blanquitoloco92]

yes

[@AceHBK972]

That guy can teach. Someone with a PhD that breaks things down in simple explanations.

[@guenthersteiner3311]

Yes, he applies his philosophy training to the theory and practice of marital arts. He is unique in that sense. A deep thinker.

[@konohagakurejonin4461]

@@guenthersteiner3311 dude edit your comment cuz it says marital arts. But we know what you mean. Haha.

[@BoKnowsBrains]

@@konohagakurejonin4461 nah marriage is an art. it takes a true warrior mindset to become champ.

[@konohagakurejonin4461]

@@BoKnowsBrains haha.

[@guenthersteiner3311]

@@konohagakurejonin4461 lol

[@rainchazzer6308]

I believe that people work best when they first learn a combat striking martial art and then learn a submission grappling martial art specially if it involves takedowns or throws. Somehow it seems to be a bit harder to teach people that only did grappling the basics of striking but not the other way around

[@jaromeymeckstroth2252]

That makes sense I agree

[@aaa84gt]

Great point about Mike Tyson. I was jokingly fighting with my brother and went maybe 8/10ths with my punch towards his thigh and he defenders with his knee. I hit him straight on his knee and broke a knuckle on my hand lol

[@samlee6749]

My favourite part of these arguements is always when some guy who has been training traditional MAs for 30 odd years is quickly reduced to pinching / biting - always loved that!

[@dees.daniel7]

That’s me lol

[@larssonk22]

Bruce Lee used the exact same thought process. When he developed his JKD he looked at boxing, fencing and wingchun but used less wingchun in his later years. His on set experience with Gene LeBell opened his eyes to the grappling arts.

[@hasanicoward4425]

@TheDonBarracuda I study JKD and noticed the trapping method is used all the time and the most important part so WingChun is the main reason the trapping method is used more

[@larssonk22]

@@hasanicoward4425 I was speaking more about Bruce Lee's own evolution as a fighter, he was moving away from needing to trap, I think that was more of a reflection of his own abilities and fight knowledge rather than what people should train (you need the foundation before you can remove the inessentials).

[@MrCmon113]

@@larssonk22 What evolution? The guy never fought. He was constantly on camera wooing audiences with all sorts of performances, but he never fought. No showcases, no tournaments, only one bad recording of a training fight in which isn't anything special. You have no reason to think he did enough fighting to have an "evolution".

[@TheFunnyRepublican]

The simple answer… SAMBO. As a Jiu Jitsu guy.. Sambo is superior, overall, on the street. As in on concrete.

[@robertopaulylaspiur8405]

The best answer I have ever heard to that question ...my respect !!!

[@bauerj3398]

Really? Because he didn't answer the question.

[@zpettigrew]

The term is called "Combatives". I taught Combatives to the US Military and SOF troops for about 6 years at Spokane WA, and MacDill AFB, FL. After submitting the "best" Combatives instructors in the SERE program - they decided to re-evaluate the techniques they taught, and we work shopped them out. This only happened because I've been doing Combat Sports and MMA since childhood, and competed as a teenager (before it was even "MMA"). Back then, everyone called it "No Holds Barred" (NHB) and there were zero rules. Combat Sports background gave me the ultimate edge in all of this. John is 100% correct!

[@AT-db9gu]

Boxing. It gives you the defensive abilities (head movement , footwork) to move and get the f out. And it gives you the offensive ability to end it quick. Most people throw haymakers in a streetfight and boxing is king in giving you the ability to easily slip these shots Bjj is great defensively in the case that someone takes you down. You can sweep and get out. But how often is a streetlight really 1 v 1. If you live in urban areas , most of the these dumbass fights happen in clubs / bars and no one should be actively going for a takedown and trying to sub someone

[@alexsalazar5161]

I think i read a statistic somewhere that around 80% of street fights end up in the ground

[@HtheKing]

boxing is good until you face a bigger more aggressive opponent who doesn't try to swang and bang but just tires to rush in and grab a hold of you. That's when you need bjj. Personally in a street fight I will always start with boxing but you need bjj just in case that person gets a hold of you or is bigger than you

[@AT-db9gu]

@@HtheKing well yeah, two martial arts are always better than one. If we’re going with 1 then I’d go with boxing for the reasons above, but if possible , a grappling art is for sure useful

[@MrCmon113]

Most fights on camera are 1v1.

