MMA pre UFC Vol.1, The Story of Shooto

It was 1980 in Japan, Their pro wrestling league the NPJW (Japan's equivilant to WWE) saw the arrival of a mysterious wrestler, clad in the mask of a Tiger. "Tiger Mask", as they would come to call him, stole the stage with a secret identity and a Luchador mask Japan had never seen before. Dominating the entertainment sport over the next few years he would eventually make his way to America in the WWF (Now WWE) League. Brett "The Hitman" Hart would call him "The Bruce Lee of Wrestling" because of his sheer athleticism and Martial Arts Talent.

The Man under the mask, Satoru Sayama worked endlessly to try to improve his performance wrestling game. Studying intensely the arts of Muay Thai, Sambo and Judo in order to stay on the cutting edge of his craft and make the faux fights look as realistic as possible. There was only one problem Sayama couldn't foresee in studying these arts... He was becoming a better, more talented, Real Life fighter.

The Entertainment Wrestling Scripts would sometimes force Sayama's Character "Tiger Mask" to lose in order to fulfill certain Character Archs. In most cases, to Wrestling Actors Sayama could easily beat... And As any Competitive MMA Athlete could tell you, the concept of this doesn't sit well.

It was at this Point Sayama left Entertainment Wrestling for good. Penning the infamous book "Kayfabe", A kind of "Magic Secrets Revealed" style book along the same vein as the "Penn & Teller: Bullshit" Television show. In this book Sayama exposes the secrets of the Pro Wrestling Circuit to the Japanese public.

In 1985, Eight years before the first UFC match up, he founded "Shooto." Derived from the expression "A Shoot" common in Entertainment Wrestling, Which means any Unplanned, Unscripted or Real Event in an otherwise Fake Wrestling Match up... In most cases, this referred to a Real Attack or Genuine Fight that occurred in the ring between the Actors.

Sayama simultaneously founded one of the first known MMA training gyms called "The Super Tiger Gym" in Tokyo Japan, and began training his own band on MMA Fighters also known as "Shooters". His ways were merciless, often demanding his students train 10 hours a day, 7 days a week in a brutal fashion... See video below. Among these proteges was Yorinaga Nakamura, Whom eventually would introduce the sport to the US in 1989.

It was Martial Arts Legend Dan Inosanto (of Bruce Lee fame) that provided Yori with the ability to bring Shooto to America. At the Inosanto Academy, Yori trained many a prominent Martial Artist in todays MMA scene such as Ron Balicki of the MARS Academy (Link >>HERE<<) and Eric Paulson of CSW fame (Link >>HERE<<). Under Yori, American Fighters would frequently be flown to Japan over the next 10 years to fight for the Shooto organization started a Decade and a half earlier.

So the next time someone tells you the Gracies or BJJ Invented MMA... You know different.

Today, the concepts of Tiger Mask's Shooto Lineage stays strong. Churning out competent fighters like Josh Barnett, Ken Shamrock, Renato Sobral, Cub Swanson, and James Wilks.

Oh yeah... and we can't forget your's truly.

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

6 Reasons why you should Rethink Taking Supplements.

Given my experience in the MMA Fight Game... A lot of people ask me for advice on what types of Supplements they should be taking. My response? Don't.

Here are 6 reasons why

1. They Don't Have What they Say they Have.

In February of 2015 the Attorney General's office issued a report found >>HERE<< accusing a number of large supplement providers of selling "Fraudulent and Potentially Dangerous Supplements". They ran DNA strand testing on a number of supplements containing herbal and vitamin remedies to determine what was in them to find that:

"4 of of 5 Supplements 

contained NONE of the products 

listed on the label."

The Attorney General found that they were mostly filled with... well... cheap filler! Powdered Rice, House Plants and Asparagus. A popular supplement even contained wheat, while advertising on the label that it was "Gluten Free."

The same people who go INSANE over labeling GMOs and Labelling where our Ground Meats come from... Seem to care less about what is in the supplement they put in their bodies! Why is that?

Especially considering that...

2. There is No Regulation AT ALL on Supplements.

According to the FDA (Source found >>HERE<<) The Industry does not need approval from the Food and Drug Commission to begin selling a product. In fact:

"A firm DOES NOT have to 

provide evidence of 

Safety or Effectiveness of 

a Product and The Manufacturer 

is Responsible for Ensuring the 

Accuracy and Truthfulness 

of Product claims."

