MMA in Zero Gravity, What Would It Be Like?
I got an interesting question during a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class the other day, and I truly did not know how to answer it.
The question was "What would be different about MMA if the bout happened in zero-gravity? Would your Muay Thai, Wrestling, Jiu Jitsu even come in handy at all if you were to take your fight to the international space station.
This seems like a question designed for science-fiction writers, but alas, I am merely an MMA gym owner, so my perspective will have to do, as I lack the wit and brevity of a great fiction writer.
Fighting in zero gravity would have to be based on an entirely novel system.
I think the focus would be almost entirely grappling based, specifically jiu-jitsu I believe would retain the most important martial art.
Put us in a space craft, where we are floating about and we lose our footing, where, and have no floor to posture from, this makes conventional knockout strikes such as any punch or kick virtually useless.
That being said, if you were to pull an effective guard, you could still create torque on your strike by using your oppenents body against him.
Let's say you are an all-american wrestler, congrats here on terra-firma, but a takedown would be A) almost impossible B) Where would you take him down to, if it's just as easy to float to the ceiling and C) how would you start your takedown? Boxing and kickboxing would be deemed useless as well, because in both of these sports, almost all of your power is derived from the floor.
On a similar note, most of the Muay Thai sport would be useless, except that the clinch-work, which uses your opponents body to create much of the torque of the strikes would still be useful.
The optimal positioning would be to pull a full guard or mount and work for submissions.
While doing this you could set much of your submissions up off elbows to the face, which could still be effective, as again, much of the power of an elbow from guard is derived from your opponents body, or basic core strength.
All-in-all, I would be fascinated with this type of match-up, but I would like to see a tournament similar to the original UFC's, where each competitor is not a mixed-martial-artist, but rather, which skill-set would prove most effective in such a scenario.
I can't imagine that Dana White has the funds to build an arena in space (not to mention getting the fighters there), but if he does, our Factum MMA Fighters will start getting prepped for it.
The question was "What would be different about MMA if the bout happened in zero-gravity? Would your Muay Thai, Wrestling, Jiu Jitsu even come in handy at all if you were to take your fight to the international space station.
This seems like a question designed for science-fiction writers, but alas, I am merely an MMA gym owner, so my perspective will have to do, as I lack the wit and brevity of a great fiction writer.
Fighting in zero gravity would have to be based on an entirely novel system.
I think the focus would be almost entirely grappling based, specifically jiu-jitsu I believe would retain the most important martial art.
Put us in a space craft, where we are floating about and we lose our footing, where, and have no floor to posture from, this makes conventional knockout strikes such as any punch or kick virtually useless.
That being said, if you were to pull an effective guard, you could still create torque on your strike by using your oppenents body against him.
Let's say you are an all-american wrestler, congrats here on terra-firma, but a takedown would be A) almost impossible B) Where would you take him down to, if it's just as easy to float to the ceiling and C) how would you start your takedown? Boxing and kickboxing would be deemed useless as well, because in both of these sports, almost all of your power is derived from the floor.
On a similar note, most of the Muay Thai sport would be useless, except that the clinch-work, which uses your opponents body to create much of the torque of the strikes would still be useful.
The optimal positioning would be to pull a full guard or mount and work for submissions.
While doing this you could set much of your submissions up off elbows to the face, which could still be effective, as again, much of the power of an elbow from guard is derived from your opponents body, or basic core strength.
All-in-all, I would be fascinated with this type of match-up, but I would like to see a tournament similar to the original UFC's, where each competitor is not a mixed-martial-artist, but rather, which skill-set would prove most effective in such a scenario.
I can't imagine that Dana White has the funds to build an arena in space (not to mention getting the fighters there), but if he does, our Factum MMA Fighters will start getting prepped for it.
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