[@mr.purple250]

@@alexsalazar5161Gracie propaganda

[@nomoreliberties]

Boom there you go John at 7:10 nailing it which very very slightly contradicts a few of your earlier statements! Glad u made this point to overcome the slight mishaps in your previous statements

[@viniciusalmeida9754]

Even if 2 strikers are fighting on the streets, if they don't knockout each other, eventually the fight will end on the ground. It's mandatory to know grappling.

[@DPham1]

For those who want to be spoonfed a simple answer, this is a non answer. And for those ppl pick between a striking art (boxing and muay thai) and a grappling art (wrestling, BJJ or Judo) and you're Gucci. For those who realize the answer is not so simple, Danaher's response is golden. The answer really isn't simple and that's because aside from several obvious choices, there's not a lot of truly bad martial arts, and any martial art that involves sound techniques reinforced with pressure testing by sparring can be made into a 'streetable' or just an effective martial art. For example, a person who trains at a Kung fu (a martial art often maligned) school which leans heavily into Sanda and crosstrains in other arts and spars and competes regularly could probably beat a person who trains at a fitness boxing (probably one of the safest martial arts you can take in terms of developing sound and effective fundamentals) gym in a streetfight. And I'd bet the first person could handle themselves much better in a general streetfight situation. The answer is complicated because *you* have to decide what's best and why it's best for *yourself.*

[@thedadlife247]

Also in street fights some of the best things to do is walk away. Fights happen sometimes because of ego. But if you must as Bruce say express yourself

[@jonanbahnsen3935]

So your strategy is to turn your back on someone who is aggressive towards you. Man you're brave or stupid

[@thedadlife247]

@@jonanbahnsen3935 oh your an internet troll that’s what there talking bout. Just because you walk away doesn’t mean your not aware but only someone stupid calls another man stupid am gonna assume your a low self esteem depressed individual. I won’t argue with you because then I will lose brain cells and become stupid.

[@miesvaillanykyisyytta3252]

@@jordancreed3003 "get hooked" What does that mean?

[@hatrickyman]

@@jordancreed3003 you sound like you've never been in an altercation in your life, so hardcore bro.

[@hatrickyman]

@@jordancreed3003 cause your gf's hitting me up on the dl

[@TheChilator]

Best answer I have heard on what martial art is best for the street Totally agree

[@obliqueapplications8881]

I love how John's idle position for his hands is an S grip here.

[@ricopaxton]

Q(Lex):"What is the best martial arts for street fighting?" A:"Uhm, again, you are asking some truly fascinating questions here!" Please tell me, is that: A) Ironic B) Annoyed C) Passive aggressive D) Honest compliment

[@modernexistence4206]

D

[@babrdwod7464]

I'm sure this sounds kinda lame but you can also try removing yourself from the situation. It can leave attackers bit confuse if you practice it alot. This is effective in street altercations and you may want to yell words like *Allah Huakbar* multiple times as it distracts the attackers.

[@tonypaella]

Lmao this genuinely made me laugh. Or pull down your pants and start hopping after him

[@moefinesse9878]

For me. Striking 1. Muay Thai 2. Boxing Grappling 1. Wrestling or judo 2. Jiu-jitsu

[@georios]

He had more trouble answering this than if he fears death 💀

[@horaciocabrera9747]

LMFAOOO

[@jayluis189]

I'm confused 😕... wym

[@josephhowarth4725]

Boxing/Kickboxing and BJJ/Wrestling. Know how to strike, particularly so you understand distance management to avoid getting hit yourself. Know how to grapple, so if someone grabs you you know how to properly control the person. You don’t have to be a black belt professional to defend yourself effectively. Be comfortable striking, be comfortable grappling

[@craighorton8339]

Fencing. Great conversation. First 30 seconds hilarious. Fencing.

[@amhawk8742]

Makes sense as competition makes you train harder than you would normally. MMA obviously requires less modification than other sports, but to just train in one particular sport probably isn't the solution; it may be that the adaptions & transitions from one skillset to the next is more important than the individual skill.