The FDA does provide a set of guidelines "They Would Recommend" the Supplement Industry to Follow, However because of continued lobbying for deregulation, These guidelines are unenforceable. The FDA supposes that 70% of all Supplement Providers do not listen to their guidelines. And according to unbiased, unpartisan studies like the one presented in reason #1. I'm inclined to believe it.

We don't let "Big Parma" get away with regulating themselves on what is in our vaccines and medications... Yet for some reason we give the Supplement Industry a pass.

3. YOU DON'T NEED THEM!!!

In a conversation with the Director of the Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research (Organization Link found >>HERE<<), He went on a tirade about the consideration and proclamation by the Supplement Industry that we need, for some reason, to supplement ANYTHING at all. Stating:

"Believe it or not... The Truth of the Matter 

is that MOST Americans have a totally 

Balanced Diet as Far as getting their Vitamin Needs. 

The Human Body is not meant to Take in 

any Excess Vitamins or Supplements... 

Your Body doesn't even Process Them."

He went on to state that if there was a need for this kind of supplementation, Evolution would have pushed us and other animals to EAT more of this stuff. You're basically conditioned internally to get about the right amount of this stuff... Anymore, you just pee out.

So yes, It would seem the Only Benefit to Buying Supplements is REALLY expensive Urine.

4. They can... and HAVE harmed people.

The Ambiguity and Wild Wild West Mentality of this business has caused some pretty serious injury. Herbs commonly sold as "Detox" supplements have caused severe liver damage in people. And media reports have uncovered over-the-counter supplements, including those purporting to build muscle, aid weight loss, and reduce anxiety, that were secretly laced with dangerous prescription medications. CBS news found (Source for your Reference >>HERE<<) that even individuals found at the pinnacle of human health can die of:

"Internal Bleeding, 

Severe Liver Damage 

and Even Strokes."

5. The Industry is as Corrupt as the Oil Industry.

The Supplement Business is a 33 BILLION DOLLAR a year Industry! And As Hinted at in #2, They Spend large amounts of money to lobby for it's continued deregulation. According to Open Secrets, a Nonpartisan and non-profit organization committed to informing citizens how money in politics affects their lives (Link for your Reference Found >>HERE<<), The supplement industry gives Millions of dollars to House and Senate representatives to ensure this, as evidenced in the graphs below.

Given there is No evidence Supplements Work, No Evidence they are Needed, PLENTY of evidence that they Lie to us and a myriad of examples that this has harmed people... How is the Supplement Industry any different than the Tobacco and Oil Industry? Especially when you couple these with their Lobbying Efforts.

6. They're Expensive.

This Last one feels like a bit of a cop out. With all of the serious information I given above, Money is probably the least important one to consider. I feel However it is an important reminder that  premium protein products can sell for nearly $70 for a months supply. A ton of companies will even force you (Surreptitiously in some cases) onto an "Auto-Ship" program that will continually bill you and ship you their supplements month after month... regardless whether you have finished the supply. Reminding you of their cost, I hope, forces you to look at what you are paying for... and compare it to what you are actually getting.

If you're looking to lose weight and lead a better life, Spend your money doing active things that you actually enjoy... Like Martial Arts Classes or Dance Classes. If, despite this, you think you need help with your vitamin intake, all you need is better food choices... Go to Built Magazine's online program at >>WWW.BUILTMAG.COM<< where help is about 2 Bucks a month, instead of paying a boat load of cash on something that doesn't work.

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

4 Ways Knife Fighting can change your MMA Game

Fighting with the Knife and Fighting with your Hands may seem worlds apart. Make no mistake... the differences are vast, Yet in every expression of aggression... You can always find concepts that relate, with different training methods to enhance the preferred attributes. Like in the Above picture of NFL Hall of Famer Randy White training Filipino Martial Arts to better Elude the Defensive Line. Thinking you're qualified to fight in the cage with ONLY knife fighting knowledge is a little insane, But here is how training the Blade, Helped my fight game.

1. Switching Leads

Being an ambidextrous fighter is something I think everyone strives to be. Switching to the south paw stance can bring you closer to the lead leg for the shot or just shake up your stand up game up so much, that its hard for your opponent to follow. UFC Champs TJ Dillashaw and Anderson Silva did this with so much ease it was practically poetry. Where standard fight theory states that your power hand stay in the rear... The OPPOSITE is true in knife fighting. If you are right handed... It is essential you stand in the South Paw stance. This is because your body needs to rest behind the blade, in order to avoid being cut by your opponent. Though my punches aren't has effective in this stance as they are in my standard stance... I am very comfortable in throwing jabs... and even some pretty devastating kicks.

