The above photo is of myself performing Defensive Motion #11 in the Ung Moon Series amidst an MMA cage fight. Go Lon Sao Da (Commonly referred to as a High Block in most styles) has proved itself for me in the cage, yet even with evidence such as this, people constantly poo poo the practical applications of Wing Chun. I submit that just because something doesn't work for YOU... Doesn't mean it doesn't work in General. As my Mentor Ron Balicki has been known to say:
"Don't judge the Art
Based on your Lame Ass."
Furthermore, I suggest that not only is Wing Chun effective... You're already doing it Every day in training. The following are 5 of my favorite examples.
1. Ground And Pound.
Taking mount is only half the game in MMA... You still need to do something with it. Punching someone in the face from mount when they don't want to be punched means there is a lot of hands in your way. This is where 1st and 2nd stage trapping in Chi Sao comes in Super Handy (Pun totally intended). If you look close at the below pic... You can see me using Pac Sao to clear the hand of my opponent. I'm looking to "Break that Dam" and let the "Water" that is my raised right hand deliver a blow.
2. Wrestling for Hand postion.
Commonly referred to as Hand Fighting in Wrestling, It's basically an aggressive form of Chi Sao (Which in my opinion everyone should be building towards.) In the video below, Watch Virginia State, All-American and National Wrestling Champion Jon Siroedas teach you basically how to use a Wing Chun "Toi Sao" to clear a thumb block.
I can already hear the haters screaming "But Mike, He 'Clearing' the hand!" to which I reply, Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? The names of things don't effect what they really are. I use the Toi Sao move to "clear" hands all the time. I say, "Toi Sao" is what I call the move... "Clearing" is the effect of said move.
3. Entering Techniques.
Otherwise referred to as "Bridging the Gap" or "Closing the Distance", These concepts are a staple in Wing Chun. And a good thing too, because most of the Art involves fighting in close proximity. Practitioners had to become masters of getting into the range in the the first place safely, and with out taking damage. The photo progression below shows myself using the Biu Gee/O'o Tek combo in an attempt to do just that.
4. Grabbing the Russian Tie.
In the Video below watch how JKD master and Retired Pro MMA Fighter Ron Balicki uses the Lop Sao to sneak in an upper cut, then pulls on the bicep to unbalance his opponent. Now watch him morph this concept to a standard wrestling "Two on One"... Chi Sao employs nearly every entrance you learned in wrestling. The Art just prefers to stop there an punch instead. Why? Because Yiu Kai, professed creator of Wing Chun, was a woman... And I would guess not fond of the idea of going to the ground with her (probably) male assailants.
5. Cage Work.
I mentioned proximity in #3 and it rears its head again in the last installment. You know all that "Dirty Boxing" that we never saw in the mainstream until the UFC? Well think of Wing Chun as the Dirty Boxing hipsters, because they were doing it BEFORE it was cool. Wing Chun expertly understood how to generate power when in close. The Legendary Bruce Lee used these concepts and became famous for the power he was able to pull out of his "One Inch Punch."
In Conclusion,
I used a vast array of styles in MMA fights... And Wing Chun is one of them. The POINT of Mixing Martial Arts is to explore and take pieces of what works and apply them to your game. Saying "Wing Chun isn't practical" is like saying the Karate Front Kick isn't practical... And you all know how THAT debate ended.
Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.
1312 W. Magnolia Blvd Burbank Ca
91506
818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com
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