[@thefirefighterwaylifefight2030]

As a guy who started and lived his first 30 years of life a piece of shit criminal...yes I'm talking about myself watch my channel and has had in the neighborhood of 70ish street flights... This is by far THE ABSOLUTE BEST ANSWER I HAVE EVER HEARD TO THIS QUESTION.... By the way I turned my life around with the help of JIU JITSU and MMA had some Sport Fights and Won some Grappling Tournaments in the late 90s ... Now I'm. Union Firefighter In a tough City outside of Boston. And try to be a Good Human... But again this is an amazing Answer to this question 👏

[@liammccarthy4375]

Probably the best thought out and articulated answer I've heard to this question.

[@bensum9111]

I always choose a .45 with an extended magazine. Shoot first then worry about hand to hand.

[@ghostyff9183]

Nerd

[@lifeofsnz2216]

That’s the world we live in. Lil girls that pull triggers. Anyone can pull a trigger not everyone has the balls to walk into a boxing gym

[@carloferretti8956]

You can’t have a gun in places where you’ll most likely need them, bars, clubs etc.. you need to know some type of combat sport

[@dropt67]

@@carloferretti8956 I can take a gun where ever I want. Who would know if it wasnt presented. Dont need it... great. Deadly situation..... rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it. This is REAL.

[@dropt67]

@@carloferretti8956 and I know how to handle myself just fine

[@herbbowler2461]

My advice exactly. A friend thought he was pretty good at no contact karate. I adviced doing full contact with a boxer. He got the surprise of his life.

[@DoseOfReality308]

Bjj. Muay Thai. Judo. Wrestling. And of course. Fencing 🤺

[@DoseOfReality308]

@NM D. name the three. Cause I can only see a Bjj player getting stomped out.

[@JfaJosephR9]

@@DoseOfReality308 think he means judo and wrestling as well because at some point you end up on the ground

[@DoseOfReality308]

@@JfaJosephR9 wrestling and judo puts a higher emphasis on takedowns. You must mean Bjj which mainly focuses on ground fighting.

[@JfaJosephR9]

@@DoseOfReality308 I know but I think he meant because when you take someone down you typically end up going to the ground with them. Which is great in a 1 on 1 fight but in a lot of street fights it's two groups of people so being caught on the floor while taking someone down leaves you vulnerable to a drop kick to the head. That's my guess as to what he meant because few street fights are actually 1v1 unfortunately

[@JfaJosephR9]

@@DoseOfReality308 he also said buddy stomping your head so he obviously meant with more than one attacker in the situation

[@alpacinothethird]

Anytime you get involved in a street fight the chances of getting hurt are high avoid at all costs your other strategy is to dump as much kinetic energy in the aggressor as possible if you find yourself in a match fight where both guys are circling guard up throwing feints and bobbing and weaving you've made a mistake lol.

[@jk55.]

Danaher is genius 🎯

[@Phoenix_1991]

This was such a professional answer. He didn't throw any martial art under the bus and he also didn't promote the martial art that he himself is practicing.

[@restistance4387]

That's how i always looked at it.MMA is the best for a street fight but it also as to be modified for a the streets. If not MMA can teach you bad habits for the streets.

[@restistance4387]

@InnKolddBludd Theres so many points i can get to. In sport JJ for example you learn a lot of bad habits.You ingrain in your muscle memory.To always pull guard and to do submissions off your back.You don't want to be on your back on the streets.A guy might pull a gun or a knife on you while your in guard you just might get kick in your head.No gi you ingrain in your muscle memory to pull a triangle submission.No weight classes a guy that has no MMA experience and out ways you by 100 lb will try to stand up and slam your head on the concrete. What you ingrain your muscle memory in the gym is what you most likely doing the streets.If i was teaching self defense i would teach people that fall in a guard position to get right back on their feet.What you learn in muscle memory you will do in the streets.MMA needs to be modified for the streets. But maybe I'm conquer dictating myself.You may be right.