2. Redirecting Motion

A major part of grabbing the clinch or even wrestling, is what feels like a deadly patty cake over fighting for superior hand position. Training drills for the knife plays out like a ballet of hand fighting. Treating the knife or hands as a dangerous blade, brings a new level of honesty to what can practically be applied to hand fighting.

In the video below, watch as we use a basic knife flow drill to redirect motion. The blade in this drill serves to keep us honest. With a Knife in hand, we wouldn't dare force an angle that doesn't come naturally. As long as we commit to treating the blade as dangerous, we can obtain an honest flow that manipulates body position.

3. Fakes and Misleads

Fakes, Faints and Misdirects bring your Kickboxing came to a whole 'nother level. You're opponent has a hard time distinguishing what is real, and thus should be taken seriously... And what is not. With over 20 years of teaching experience its difficult to this day getting students to properly chain fakes together. You have to be an "Actor"... because the attack has to look believable, AND you have to be a "Magician" in the way you use Slight of Hand to accomplish the REAL move.

Knife fighting is good for this kind of training because of the sheer number of times you use the concept in one round. Since the goal of fighting with the knife is to CUT without BEING CUT, the first thing you need to do is get passed your opponents knife. This takes a lot of Trickery.

Check out the two Photo Progressions below. In the first we Use the Upward Slash to clear the blade and take the Leg Cut. In the second we use the exact same concepts with empty hands, to complete a shot.

Step 1. Face off. Step 2. Clear Hand with Upward Slash

Step 3. Drop Elevation to Full Squat. Step 4. Slash Opponents Leg.

Step 1. Face Off. Step 2 Close Opponents Arms with an Uppercut Threat.

Step 3. Change Elevation. Step 4. Take Shot.

4. Footwork

In the previous Section we talked a bit about how having a knife in the way of getting to your opponent changes the game. Well the same concept applies here. In knife fighting... You can't take hits. Im most cases, in a knife fight, if you get hit... You're dead. This means to be an expert Knife Fighter you have to have a Firm Understanding of angles and footwork to get anywhere. You have to be an expert judge of distance to know exactly how far is needed to to cut and not be cut and you have to be fast and bouncy enough to get in... and get out clean.

Lyoto Machida was a master of this elusive style of fighting. Watch the Video below of the Cold Steel Challenge. And imagine how you can apply those angles to fighting!

By the way... The 2015 Cold Steel Challenge is Sept 26 at the Ventura County Fair Grounds... you can Enter >>HERE<<

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

*Press Release* Free Anti Bullying Seminars in October

The Art of Losing... How Participation Awards ROB your child of Life Lessons.

UPDATE: My School is Offering a Fall Special! 6 weeks for $69 and a FREE Uniform!

Details Here: http://www.olaskeyma.com/#!trial-offer/c2q4

As A Child, I was deathly afraid of losing. It wasn't so much the actually "Not Winning" I was worried about, I didn't like the idea of being confronted with the fact that I may not be as good as I envisioned myself to be. Additionally, I didn't like others to see for themselves that my talent might not be up to par with what they perceived.

As a result, I lived my life up to the age of 30 only half committing to anything I wanted. Whether it be my Job, My Relationship or straight down to my beloved hobby... The Martial Arts. I avoided competition in nearly all forms saying to myself:

"I can't lose if I don't play the game"

At 30 years old, a notion grabbed hold of me that only the milestone of age can bring. The concept that if I don't begin cage fighting NOW, I may never have the opportunity to experience it ever again. This fear of missing out on this experience luckily overwrote my fear of losing and I began the journey.

As of this writing, I am the Current Steelfist Welterweight Champion... With a Record of 5-2.

"My Two Loses... Are at Once Both 

the Worst Experiences, And the Best Things 

to have Ever Happened to Me."

And that is the point of this post. Losses are terrible experiences. There is no denying that. I almost feel that it is worse as a parent watching what failure does to our child, than it is for the child themselves. But just because something is difficult... Does not mean its our job to "Save them" from it.

My first loss in MMA was especially difficult. I was undefeated, soaring high in my self perceived value. I thought I was strong physically... and near unstoppable in all areas. And then THIS happened:

It was heart wrenching. I had everyone from family to students drive over 1000 miles to come an see me win this belt. We had planned an epic celebration weekend and in 10 minutes... it was ruined.

