UAE NEWS & OPINION
Mohammed Al Hosani Jiu-Jitsu Analyst/Commentator
Self-Respect Begins with Respecting Others The role of Jiu-Jitsu in building character in a generation of practitioners On the heels of one of the most polarizing incidents in Modern Martial Arts history, we all need to remind ourselves of the principles that made traditional martial arts appealing to families all over the world. When people of my generation think about martial arts, movies featuring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, or Chuck Norris might come to mind. Since the days of fun-loving “KungFu Fighting,” global companies like the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator have transformed mixed martial arts (MMA) into one of the world’s most famous sports. Martial Arts were built around the notion that opponents must possess unwavering respect for one another. A competitor that lacks fundamental respect for his opponent might get caught by a punch and fall face first or get submitted with a choke. In the worst case, a competitor that disrespects his or her opponent could end up sparking a riot, brawl, or post-fight melee. If you watched UFC 229, you know exactly what I am referring to. The world has been buzzing since the epic fight between Russian wrestler Khabib Nurmagomedov and Irish striker Conor McGregor resulted in a post-fight melee that shocked the world. Some have downplayed the post-fight brawl as an extension of a violent sport, simply because they refuse to acknowledge the dynamics of the feud that involved a criminal act and countless religious, cultural and political slurs. Given the high stakes, the post-fight melee – resulting in no mild or serious injuries, is a warning of what could happen next time a competitor decides to insult his opponent’s family, religion, or country. This isn’t a defense for any of the participants involved in that fight, nor is it justification for any of the pre or postfight antics, but it has caused me to reflect and assess why countries such as the UAE embraced Jiu-Jitsu as opposed to MMA in its school curriculums, military and police
92
academies. MMA is an entertaining money-making machine that a few countries in the region capitalized on, including the UAE. It can be contested without losing the principles and values of the traditional martial arts that comprise the mixed elements we see in the cage. With that said, and given the culture of this region and the path MMA is taking all over the world when it comes to hyping fights, is it more presentable to the masses than Jiu-Jitsu? I don’t think so. From day one, the leadership of the UAE sponsored and promoted various martial arts within the country, most notably Jiu-Jitsu. The biggest reason why the UAE leadership stood behind Jiu-Jitsu is not even related to competition. It is related to the principles and values the sport was based on like respect, dignity, and honor. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, was famously quoted in an interview saying that his decision to invest in this martial art was based on personal experiences related to his sons and family, where he saw significant improvements in their way of life due to embracing Jiu-Jitsu into their lives. It was through that process that he decided to spread the sport to his people in the UAE through the schooling system in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. That plan stretched all over the UAE and is now also embraced by the UAE Armed Forces and Abu Dhabi and Dubai Police Academies. The UAE, due to its leading role in the sport, should be on the front lines of increasing awareness, spreading outreach, and reminding competitors and fans that Jiu-Jitsu is inextricably linked to respect, valor, integrity, and honesty. I hope that Jiu-Jitsu competitors do not stoop to the lows we have seen in other sports and continue to represent it in a way that would be appealing to the mainstream and the families who trust that their kids are entering an environment that’s positive, healthy and adds value to their lives.
Jiu-Jitsu World