Question by clowns: What is a “Fighter”?
Some people say the best fighters are in the UFC or other MMA organizations, while others will say that “You will never see the best fighters in the world in a cage or ring”.
This question is for the ones who say the latter of the two.
How can a person who does not fight be a fighter?
This is an opinion based question and BA will go to the answer that helps me understand this point of view…whether or not I agree with it.
P.S. this is a question, not a debate 
Best answer:
Answer by JimG
Well, here is my reason for saying that the best fighters are not found in a ring, or Octagon. Real combat has no one to throw the towel in for you, nor does it allow you to “tap out.” The difference between the two “fighters” lies in their mentality. A sport fighter will fight until he is defeated (by the rules). The other will not stop fighting until the situation has been completely resolved. Even to the point of someone being killed. Not just a K.O. Although, if a K.O. settles the situation then this type of fighter will simply move on. The aim of the better fighter is to avoid a fight if they can, but if it can not be avoided than there are no rules, no quarter given.
Give your answer to this question below!
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Show me a second time Cancer patient – going through it all again so they can be there for their kids when they are needed most.
Show me a person who would never pull a trigger on another man yet will run through the field of fire to answer a soldiers plea ‘Medic!’
Show me a pilot risking life and limb to get a chopper or boat nearer to a victim
Show me a winchman or fireman braving the winds, flames, whatever to get to the victim
Show me the young person struggling to read despite severe difficulties
Show me the numerous other examples of REAL fighters.
As for Martial Arts – the best I saw was from a little guy who can’t be named. I don’t think he would ever get in a cage. Not through fear, rather through quiet strength of character – he saw the public spectacle as shameful strutting. We disagreed a bit on the strength of that feeling, but then he saw more torn bodies than I did.
Additional: I have trained in MMA as did my friend.
well there are different degrees or roles to the overall definition of a fighter.. there is warrior, prizefighter, streetfighter, among others…
My theory is that the best fighters in the world are the US Military and it’s allies. these guys literally put their lives on the line and win. though you may or may not see them in a cage or ring though as the navy does have traditional boxing competitions and more and more soldiers are braving the amateur and pro boxing/MMA world, at the same time though there are many military positions that are support personnel and they would not be as honed a fighter as someone on the front lines.. basically a practice how you play kind of thing.
that being said there are MMA competitors and Boxers who practice and hone their skills everyday too, but there are traditional martial artists that train daily or weekly that have no intention of fighting for money so with the special forces/marines/martial artists that have no intention of fighting for sport this would seem like a true statement. I guess it is kind of like basketball.. the best basketball players never had the opportunity to make it to college or the NBA as some of the best b-ball players are on the courts of the inner-city where they don’t have those opportunities or they may have other priorities in their lives.
You need to have a specific definition of what a Fighter is and what Fighting is before you can expect to get clear answers to this question. If I was to read your question objectively, I can see you have assumed that, to be considered a fighter, one needs to have had training and fight another person in a cage or ring to see who’s better. You’ve also assumed that all fighting involves empty hand arts and excludes weapons. It’s assumptions like these that usually causes confusion and sparks heated debates which turns into mud slinging and flaming.
As for the question you asked. You made another assumption.
You assumed that the statement “You will never see the best fighters in the world in a cage or ring” means that such a person has never fought or that if one doesn’t fight in a cage or ring then it isn’t fighting, hence your next question “How can a person who does not fight be a fighter?”
Let me illustrate the problems brought about by these assumptions by citing an example:
Miyamoto Musashi was a famous Japanese swordsman who was considered one of the greatest fighters in known history, with historical recorded fights that showed he defeated many opponents in actual combat. His book “Go Rin No Sho” or “The Book of Five Rings” is still read today by many. Unfortunately, he only fought outdoors and inside dojos with a sword instead of using empty hands and never stepped into a cage or ring, so if we were to base his status as a fighter on the assumptions made in your statement above, he is not really a fighter. Do you see what I mean? That is the point of view of those who argue about the cage or ring not being the standard of what a fighter is or is not. Since we live in a more civilized society today compared to the medieval times, the chances of getting into a duel with swords is very slim, although the chances of getting into a gunfight is pretty high. A soldier fighting in Afghanistan for example is still considered a fighter, just not a cage fighter. The same can be applied to other men who have fought elsewhere but not in a cage or ring.
Perhaps what is meant is that MMA fighters are great at their sport. Many people train to fight and live a long, peaceful life without ever having to fight but if you train with them there is no question that in a real fight they would definitely pound people. There are many great martial arts masters you will never see in a cage or a sport. If one was to meet them, train with them or was stupid enough to attack them they would surely understand why this person is dangerous but has no reason to prove it.
