Committment

It's no surprise, in almost any instance of a WT demo posted on YouTube, you get someone (usually by the fourth post, latest) where someone says it's crap and that MMA is the most effective form of self-defense.   Of course, stated with swear words and insults.  If the posts are active enough, then you eventually get the Boztepe vs. Cheung argument ("Where's the wing chun in that fight?", they say. "Good question", I say.).  

In any event, I stay out of this stuff. I don't post on these boards but I'm guilty of having read the postings.  I would watch these clips over and over again.  I would also watch the clips where they have amateur wing tsun/chun guys vs the MMA guy.  Some observations:

1) In WT clips, the WT practitioner assumes the attacker fully commits his attacks.

2) In MMA clips, the MMA practitioner works off of an attacker that doesn't throw fully committed punches/kicks (sure they may be powerful or still hurt). 

In the first scenario, the assumption is that the attacker will take a full step from a safe distance to an attacking distance.

While, in the second scenario, the attacker will take tiny steps to close the distance enough to REACH at the target with his attack.  This could also be used to create a reaction so that a take down can follow. 

If my observations are correct, then the question then becomes, which scenario is more common in a self-defense situation?  

Which one are you training for?  Why not train for the other scenario as well? 

In my experience, in a sparring scenario or a controlled fighting scenario, the latter situation is common. While in the street brawl scenario, the first situation is more accurate.  For whatever reason, the hunger of really wanting to "kill" the guy on the street leads to a more heavy, more committed, more emotional type of attack.  Although possible, crossing paths against a more controlled fighter - maintaining distance, jabs, feints, etc may be less common as factors of emotional control, sensibility and security are required. And this type of person may not be likely to get into a fight anyway.

Of course, this is complete generalization. And with the popularity of MMA, it's quite possible to run into some young guys who's taken a few classes under their belt who are ready to mix it up on the street.  Mix in some alcohol, adrenaline, and some drugs and you have yourself quite a monster. A monster who is commited at tearing your head apart, at tackling you down with brute strenght - in other words, fully commited.

Are you ready?

Until then.