[@drossi101]

MMA is mixed martial arts. It isn’t a form of martial arts. Saying “MMA” isn’t answering the question of “what martial art is best”, it’s just saying train in multiple arts. For self defense purposes I’d rather excel in BJJ, wrestling, Muay Thai, or boxing than be Mediocre in everything.

[@restistance4387]

@@drossi101 Good point , but it's hard to. Separate the two some will say that MMA has evolved into a category of a one system martial arts.Really most martial arts are just a bunch of hybrid martial arts.

[@drossi101]

@Richy G no it isn’t. I don’t know who you think has the power to determine that. MIXED martial arts is now its own martial arts? So you go to a class and learn BJJ, boxing, Muay Thai, and wrestling and then try to claim when those are mixed it creates a new martial art? That’s not true at all. MMA is a sport, not a discipline.

[@drossi101]

@Richy G This comment was so idiotic it’s insane. Lmao just sit this one out you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. Literally every martial art used in mma is modified for mma.

[@pjb7490]

honestly anything can happen in a street fight. My OPINION is like buddy said be in a combat sport or make sure you pick a martial art where sparring is emphasized and you're actually pressure tested for sparring but also a street scenario just my 2 cents.

[@fluffkiller]

I’ve trained wrestling, BJJ and Krav Maga. The moves I learned in Krav Maga would probably kill a guy but I’ve never tried half of them against a guy that was actively fighting back. Every single wrestling class and BJJ class I’ve ever taken ended with a significant amount of live sparring against an actively resisting opponent.

[@Nikolas100o10oao]

Im glad he just kept it honest. You would think at this point with the millions of videos of combat athletes beating the shit out of untrained dude in fights be it BJJ, Muay Thai, Boxing, Wrestling, Judo ect, that people would kinda understand this point. The fact that this is even a debate is ridiculous.

[@Subfilth]

Muay Thai hands down. Grapping is almost completely nullified when you have to face multiple opponents. As soon as you get opponent A to the ground oppenent B will closely follow with a boot to your head.

[@Lilmanskis]

Grappling isn't nullified in multiple attackers cause they try to take you down. Its more takedown defense and movement and escapes that you're gonna be implementing. No matter what martial art you practice running would be the best bet vs multiple attackers. Or a gun or spear.

[@kevinperez1518]

I promise you Muay Thai will only help you so much with multiple opponents, it’s almost impossible to do that John Wick shit. As soon as it’s 2v1 you’re much better off running than fighting

[@Subfilth]

@@Lilmanskis Ok, fair enough. I'll accept your point about take down defence. I still believe striking to be the safer bet.

[@Lilmanskis]

@@Subfilth kron vs cub is a good example of a one vs one fight. Cause if all you have is jiu jitsu and no wrestling the stand up fighter with decent take down defence will keep you at range and piece you up and if the jiu jistu guy gets more desperate for take downs it will open up shots like knees and kicks to the head. And if the fighter trains muay thai the clinch might not even be advantageous for a takedown cause muay thai sweeps and trips in the clinch and elbows and knees are clean as fuck and minimal energy used for takedowns.

[@Lilmanskis]

@@Subfilth martial arts is kind of like race we think there is so many different kinds of people but we forget we are all one race the human race. Same with combat its all fighting so why do one. You gotta train every position and you gotta train with weapons too.

[@8triagrammer]

He's right. Making a technique work in a sparring type scenario feels very different than when you practice that technique in a drill.

[@HyzersGR]

Wrestling, obviously. Being able to take someone down while ending up on top, understanding leverage, etc.

[@Subfilth]

Not when you account for multiple opponents. As soon as you get opponent A to the ground oppenent B will closely follow with a boot to your head.

[@HyzersGR]

@@Subfilth Who was talking about multiple opponents?

[@thenoticerofthe13]

specially when there's 3 of his friends around.... striking is your best bet. wrestling is extremely important to prevent you from going down. but no matter what. unless its a clear 1v1, going to the ground is a very bad idea. like it or not.

[@Subfilth]

@@HyzersGR It's a street fight, having multiple opponents is a strong possibility that needs to be accounted for in the discussion.