Also there are great fighters in MMA today…many are incredible athletes. They deserve the credit they are given that is for sure because it takes a special mentality and discipline to train for that sport, step in that cage and sacrifice themselves for whatever the purpose of the sport it is…regardless of whether people like it or not.
One example of a man that has never been known to have been in fight but I doubt any MMA fighter would ever want to mess with is Morio Higoanna. He trains just as hard if not harder than MMA fighters do. His fist are like rocks and he knows his martial art (Goju Ryu) inside and out. He is one person that if you were to mess with him he could kill you easily yet he has the inner peace, security to simply ignore the meatheads out there but if he was left no choice he would not play around and definitely would go for the fastest way to end your stupidity. There are plenty more just like him that you will never see in a cage, a tournament or fighting for no reason as that is not what self defense is about to them nor martial arts for that matter.
Neither is wrong nor right and it will never get to the point that people will not want to argue over this. They did with kickboxing in the 1970′s and 80′s. It is a never ending arguement because it is pointless.
I would really have to say that Al… gave a phenomenal answer, for people who are REAL fighters.
Fighting isn’t only to do with physical battles against another person. It can be against nature, some supernatural purpose, government rule, terrorism, the social norm, and the list goes on. Those people are who really deserve respect in the realm of “fighting”.
That said I believe that your question was based more along the lines of martial arts (any course on physical violence). I think that I would have to also agree with the pervious post of a real fighter doing only what is necessary to end the confrontation; either by out thinking the aggressor, talking their way around the situation, running if necessary, and doing what they can to conserve peace. Once that bridge is crossed they engage without anger toward the other person, and act only in a manner of self preservation.
My opinion is of that in which a real fighter would not enter a ring. This is because of a degree of showmanship, period. Why else get in the ring, other than to be noticed? If somebody wanted to fight just for the sake of fighting, then they would fight anybody and everybody, outside of the ring, and outside of the law. While there are great fighters in the ring (and there are some really great ones), there are also great fighters outside of the ring. Statistically, there are exponentially more people outside of the ring who have been fighting all of their lives, to eat, to protect their families, to protect themselves, and even to enforce the law. These people would have better experience than somebody training in a ring to handle a real combat situation because they have constantly been involved them, and simple statistics is all that is needed to prove it, especially when using the motto “there is always somebody better”.
One nice thing is the folks in our clandestine agencies have to keep themselves a secret, so do you think they would get in the ring?
It is simple it takes a true fighter to not fight because they fight themselves, they fight whats inside of them. That is why they have the strength to overcome any challenge before them because they have already conquered themselves. I have personally fought inside and outside the ring well over 500 times, and my success is merely in that i have conquered my past, i have fought my demons, and now i use them to my advantage, but this why i have given up cage fighting because i have realized that it is pointless to fight in a ring, when i can fight the greatest, i can fight the world.
I once met a man who with all his anger and wrath flipped over an SUV like a stuffed animal. He was a great fighter, it was rumored that when he was blinded in rage, while in prison, punched a hole right through the brick wall and ripped the gate off to try and kill the security guard. Despite the great lengths this man has been through in his horrific life it took my master one punch to stop him in his blinding rage. My master has not once stepped in a ring to fight. My master has had the only girl he loved leave him “because god told her to” and still he does not resent her or “god”. He has seen his father kill his mom, and had his father come after him and he killed his father at only 10 years old, and he still the nicest person i have ever known. He has watched his brothers die and has been to all of their funerals even the ones that abandoned him when he needed them the most, and still he holds no resentment for them. He has fought many battles and won, both inside himself and outside on the streets.
So he is not a fighter because he never stepped in the ring, yet he has fought many battles, so is he still considered a fighter for what he has been through? I believe so.
“A fighter fights inside a ring, a warrior fight’s where he is needed. Whether that be in themselves, on a battle field, or merely across the street.” – My Master – Cody Lokinhart
well I believe that a fighter is someone who has been in fights and won. for more important reasons then a title or a trophy. of course there are good fighters and bad fighters. but a lot of those guys that have been in fights and won are peaceful, gentle, people. I know a few. but why I would say someone isn’t a fighter is because they have never been forced to fight under street conditions. I don’t think it takes a trophy to be a fighter. I do think it takes some experience in the real world to say you’re a good fighter. if you have some trophies and you think you’re hot stuff, you might be a different fighter if you didn’t get a break or if there aren’t any illegal moves. you don’t have a referee. it’s a totally different world in the street. that’s why I would not necessarily say ufc and other fighters are real fighters.