I thought I knew what sacrifice was... I thought I knew was Conditioning was... But I was proved to be wrong. In that moment, I knew if I wanted this, that I would have commit to putting myself in uncomfortable situations during my strength and conditioning courses.

Would that course adjustment and recommitment have happened had I been given a participation award? Furthermore, Would I have learned that lesson had I won?

In my second loss I was steadfast in displaying my commitment. I committed to a fight at 145lbs (Mind you I am the Current 170lbs Champion) The cut to make weight took nearly 24 hours to complete and was one of the more difficult things that I have accomplished. My previous lost taught me that if you want something... You have to bury your head and grind it out. I wrestled with people I was comfortable with, whom made me feel awesome and ready to take on the world... and then this happened:

The massive cut played a big role. But in this fight, I was dominated on the ground. When I wrestled in training, the constant fear of failure and being thought of as "not good" lead me to wrestle with people who didn't make me better as an athlete.

I was furious. In the weeks to come I became a different person. I contacted the Venue Myself and Demanded a title fight at Welterweight (A Weight Class I was still undefeated in). After that I Contacted Marc Brewer of University of Grappling in Lindon Utah (Link >>HERE<<). This particular gym is part of a camp that trains UFC Athletes, I was terrified.

Here I am... the Kid afraid to fail and in the following three month camp it was 3 hours a day 5 times a week of being thrown around and put on my ass. 3 hours a day of failing.

I was sore and sad most nights. I not only felt out of my league... I felt I sucked. There were some nights I came home holding back tears, Trying to convince myself it was due to the physical pain... Not the inner turmoil I was suffering.

Fight day came and I didn't feel much better. All this hardwork and sacrifice put even more pressure on me. If I felt bad about my losses before? How am I going to feel if I happens again? I remember that night in Salt Lake City. The winds were so bad it knocked out all the power in the City... the Venue was in a frenzy trying to restore it. I thought subtly in my head "If the power doesn't come back on... Then I don't have to fight... Maybe thats a good thing."

Sure enough an hour later the power kicked back on... we wrapped my hands and walked towards the cage, Brovado as false as I can muster it... and then this happened:

The point of this story is to express my honesty. I never would have learned what it took to be a Champion had I never lost that first fight. In fact, I probably never would have continued fighting.

"Because of my losses, 

I learned Commitment. 

I learned Sacrifice. 

I learned how to take control 

and demand what I was worth"

Participation awards do just the opposite. I wish I had the guts to have these experiences earlier in my youth... I'd likely be further along in life.

That is why at my Martial Arts Academy, There are no participation awards... there are no belts that will be awarded that a child didn't earn. Because I will not sacrifice teaching your child positive life skills... So that they can feel good about themselves for the next two hours. Click >>Here<< if you wish your child to join!

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

I Was [[AMAZED!]] Science proves Your Fad Diet is LYING to you. Paleo, Low-Carb, Zone...

MMA Fighters like myself have to look at things skeptically... I may LIKE the idea of doing a BackFlip Kick and knocking out my opponent, But the likelihood of that happening is not a reality. As I grow in the sport and become more and more competitive I have learned to bring that skeptic mindset to my Nutrition and Weight Loss.

CEO Of Built Magazine, Andrew Riposta pretty much walked up to me and said the following meme:

And he was RIGHT. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Found >>HERE<< for your reference) A Meta-Analysis of nearly 50 different Fad Diets found:

"The Main Factor to the Success 

of these Diets was that each one 

Restricted Calorie Intake 

to about 1500 Calories a Day."

Basically, Fad Diets are just tricks to get people to reduce their Calorie Intake, Riposta Said. "Weight Loss is Simple... But it ain't Easy." He went on to explain that this is the reason he started his Fitness Website. The Laws of Physics are unavoidable, You need to Burn MORE Calories than you Ingest... We need to help people make better, Low Calorie decisions for them and their families.

The results of this meta-analysis supports what previous reviews of the literature have found:

"Adjusting the Proportion of Macronutrients 

(fat, protein, carbohydrates) 

Does Not seem to be Important for Weight Loss.

 All that matters is Calorie Reduction."

By the Way. www.BuiltMag.com is Free to sign up for their mailing list. If you're at all Like me... You're Probably feeling a bit like this about now:

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

OPINION: Why we don't we see certain "Styles" in Sport MMA?

Whenever I think of styles in MMA I am reminded of an endeavor that was once made to breed a domesticated line of Foxes.