[@Music-sm9bq]

@@HyzersGR Street Fights Aren’t Regulated Competition, There Are Many Variables

[@laertesdd]

By far the best sport for a street fight is... ...sprinting. Because running away as fast as you can is better than any physical altercation.

[@EntangleMyWebs]

He looks scary with the shadowed left eye! 👀

[@EntangleMyWebs]

@NM D. Dang it, you got me! 💫

[@Braselton21]

Most "street fights" that I watch end up in a clinch. So I'd say Japanese Jiu-Jitsu because you learn judo throws & groundwork. The throw alone would probably knock the guy/girl out.

[@thomasomalley510]

So you know “heavy drilling” means karate. For my money it’s Muay Thai with a bit of BJJ.

[@colinb8332]

Throw in a little Judo training which comes naturally with either Muay Thai or BJJ in a gym and you’re really set.

[@bobbymccullough3210]

Funnily enough, I assumed Krav Maga when he was talking about that.

[@Dadaadad268]

Heavy drilling is what those noisy mofos are doing on my road!

[@aztronomy7457]

Jiu jitsu is great if we lived in a vacuum 1 on 1 scenario where both sides are assumed to not have weapons or friends to join in. The best option, even if it's 1 on 1, is still to run or not fight. Yeah you can take them down and try to choke them, but if they panic and pull out a knife and stab you as you're going for a triangle, it's not going to end well.

[@roboct6]

None of them and all of them. It always comes down to application by the practitioner. Period. I would add that any practitioner who has some form of contact sparring experience will fare better than those who don’t.

[@JDP000109]

correct answer right here

[@lifeofsnz2216]

Boxing is the best self defense there is. Knocking someone out is the safest thing you can have. If you put someone in a rear naked you have wait a couple seconds for them to go out, have a chance of them biting you, and someone else can sneak behind you while you’re trying to choke someone out

[@tjl4688]

but boxing relies on pain. Are you gonna knock out someone on drugs? judo/bjj will let you drop people on their head. and you won't break your hand in the process.

[@miesvaillanykyisyytta3252]

@@tjl4688 You contradict yourself. Dropping someone on their head uses the same mechanics to disable the attacker as a punch; using blunt trauma to affect the brain. A punch can easily cause a person to fall which could end up with them hitting their head against the ground so in boxing there is often a double impact at play. You might cause benign injury to your hand but it's still a relatively small risk and in the worst case the injury is small. If you offensively grapple someone, you risk groin grabs, bites, eye gouges, fish hooks etc. which is far more painful and disabling than hurting your hand. I'm not dismissing the usefulness of defensive grappling.

[@jakesurname1086]

BJJ is great for self defense, but you see the holes when you spar for the first time in MMA

[@smesh4190]

Try doing bjj when a group of people are stomping on you lol

[@nope7684]

@@smesh4190 Try doing any martial art when a group is fighting you.

[@ethanbernard7671]

@@nope7684 Boxing is the only martial art that can effectively deal with multiple attackers... Videos all over KZbin. nothing about BJJ guys tho because all they do is butt scoot to their opponent lol

[@iamawuss]

Yup escaping from bottom mount is a different beast when someone's smashing your face. This is where wrestling is so useful...wrestling is practiced and played such that if you end up on your back, you lose. That's a good mentality to have should you end up in the unfortunate scenario of a street fight...

[@stupidandboot4507]

@@ethanbernard7671 that's not exactly the norm

[@renatomotta2252]

I always find so much fun in how Capoeira falls out of whatever argument people make about martial arts. In a point that is so hard to evaluate by it. Does it have a sparring? Yes... but not in the regular way. Roda is sparring but is also a game. Does it have dirt moves that you can't (or shouldn't at least) practice for real? Yes, kinda, but we simulate some of them in the roda. A capoeirista would have to modify its punching techniques? No, all its arm blows are openhanded or elbow using already. Capoeiristas get used to evasion and exploit opportunities but not so much used to actually hit a solid body with most kicks and slaps. So it has some of the main things he says are essential, but some very specific, hard to evaluate, specificities that falls in the middle line or completely outside of the spectrum.

[@hangslow]

Lots of sparring.. Muay thai, bjj and learn how to maim e.g. eye poking, nose biting, finger snapping and using environment to your advantage. Its how far you go with it really.

