The Dumbasses Are Out In Force (Pekka and GT, also small guys who fight look here)

[Seeker]

All this combat technique stuff is BS.

Fighting is like having Anne Coulter in bed: If you want to survive, get on top and STAY on top!!

[Sikander]

Originally posted by David Floyd


Judo is horrible, at least in terms of self defense. Wrestling is a little better, but the problem with it is that all you really have are holds and takedowns - great for tying a guy up, but not so great for ending fights, unless you can take him down and punch him until he stops.

Ramo is right about jiujitsu - Brazilian Jiujitsu is without a doubt the best grappling style around. Just remember not to go into a fight with nothing but Jiujitsu - learn some strikes, even just some simple boxing moves, that will allow you to cause damage before going to the ground with someone who may be 50 pounds heavier.

The best thing to do is to learn some simple Thai kicks and boxing combos, that you can pick up on your own from books, and practice those over and over. It won't be flashy, and it won't make you the biggest baddest in your town, but you should also be able to hold your own to such an extent that you won't be a major target.

I wrestled in HS, did judo in college and I'd say you have it backwards. I found judo to be much more effective in fights than wrestling, especially the throws vs the wrestling takedowns. Perhaps in part it is because in the U.S. most people are going to have had some wrestling and / or boxing experience. As wrestlers they are going to recognize your takedown move and counter it. As boxers / punchers they are going to make themselves wide open for throws. With wrestling you won't have the arsenal needed to finish the fight on the ground, though if your oppenent is completely clueless you can probably pound him if you are confident that you can get him on his back.

I don't think that the smaller person is at any advantage on his feet compared to on the ground if he is smaller in reach / frame. I was always supremely confident of my groundfighting, and to me (5"6" with short arms and legs) the danger zone was always at the opening of the fight where my opponent could hit me with his longer reach.

My strategy was to make him overconfident by not adopting a striking stance but (very much in the vein of aikido) standing with my hands near my sides and ready to move quickly in any direction. That includes down / back if the guy tries to shoot for a takedown, back if he tries a front kick and otherwise left, right or forward to avoid a blow and catch his arm for a throw. All of the worries about being lighter are then alleviated, as he is now in motion and I am only going to use that momentum to aid my counterstrike. I found hip throws to be the most likely counter, just step inside of the punch and he is already leaning on you. Keep turning and he is falling to the floor. As the shockwave from the bounce loostens him up throw a naked strangle on him and finish him before anyone knows what happened. Strangles are great submissions because they don't require the active submission of your opponent. His brain simply shuts down and he comes to a few seconds later calm as a sleeping kitten.

This is not a panacea of course. I am / was abnormally quick and agile, which I used to make up for my small stature and medium build. I never fought a guy who studied MMA, though I did whip a whole lot of guys who had experience in karate, boxing or wrestling. I used a lot of psychology to prep the fight as well. If the guy stepped over the line and I thought a fight was at this point inevitable I'd purposefully piss him off while offering him a dream target for his wild haymaker.

I would also note the surrounding terrain and use it to my advantage. Furniture, stairs, windows etc. can all be very useful when you redirect someone's energy. When you are good you have to take some responsibility for it. I came close to throwing someone over a railing and down one floor onto concrete because they tried to stick a lit cigarette in my face. One of my friends called out to me just in time. I read that cigarette as an attack with a weapon, which in my book means anything goes. That was the sort of mental image that came from being on the military, and I had to revise it for civilian life and the poor decision (but not deadly threat) making of a belligerent drunk.

[Pekka]

chemical ollie, because even drunk and thug, he's still the best .

[Lancer]

"95% of all fights happen when somebody is drunk"

While 98.7% of all stats happen when somebody is sober.

[Stuie]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
2. Stay away from places where drunks frequent

Such as Barrow, Alaska.