In Richard Dawkins Book "The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence of Evolution" he describes that by the time Breeders successfully weeded out the unsavory "wild" mannerism the Fox... what they were left with was an animal nobody wanted. The ears got floppy, the body filled out, the coat color changed and the tail lost its fluff.

Basically, it looked exactly like any other dog... and nobody cared for it. Does this mean that the Fox wasn't there anymore? I don't think so. Just that when you want a Fox to be a Dog... It's going to look like a Dog.

I see martial arts styles a lot in the same way. When we cater any style to the sport of MMA, its going to transform it into something more applicable to that sport. Machida's Karate looks a lot different in the cage than it would in his Karate Dojo. Even the sport of BJJ doesn't get the luxury of as many submissions from the bottom due to strikes.


You can't fit a square peg into a round hole... If you wanna try, your going to have to shave off the sides of the peg to round it out. The RULES of MMA set the standard for what can be done in the cage. You ever see a fighter put his hand or knee down to the mat so he can't get kneed to the head? Take a few minutes to recover from a groin shot? These all alter the martial arts... forcing them to play by THEIR rules.


You take the ability to eye jab away all of the sudden 40% of all of Kung Fu is now rendered nil. Every time you make a "rule" you are shaving off a piece of the square peg... And now what used to be a square, fits easily into the hole.


The Problem with Sport MMA is that its a round hole... Just because a square doesn't quite fit... Doesn't mean its not a shape.

"Everyone is a genius. But if you 

judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, 

it will live its whole life believing 

that it is stupid." -Matthew Kelly

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

How Science Shows Participation Awards are KILLING your kids

There is a lot of talk on social media about kids growing up with a "Gimme Mentality". Often you will hear people (Including this Author) railing against the use of participation awards, In todays day apparently... everyone is a winner... even if you lose. We are OBSESSED as parents with raising our children's self esteem. Despite the fact that as Roy Baumeister, Doctor and Research Psychologist for Princeton University, puts it:

"The Belief that kids have 

Bad Self Esteem and Need to Be 

Bolstered is just... Empirically Wrong."

He goes on to explain how most kids think they can be president and a cowboy while curing cancer all the while still having time to be a movie star. So we can drop this notion that our children are need of constant apprasail.

Now you may be saying "But Mike, Who cares? How is this KILLING our kids? Well in a landmark study published in Academic Pediatrics found >>HERE<< they weighted data that represents 80% of ALL U.S. 8th graders. What they found was:

"42% of all of the adolescents 

DID NOT perceive their 

Weight Status Accurately"

This is important! Especially considering that 1 in 3 kids in the US are currently considered Obese! As Doctor Aaron Carroll of "Health Care Triage News" states:

"If we want Kids to Make

Better Decisions about Health,

It Helps for them to understand

Whether they are Unhealthy 

to begin With!"

And THIS my friends where it has become our fault! We've been so afraid that we are going to ruin our kids perceived self value... that we let them hurt their own bodies! We know that being over weight or being obese as a child makes them more likely to be so as an adult... which of course, carries its own health risks. The Study goes on to show that:

"Half of the students in this 

study who were Overweight or

Obese... Thought they were

a NORMAL weight!"

Now I am NOT saying that Fat Shaming is the answer... But it's YOUR responsibly has a parent to not only support your child's positive out look on life, But make sure that their body is JUST as healthy as their mentality. If you need help with making better food choices www.BuiltMag.com is a website that can provide you with information on meal plans for as little as two bucks a month. And consider involving your kid in some extra curricular activities like Martial Arts. Sports like Wrestling, Dance or Football may seem like harsh realities when dealing with subjects like losing... But that's how life is. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes you don't get a second helping of Mashed Potatoes.

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

OPINION: How MMA Gyms ruined MMA...

Imagine you walk into the office of a College Councilor at any University. You sit across from a man who has dedicated a portion of his life to helping people reach their goals and realize their full potential. "I want to be an astronaut" you say, "Ever since I was a child, I've been telling my friends and family how I possess what it takes to go into space... and now, I want to make that dream a reality."

The Councilor then begins laying out a plan for your 3 year doctoral degree in Engineering, Mathematics or Physical Science when you stop him "Wait, wait, wait... 3 years? I was thinking more like three months. And what's with all this Math? I didn't even finish High School."

Imagine the look on that Councilor's face. You are sitting in his office asking to be put on stage with the paragon of humanity and not only have you done NONE of the work... You don't even plan to! In fact, you inform the Councilor that if he DOESN'T get you into space... you will find another University that WILL!