[@patrickl6987]

I agree basically know how to do a little bit of striking and a little bit of grappling. Otherwise also know how to run fast

[@sjaakafhaak5441]

You are describing krav maga

[@simsimma9385]

@@patrickl6987 and cardio

[@AverageJogi]

Danaher is the professor. The guy is so concise.

[@abdullahaldejani4909]

His answer literally could of been two words! “Wrestling and boxing” rather than yapping for 10 minutes on things everybody understands instinctively! This guy just wants to get philosophical no matter what the question is!

[@xolotlacuna338]

Thank you !!!

[@mattheopichetti9258]

And that shows youve not at all understood his answer. Congrats.

[@abdullahaldejani4909]

I actually understood everything he said it’s just that you don’t have to go into hyper extreme details when your talking about something that’s largely considered common sense! Sometimes keeping it simple is the way! This guy Danaher complicates everything to the point where if you asked him where his ear is he wouldn’t point to his right ear with his right hand no he’d reach with his right arm all the way over his head to point at his left ear 😂

[@goraisan]

This guy is a genius! The best answer I never heard!

[@VincesInHocSigno]

So, run/get away first. If not, then weapons. If not, then some form of competitive sparring. If not, then bribes or persuasion? 🤔😆

[@anthonyglaser929]

I believe that was an articulate and well thought out answer and I would agree with his answer entirely.

[@brigittetitte4415]

Muay thai and wrestling.

[@Meinan4370]

Only pick one

[@brigittetitte4415]

@@Meinan4370 if i had to pick its clearly muay thai. Sweeps, stabilisation, stand up. Wrestling is just core strength and making sure you stay on top. The close combat is more important than ground combat if both dont know shit. If you get into a clinch position, which will most likely happen, because often times, ppl just swing fists wildly while marching forward in rage, the thai can deliver sweep or strike in clinch or immediatly after break which noone without combat sport experience will anticipate. Its kinda obvious since muay thai is made for war. All strikes are designed to harm efficiently and the training is conditioning of your body.

[@mr.purple250]

best combination, fixes the one while on Muay Thai

[@OctoBox]

I have 35 years of practical and sport combative experience with an understanding that what I train must translate to what I saw in actual street fights and that "understanding" predates modern MMA. Even my father was like, son: it's boxing, judo, and wrestling for you. Here's my all-in-one combat sport recommendation for street fighting "skill" Assuming you have 6 months to get ready for "real" combat -- what sport do you chose? Sanda in #1 because you are doing punch, throw, and kick from day number one - plus some take-down defense. Pankration #2 because it gives what Sanda does plus some practical catch-wrestling on the ground (however the add-on of extra ground skill means it takes longer to get ready for the street fight). Lute Libre is really close to Pankration. Muay Thai in the #3-4 position because while it has take downs it's takedown defense is limited and it's take downs are limited, but Muay Thai above Grecco because it has monsterous strikes that incoporate elbows and knees. Grecco #4-5 because while it doesn't have strikes, of all other arts that do not have strikes, it has monstrous stand-up-right upper body control -- far more neck control. Grecco has translated better to MMA than pure freestyle martial arts with no MMA "add-on" -- You'd have to go back to the Dan Severen, Randy Coture, and Chael Sonnen to "see what I mean" Sports jujitsu's would come after Judo and Free-style wrestling. On the list of "practical" street fighting arts as your base there are ONLY these arts: Sanda, Pankration, Lute Libre, Muay Thai, Grecco, Judo, Free-Style, and Jujitsu -- everything else: Boxing, Kickboxing types are all bad habits with no take-down defense or without throws.

[@KortovElphame]

Boxing.... end of debate .

[@JayWest14]

When I was a kid I had a friend who boxed at the local club, we'd fight all the time. He would literally dance circles around me punching me at will. As I got older I learned to street fight and wrestled. As teens he tried bullying me at a party. I quickly took him down and mounted him and slapped him repeatedly, embarrassing him in front of everyone. Here was this Golden Gloves kid getting handled by a street kid in a street fight. While he was better than me standing, because of his training and experience, he had no idea what to do once he got taken down.

