MMA can seem brutal and horrible, and at times it is, but it can also teach valuable life lessons.
In a literal sense, MMA training can teach people the useful skill of self defense. For example, there was a child who used a rear naked choke (a hold seen often in MMA as well as Brazilian jiu-jitsu) to subdue a vicious dog.
Even watching MMA can increase a person’s self defense ability, as was demonstrated by a man who stopped a knife-wielding attacker with a single-leg takedown, a move he learned how to do from watching MMA for years.
Partaking in MMA also has obvious health benefits and can instill confidence in people who lacked it beforehand.
However, there are more…abstract lessons that can be learned from following the sport of mixed martial arts.
Perhaps the most important thing that can be learned is embracing the philosophy behind mixed martial arts, meaning that they should discard ideological baggage (as MMA discarded the ideological baggage from traditional martial arts) and simply embrace what works.
MMA can also teach fans to become well rounded individuals. Just as MMA fighters seek knowledge in all areas of fighting, so too should the average person seek knowledge in all areas of life by studying martial arts, history, science and various other topics.
Fighters, too, can also teach lessons. Frankie Edgar overcame tremendous adversity in his two most recent fights against Gray Maynard. He was nearly knocked out but he never gave up and he was ultimately victorious in their last meeting.
The common man (or woman) can harness this fighting spirit when they are downtrodden and feel defeated. Watching Frankie Edgar will teach them that defeat is only a state of mind, that if they keep pressing on they can eventually defeat an adversary that seems stronger and menacing.
Mixed martial arts fighters can also teach people about the power of redemption. Court McGee, a former heroin addict, was saved by MMA and is now fighting in the UFC.
MMA is a powerful sport with powerful men and powerful stories. It can take slack-jawed gawkers and transform them into fit, fearless, motivated Renaissance men.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com