to me a fighter is soo much more than a person who kicks and punches. a TRUE fighter isnt a fighter at all. He IS a martial artist. this person is someone who values the selfless art of expressing themselves through their hands and feet, throws, and locks etc. an artist who looks beyond the surface and is willing to attack a battle on a spiritual level as well as a mental level. He is a person who brings out the best in the ppl around him because he understands that this too is a form of fighting and is more important than any physical altercation. a Martial artist never lifts a hand to harm out of boasting or display but out of justice and self sacrafice. now ur question is how can a fighter be a fighter wen he doesnt fight? impossible! u cant be. well at least not exactly like that. A fighter knows how to fight oppression, prejudice, hate, etc with words of love and the use of wisdom. U dont have to lift a finger to do that. but ur still as valuable as an ali or bruce lee. I’d say to be a great fighter u must learn to first use ur heart as u would ur fist. afterwards use ur head as u wud ur heart and then…learn to use ur fist. that is a fighter
A person who trains to fight yet doesn’t fight cannot be considered a fighter no matter how many paragraphs of intellectual bs anybody rights.Therefore no matter how badass they may be or think they may be,no matter how many bricks they can break with their pinkies,unless they actually fight they are not fighters,they simply train to fight.A fighter is somebody who does what they train to do,Military,MMA,boxers ect.
I have to agree with nwohioguy. When it is said that the best fighter you may never see in the ring or cage it is speaking of he guys that can fight and dominate a fight. However, theses guy don’t have a need or desire to prove that they can fight. But if they are tested they have the skill, knowledge and ability to end the fight quickly and convincingly. Often these guys have there reasons as to why they don’t compete. Maybe they did at one time.
I can speak for myself. When I used to compete I did fairly well. I loved to compete. I had something to prove. I didn’t go around and boast about my abilities. But i loved to show them on the mat. But, one day I had an incident that happened to me during randori. Our randori went like this. You matched up against someone near you and you begin to fight. After 3 minutes the sensei would tell us to stop. You then would change to fight someone different. It didn’t matter who it was, their rank, gender, age, or weight. This would continue as long as the sensei desired. I ended up with an older 2nd dan. He asked me to take it easy on him. I was young, but I had much respect for him and I replied that it may be him that needed to take it easy on me. I didn’t want to underestimate him like I had done Phil Porter when I was even younger. I knew he was pretty old or so it see to me when I was 14 or 15 did against Phil. I knew I was going to destroy him even though he had a red and white belt. I knew I was stringer and faster. This was going to be easy. But Sensei Porter cleaned the mat with me. So I knew that this 2 Dan had more experience than I had at the time. I wanted to learn from him more than I wanted to beat him. But as soon as our sensei sad hajime. I was beating the guy. Next thing you knw he was being thrown to the ground with full power. I was about to land with all of weight in his chest like I was taught. I realized what was taking place. I attempted to ease up and try not to land on him with my weight. I put my forearms out to lessen the impact and not to land on him. But my momentum still force me to land a good portion of my weight on his chest. I immediately got off of him once we hit the mat. I didn’t go for a choke or arm like I would have normally. It appeared as though his life left his body. I was concerned because I thought I had hurt him. He didn’t move, but his eyes were open. I asked him over and over was he okay. He didn’t move. It seemed like an eternity. Finally he moved one arm. By this time the entire class is over there checking on him. No words came out of his mouth. More time passes he makes a sound trying to let us know he was okay, Our sensei helps him to a sitting position. I have had a problem every since then with sparring. It took me a while to train again afterward. It effected me mentally. I have no desire to hit anyone unless I mean to hurt them. I hate one point sparring. To me that is a game of tag. That is not martial arts. I don’t play games like this. If I hit you, I mean to hurt you. Occasionally I’ve had some students that I train whom like to compete. They are successful. Some of their egos were growing faster than their skills. Now they believe because they are winning everywhere they go that they can take on the one that taught them. Every now and then I will give them a lesson. I’ve managed to do this without hitting them. I’ll get close enough to let them know they would ave been hurt. I’ve even told them what technique I was going to do and that they can’t stop it. Then I do it. My sons have tried this too. But they won’t stop if I show them that I could have hit them. So I just submit them. My wife thinks I’m too rough on them when this happens especially with my youngest boy 18 years of age. He is a little different than my 21 year old. The youngest tries not to submit. But in the end he has to submit. He impresses me. Now the oldest can’t do anything with him anymore. But you will never see me competing anymore. My boys like to compete.They have been winning grand champion since the were 7.
My sensei doesn’t compete anymore. He is around 60 something. I’ve watched BJ Penn Silva and others and I don’t believe that there is nothing that they can do with him.
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