Evolution of human combat through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as per Dana White
In the world of mixed martial arts, UFC President Dana White has long championed the importance of fighting as more than just physical confrontation. For White, it's about acknowledging and channeling an aspect of ourselves that has existed since our species began – the human spirit's endless capacity for challenge and growth.
One martial art that White strongly endorses is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), a discipline that he believes offers invaluable benefits, particularly for self-defense, especially for women.
BJJ's continuous challenges and technical depth can lead to long-term commitment, as White and his associates found themselves training three to four times per week after their first session. The martial art's focus on leverage, posture, and control provides practical skills that empower individuals, regardless of size or strength, to defend themselves effectively.
For women, BJJ offers several key benefits. It provides an effective self-defense technique that does not rely on brute force or striking, but rather on skill and strategy. This makes it particularly empowering, allowing women to defend themselves against larger and stronger opponents.
Beyond physical defense, BJJ training helps women learn to set personal boundaries and maintain calmness in stressful situations, crucial for effective self-defense and personal safety. The martial art also enhances mental acuity by encouraging practitioners to think several steps ahead, anticipate opponents' actions, and solve dynamic problems on the fly. This mental aspect strengthens confidence and decision-making skills critical in self-defense scenarios.
The spectators at a UFC event in Mexico City participated in a ritual as old as humanity itself after a fight broke out, illustrating the universal appeal of combat sports. Within controlled environments, fighting can be an observation of human fears, determination, and will to survive and succeed.
White's enthusiasm for life mirrors the intensity of the fighters he promotes. His first training session in BJJ with John Lewis, at age 28, was a profound revelation. He found BJJ to be a transformative experience that changed his perspective on combat and self-defense.
The UFC's success demonstrates that combat sports speak to something universal in the human psyche. White believes no-gi training is better for real-world self-defense scenarios because it requires practitioners to develop different control methods. Fighting can be both art and science, a showcase of human potential and determination, according to White.
White's understanding of fighting's fundamental truth led to the success of the UFC. Fighting isn't about promoting violence; it's about acknowledging and channeling an aspect of ourselves that has existed since our species began. It's about the human spirit's endless capacity for challenge and growth.
Sports like mixed-martial-arts, such as UFC, inspire deep self-discovery, embodying the human spirit's endless capacity for challenge and growth, as demonstrated by UFC President Dana White. In particular, he strongly endorses Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) for its ability to offer practical self-defense skills, mental acuity enhancement, and empowerment, especially for women.