Sound ridiculous? Of course it does... Yet, that is happening every day in MMA gyms across the world.

No longer are we considered "Schools", 

We have reduced ourselves to "Providing a Service."

The Experience of Cage Fighting.

We could blame the popularity of MMA, the culture of todays student or anything else... but what it really comes down to... Is us.

In the above analog to my point, Universities place such a high value on the knowledge they are imparting that the Space head Wannabe doesn't have any options... If he wants to go to space... He is going to have to do work. We as Gym owners need to operate the same way. 

MMA Cage fighting should be an honor that can only be claimed through hard work and discipline to the art... Not just something anyone with a free Saturday night and a signature can walk into because they thought it'd be cool. As Martial Artists its our Job to stand up... and hold our sport to a higher standard.

Because often times all the venues care about is whose gonna sell tickets.

In our defense though, It's scary! Its rough out there with how saturated the market is. When someone walks in only wanting 3 months of training so they can fight... it's hard to turn that money away knowing that your competition is just going to snatch them up. In ANY industry, there are bottom feeders... and lets not worry about them. The true, loyal and long term students know intuitively that by telling them they can't fight... that you are looking to keep them safe. And making them wait a year, or two or three will only make them more excited... and the experience of achieving it will make it much more special to them.

Because then its no longer about proving something... it will be about GAINING something. And win or lose, that is an experience they can take with them forever.

So in conclusion... STOP rushing people into the cage! You'll be better for it... They'll be better for it... And so will the sport of MMA.

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com

OPINION: An Open Letter to The Armed Forces

Dear Armed Forces,

It's time to stop asking Celebrities out on dates Via Social Media.

Before I get into "why", I just want it to be known that I know your job is hard. With all the pressure you have in fighting for the freedom of this great country you deserve things like Military Balls and other extra curricular events for you to blow off steam. In all the heroism that you endure on a day to day basis its a must , not only for deprograming, but for creating a safe place to do so with your brothers and sisters in arms.

However, Using the connectivity of social media to start a viral campaign (intentional or not) to ask a woman out whom you do not know personally is degrading of her character.

Now I'm not saying Ronda Rousey isn't into the idea... We know she's already accepted... and that is her choice as a woman. But think of the position you've put her in. Calling her out on the worlds stage pandering for a date with all of the internet "rooting for you" leaves a woman with 2 options.

1. Reject a hero in front of the world and be the "Bad Guy."

or

2. Agree to a date with a man she has never met except for over the internet.

Let's take a good hard look at that second option... If Ronda was ANYTHING but a celebrity... would we be comfortable with this concept? If she was just our Daughter or our little Sister, would we be clambering for her to fly across country to attend a dance with a Marine Recruit she's never met before and knows nothing of the character of?

It's certainly not something I would recommend to any of the young female students in my martial arts programs.

Additionally, What does this Marine KNOW about Ronda? Outside of the fact that she is a UFC champion and what she portrays to the media. Do their personalities mesh? Are they interested in the same topics of discussion? The fact is, this Marine doesn't know these things... He can't know these things. So in asking Ronda to a ball, He's basically asking her there to show her off.

Think about that for a moment... Ronda Rousey, 6X UFC champion, Olympic Medalist,  Anti- Do Nothing Bitch and current inspiration to females everywhere... Reduced to the equivalent of arm candy for a night.

Lastly, its unoriginal... This isn't a new trend, Last year a plea for Jennifer Lawrence to attend a military Dine-out went viral as well. In the video below, Sgt. Scott Moore was successful in his plea for Mila Kunis to attend the Marine Core Ball back in 2011, gaining nearly 5 million views!

I'm not suggesting a law should be made prohibiting these actions, Nor am I trying to insinuate that you're intentionally being underhanded. I'm just bidding our heroes to give consideration to the position they are putting these woman in. Pressuring women, even celebrities, through public relations into doing anything is dubious and manipulative. And though seemingly innocent and at times charming... I feel its an unfair use of your Valor and position of authority.

Or perhaps I am just jealous that No Marine Corps Women have asked me out yet... There's always that.

Sincerely,

Mike O'Laskey

Mike O'Laskey is a Welterweight Champion MMA fighter and Owner of O'Laskey Martial Arts in Burbank, CA.

www.olaskeyma.com

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd 
Burbank Ca
91506

818-480-7810
olaskeyma@gmail.com