[@Colbie6]

The issue here is asking the question the right way. The two streams of martial arts mentioned in the answer are based on principles not conducive to surviving a street encounter. I agree that the pressure experienced in combat sports is absolutely transferable to a real world encounter. However, combat sports are based on ego driven decision making and the notion of victory as a success. This leads one to dangerous circumstances where you start equating surviving an encounter with winning an encounter. The difference is enormous when it comes to mind set and outcomes. Technique based strategies are the weakest for a survival based encounter.

[@freddiemarquez9736]

My first strike in a street fight is throw a jab to the eye WITH my fingers frayed out Jones jones style.

[@nevertell5575]

Reasonable, funny and relevant. Solid comment.

[@freddiemarquez9736]

And may I add, I'm adding another 4 inches to my reach.

[@thememaster7]

You should shake their hand with your left so you can grab their hand and beat them with your right.

[@freddiemarquez9736]

@@thememaster7 no, learn the way..*Keanu Reeves voice*

[@thememaster7]

@@freddiemarquez9736 Tell that to the person bashing your head in, I'm sure they'll be interested lol.

[@daeuri]

For years, it seems that conversations around self defense have confused street fighting with crime prevention. When I think of self defense, I am thinking that I or someone I care about is under threat of death or injury from an aggressor. If both sides want to fight because they cannot, or will not, de-escalate the situation, we are basically talking about a duel. The two situations I just described have very different implications, legal, moral, and physical. I am not training in a martial art in order to duel; I am training to survive. For me, the only reason to use force is if I can't escape from the people who seek to do me or loved ones harm.

[@diegojalmonte1708]

Well, that’s generally understood for most ppl intuitively I think… no? In a real self defense situation, I’ll fight as long as I’m forced to, and then run when I can.

[@daeuri]

@@diegojalmonte1708 As for people who have given this subject serious thought, I would tend to agree. My concern is for people who haven't given this subject serious thought and they are taking their cues from "experts" in martial arts as to where they will invest time learning to defend themselves. Being told that a particular art is effective in street fighting may mislead someone to think that they will be prepared to deal with all kinds of crime prevention situations. It is like people who think they can buy a gun and not train how to use it because they think simply brandishing the gun will end a violent confrontation.

[@uncletezzy]

man breaking your hands is sooooooo shitty. last street fight i was in i broke my right hand and for what? to prove a point smh. couldn’t train for months and have weird anxious feeling every time i throw a punch...

[@igmpvgoa1837]

Gotta watch this whole thing.

[@JorgeRojas-ut3wj]

I don't know what the BEST is, but I guarantee you that boxing has whooped more ass than any other martial art out there.

[@benjameshowden]

Wonderful clarity from Danaher. The modern flowering of MMA forces the trad styles, self-defense styles, to discover the true value, whatever it is, within their style. And adjust training modality to fit. Any legit non-sport style originated with people who fought - this was the analog to sporting competitions. When the war or whatever situation that presented this necessity/opportunity to fight isn't there anymore, all that is left is forms and theory. How can these once-legit styles be maintained and preserved outside of their original context? How long would MMA or BJJ remain vibrant and legit if competition suddenly became very rare for almost all practitioners?

[@jamestunnell5694]

For all John's reasoning I have gravitated to Jeet Kune Do Jeet Kune Do which is hybrid philosophy of martial arts heavily influenced and adapted by the personal philosophy and experiences of martial artist Bruce Lee.

[@jeffboyd5392]

Jeet Kune Do goes full clip in sparing to prove what works and doesn't? I disagree and this is exactly what he was talking about. Theory and drilling to passive partners willing to let you do those moves to them is a disaster.

[@seams4186]

@@jeffboyd5392 JKD has all the good theory, all the good intentions, but inefficient training

[@deanmitchell7129]

Be peaceful inside, drop your ego, learn to be really tough by bearing insults. It’s all about your energy. Don’t cultivate altercations.

[@Savage-gk7wo]

non-rashguard john is a rare sight 👀

[@djharto4917]

Judo, Thai boxing, boxing in my opinion and wrestling. Bjj is good but don’t pull guard if he’s not alone!