[David Floyd]

With wrestling you won't have the arsenal needed to finish the fight on the ground

Yeah, but in my experience, neither do most Judo fighters, as it is not a true submission style. In order to quickly finish a fight on the ground, a wrestler and a Judo fighter would probably need to do it with strikes - neither would likely have enough experience with submission to quickly submit their opponent.

[Alexander's Horse]

Originally posted by David Floyd
my experience in submission grappling.

I used to love going around town with my cousins, who were real street fighters. They didn't use submission grappling, they used pretty much anything that came to hand

[Mr. Harley]

I agree with Sikander reference Judo versus wrestling, and his analysis is good. In fact the basic throws can be learned without an instructor, though you are more likely to hurt each other because of not learning to fall properly first (VERY IMPORTANT when practicing). One other advantage to Judo. If you throw them, you can sometimes remove yourself. Also throwing them INTO something, like furniture, can be as effective as any chokehold. They hurt way too much afterwards to chase after you (make sure aforementioned furniture is unoccupied or you may have fight number two on your hands).

These are only if you get stuck in the fight. I agree on avoiding the fight, because given the "street fight/punk" equation, you can never be sure on how it will escalate, and on whose side law enforcement will come down. However, turning yourself into easy prey is even worse, so don't humiliate yourself backing down. Pekka's advice on attitude says it better than I could.

Can't you avoid bars/pubs? I know the attraction, but trust me, you can find women at other locations. Also you might try looking into some locally recognized "good" activities, i.e. church, outdoors, brewing (supply cheap booze and throw a party!), etc. The "use your head" strategy espoused by other posters.

That, or start LOT's of correspondence courses until you can leave. Look at it as a minimum security prison . I spent five years exiled to Bluefield, WV with my employer. It was both redneck and hillbilly country, and bars there could be vicious. I avoided them. I ended up visiting local colleges and driving extensively (option available as not in Alaska). I also got out as soon as I could.

[Space05us]

Can't you avoid bars/pubs? I know the attraction, but trust me, you can find women at other locations. Also you might try looking into some locally recognized "good" activities, i.e. church, outdoors, brewing (supply cheap booze and throw a party!), etc. The "use your head" strategy espoused by other posters.

I can avoid bars without a problem, there arent any up here. Barrow is a small town, its virtualy impossible to avoid anybody, you bump into everyone at some point in the week. Almost everyone is drunk on the weekends, and they're always out and about. And Im not going to run and hide, I live here, Barrow is my home. (if I felt really threatened I would have called the cops already)

[Chemical Ollie]

Originally posted by Pekka
chemical ollie, because even drunk and thug, he's still the best .

Who? The punk who wants a fight?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Space05us
I can avoid bars without a problem, there arent any up here. Barrow is a small town, its virtualy impossible to avoid anybody, you bump into everyone at some point in the week. Almost everyone is drunk on the weekends, and they're always out and about. And Im not going to run and hide, I live here, Barrow is my home. (if I felt really threatened I would have called the cops already)

Dig a hole in the ground. Cover it up. Wait till your adversary is drunk. Lure him into the hole. Chuck dirt into the hole up to his neck. Leave him there until he's sober. Then extract a concession from him that he's not going to attack you.

[Space05us]

Dig a hole in the ground. Cover it up. Wait till your adversary is drunk. Lure him into the hole. Chuck dirt into the hole up to his neck. Leave him there until he's sober. Then extract a concession from him that he's not going to attack you.

Good idea but I have one word for you, permafrost.

[Giancarlo]

My advice to Pekka (you other guys suggesting guns are seriously underpowering what he needs)

[Chemical Ollie]

This is more discrete...

[Pax]

My suggestion is to listen to all the advice you've been given on how to fight smart and dirty.

Next set the example. Go out. Don't drink. Pick your victim. Make sure he gets drunk enough. Instigate the fight then thoroughly whip his ass. Even if you don't whip his ass. Show a willingness to fight and people will be less likely to want to try you. Unless you live in one of those hick towns where everyone loves to fight for fights sake. If that's the case then pick a fight and make sure you lose so thoroughly that no one sees you as a challenge.