This trend of "MMA" in a school's name- that doesn't have MMA?

Question

Okay, try to follow me here- MMA is a sport, not a style. I think we agree on that. However, when I see schools with MMA in the title, I think their main focus must be training people to compete for the sport...like a boxing gym. Or at the very least, have different classes of arts, then a required "put them all together" class. But I keep seeing new places open that don't do that. In fact, there's nothing "mixed" about these places except they teach tons of watered down arts, or some guy's made-up art. I can't see how an MMA school could be non-competitive in MMA (although I understand some train for fun, that's fine- not what I mean though), or would peddle directly to children who are too young to compete in it anyway. Isn't this false advertising? Do all teachers that name their schools this con their dumb students in thinking this will actually educate them in the sport, or do they do this because they don't understand the term MMA themselves?

Update:

I don't think anybody understood my question. 1) I have been attacked, you moron- I'm an Iraq vet. I would say I have more street experience than you. 2) If a student regardless of age joins your place based on name for the primary reason to get to the UFC, and your main focus in training is hodj-podj, isn't it at best lying? 3) MMA's focus is NOT teaching you self-defense, they teach you how to win a match with a ref present.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

It is all about getting people in the door and advertising.  It isn't false advertising if they teach you how to fight and defend yourself.  It's just that they may not have legit instructors and so forth.

? · Answer

In truth, it's pretty much just advertising. Schools post MMA on their doors to pull in potential students and therefore potential monetary gain. But MMA is not a fighting art. If you took taekwondo as a kid and you can also box then you're considered a mixed martial artist by the technicality of the term. Shows like the ufc and pride fighting have spread the popularity of mixed martial arts across the world to astounding levels. Putting MMA on your dojo simply says "hey, if you come in here you can fight just like those guys." It's not always like that, but I've been to quite a few places who's martial arts wouldn't last in the octagon. So it's not false advertising since they do teach you something, it's just advertising.

norwoodbliings · Answer

I think it is good that so many places say they are MMA. Now many traditional arts know that they have to offer something realistic, that people know about what a real fight looks like. Bruce lee tried
to influence the martial arts world, but traditional instructors could say " jeet Kune Do is a joke, bruce lee is overrated, my stuff from ancient China or Japan or Korea works better." But now, if you claim to be teaching "the best" martial arts, people can ask, so, do you fight? Do any of your students fight? Fewer people are likely to buy the "my art is too deadly for the ring" idea.
So even tkd mcdojos have to nod acquiesce to mma. MMA did what Bruce Lee could not do.
Besides, the real split is not between mma and non-mma, it is between ATA and nonATA!
Unless some 260-year old invincible master like Master Pai Mei comes down from the mountain, teachers have to deal with the presence of MMA, like it or not. I never would have even imagined that anything like martial arts would be covered by ESPN and SI as a sport paralleled with boxing.
So I am enjoying the ride, and will ride as long as it lasts.

Anonymous · Answer

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Anonymous · Answer

welcome to the world of the McDojo. Now maybe MMA fans will see that it is schools, not styles, that should be judged as inferior.

Edit- Not every one considers having fought in a ring the best test of a martial arts teacher. And what you see in the UFC is not what a self defense situation looks like. It is a contest between two highly trained people who do nothing but train to fight. Obviously you have never been attacked on the street.

Anonymous · Answer

Most are just another person with a martial art belt trying to make some quick cash.  I agree with you, if your going to use the MMA standard then make your people able body to train and fight in matches.  There are so many places that you can go to just get a quick work-out in the Martial art style and this dosen't deserve the MMA name.

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This trend of "MMA" in a school's name- that doesn't have MMA?

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