Wushu Watch: The Dumbest Ideas in Martial Arts

On the left is a tattooed, muscled up brute. On the right is a small Asian man in a gi, with a black belt on—a master of martial arts. The man on the left competes in cagefighting: where hitting on the ground is legal and where seemingly anything goes. He studies widely and therefore cannot understand deeply. The man on the right has that perfect combination of wearing a gi, owning a black belt, and being Asian going on: he must have some deeper insights on the purpose of life and human endeavor.

Of course, anyone who follows mixed martial arts or competitive grappling even a little knows that the ‘cagefighter’ is in fact Jeff Monson. Far from a master of no trades, Monson has competed at the highest level in the world in pure grappling. He’s thoughtful, well spoken, and pretty much just a fun guy to listen to talking about martial arts. He has some unique political views, but believing things would be better another way—whether wrong or right—is not a character flaw.

Does Monson lack obedience and tenacity? I’m fairly certain that he didn’t swagger up to the gym on day one, ready to take on the best grapplers in the world. No, he started out as a wrestler in high school. One of the most grinding, thankless sports to excel in: you work as hard as any other athlete but for no money or even the hope of it in future.

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