combat sports

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First, what is combat? “Fighting between armed forces, i.e., killing in combat.” It is also define as active fighting especially in war but it can be a fight or contest between individuals or group. Some synonyms are action, battle, field, etc. Most consider combat to mean fighting in violent conflicts meant to weaken, establish dominance over, or to kill the opposition, or to drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed.” 

“The term combat (French for fight) typically refers to armed conflict between opposing military forces in warfare, whereas the more general term fighting can refer to any physical or verbal conflict between individuals or nations.” 

“Combat violence can be unilateral, whereas fighting implies at least a defensive reaction. A large-scale fight is known as a battle. A verbal fight is commonly known as an argument.”

Second, what is sport? “An activity involving physical exertion and skill in which in individual or team compete against another and others for entertainment. Sport are all forms of usually competitive physical activity or games which,^[1] through casual or organized participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing entertainment to participants, and in some cases, spectators.”

Third, what is combat sport? “It appears that a true definition actually resorts to another term or phrase used to clarify, i.e., as in competitive contact sport or fighting sport. In reality there seems to be no valid definition as to what a combat sport is except to redefine combat to mean a dedicated contests that mimics a form of combat where the rules of engagement along with other factors that make combat, combat, are removed or watered down enough to make the sport less deadly.”

In my mind there is no such thing as a combat sport, the two words and definitions just don’t connect except in the most tenuous way to meet some agenda driven media oriented commercial way to entice and draw attention as in spectators, etc. 

One source uses, unofficially and without validation as to factual and realistic according to accepted definitions, the definition of combat sport to be, “Sports in which two armed or unarmed opponents confront each other in combat.” This type of definition leads one to make assumptions according to their perception as to what sports are and what combat is, often to the detriment of true meaning in the definition. In short, “Bullshit to dramatize toward a certain agenda that tends to be commercial in nature - money.” 

In truth, just because someone uses a term in this manner and because no one questions it or makes it an issue and because those ignorant to that fact accept it and use it does not make it so. Wrestling is not combat; judo is not combat; karate is not combat; MMA is not combat and so on, they are all to often either “Fighting or Self-Defense.”

They are competitive endeavors or games people play to test themselves toward physical and mental ability with winners and losers and no one faces grave bodily harm or death as a result or a goal. Combat is about fighting with a goal of aggressively attacking a group to cause submission toward a political and survival goal with grave bodily harm and death as a means to achieve the goals of the other group. Combat seldom involves individual against individual except during a combat situation of a group where individuals as a unit with a common goal engage another opposing group of individuals to achieve a goal set by a governing body. 

I would go so far as to say that karate and martial arts, i.e., judo, jujitsu, kendo, sumo, aikido, kung fu, etc,, are not combat disciplines but rather of a sport, fighting (civil fighting such as a brawl in a bar) or a philosophical oriented way of self-improvement, etc. Even today, most of these are not about self-defense and combatives but an entertainment oriented sport or way, etc.

If a certain distinction is not made and fully exploited in training, practice and application then it is not self-defense and not combative as to combat, war or military campaigns, etc. 

Then again, what harm comes from using terminology in an incorrect and inappropriate manner if no one is hurt? Granted, misinterpretations and misunderstandings like this may come back to haunt the user if they are attacked and need to defend themselves especially if their actions take them to levels of force and such or result in grave bodily harm or death let alone prosecution if they fail to apply it appropriately, etc. 

I feel and think that it is just the luck of modern societies that allow us to avoid such distinctions for it is rare today for martial artists and karate-ka to use their skills against predators, etc. right?

p.s. Oh yea, it also gives me material to write my oh so neat opinions on and about :-)

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p.s.s. if we fail to make distinctions then such things cross over and bleed into one thing that causes the same issues we find in media presentations that so often incite, inflame and inspire drama oriented emotionally inappropriate tirades through social media outlets, yes?

p.s.s.s. Also, as a Marine when I consider the term, “Combat,” I think of our military hero’s risking their lives for us and dying for us  (in Combat) and think, “Sport combat, kinda disrespectful of our hero’s who go to combat.”