MMA Close

Warriors Grappling Academy Sittingbourne will be closing its MMA section on a Wednesday.

The reason is with the International Wrestling Association dropping MMA from its program of disciplines, the Warriors felt that they could do any Combat Discipline that did not have some form of legitimise.

Sadly at present MMA can mean all things to all men, a club can do two styles of Karate and call it MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) , one guy mixed Karate and Tai Chi and called Non Contact MMA just to sell its product. To most of us MMA is either a Grappling Sport or a Strike and Grapple Sport.

Because there is no overall governing or any universal rules club are appearing everywhere with uninsured Coaches or club premises, some are being done in garages, in a corner of a Gym I have even heard of one in Scotland being done in a Cow Shed, it seems the farmer moves his cattle then puts down a few mats.  I expect they learn a few MOOOOOVES, plus learn who your UDDER opponents are, maybe after training they all bath in the drinking trough. I may be a bit flippant here but my point is there seems to be no standards.

Yet when the British Judo Association an old , established and respected organisation gets one of the more refutable MMA organisations involved with sponsorship of the forthcoming European Judo Championships in Scotland, their International Body the International Judo Federation, threaten to withdraw the event from Scotland. The current IJF regime has becoming fixated about its Judoka practicing and participating in other Grappling sports, they seem to think by doing other grappling sports it will diminish Judo. On the contrary it enhances the Sport. The Warriors have done Judo, Kurash, Sambo and Free Style Wresting for years and our members practise all styles. What has disillusioned Judoka is not other Grappling sports but the latest rules changes so much so organisations like the IBF have reproduced their own rules based on IJF rules of the past and this is proving very popular. This weekend Young judo Club Sittingbourne is running a competition in their Dojo, even those it is not a large venue it has attracted over 70 entries. Why?  The rules are not restrictive and encourage young players.

The BJA are doing the right thing by getting involved in other grappling sports. Obviously it will help financially but ultimately there great experience will help other Grappling Sports become more efficient and regulated, with their help MMA we will become UKSport recognised sport and the Warriors can bring back MMA to its programme