Of course, this is not saying that a Wing Chun guy would’ve deflected that eye poke for sure, but they actually train to do that, thereby increasing their chances at a successful defence.

Also, this doesn’t mean MMA sucks. It’s just that people training primarily for the ring – whether they be MMA or Wing Chun fighters – will have huge gaps in their practice because of the rules they work within. A well trained sport fighter will still most probably whoop ass in a real fight – unless their opponents play dirty. And we all know brawlers, muggers, and murderers are the most honourable and upstanding of citizens.

RLS said it is “convoluted and pointless to always attack the centerline”. Not so: a) one’s hits have maximum force absorption by opponent b) while attacking centerline all opponents attacks off centerline are nullified c) more vital organs on centerline.

The reason it can never be a sport as it sports can’t involve doing serious injury and death to one another. WC uses the longest attack to the most vital target. So in a fight a knee cap might get destroyed, or the groin, or the eyes, or the throat.

These monks were harbouring ‘rebels’ and they both needed this art to protect their lives. The Chinese army would kill them in hand-to-hand combat, so Wing Chun has a lot of moves that are simply unusable in a sport. Take out those moves, and its no longer Wing Chun.

Perhaps Wing Chun needs to be complimented by other martial arts so that in the unfortunate need to use it on the street, other options are available than the many ‘finish’ methods of Wing Chun.

Perhaps when I’ve learned more (I’m only 9 months into it) I’ll discover that there are lots of WC attacks that are not so damaging.

If you wish to validate any art from the octogon or in any ring then you would also have to validate all similar arts. So a single leg take down would validate drunken, monkey, drunken monkey, judo jiu jitsue, and any art which has any movement which might hook a leg at any range including MMA and Wing Chun.

All that can be really validated are the training programs and whether they solve a problem. If you train to punch then you have to train to punch heavy things. You need healthy training to keep your hand from breaking while it strengthens to punch ever heavier things. The same with kicks and ground work. However, like science, one mistake requires an evaluation of underlying principles.

Do you grapple but fall on your knee, elbow, or head during at any time in your training. On the ground that would be broken and your training is invalid.

Do you strike but break or strain your body weapon. Do you not hit actual targets? Your training is invalid.

Can you suffer a fight ending injury “by accident”? your training is invalid.

Do you fight in a specific way and are easily defeated when someone fights differently? Your training is simply incomplete.

Do you talk about all ranges and pretend you are the only person learning how to fight in an art which teaches all ranges? You are ignorant for using your personal stereotype to judge a persons skill based upon a small text.

The only test of the fist is the fist.

I actually went to a UFC match many years ago when there were no rules. The fights always used to end with a two hour stalemate until the tired guy got jointlocked. Shamrock won through the use of one tactic. Hit and run away. However low your opinion of MMA is, mine is lower.