UFC in debate: can the “world’s best” be missing self-defense moves?

K-9:MMA star Jon Jones flees from a police dog in New York. Publicity photo.

As Grandmaster Helio Gracie would say time and time again, “Can a black belt ignore how to escape a guillotine choke? Can a champion not know basic self-defense?” This line of questioning surfaced again when the all-powerful Jon Jones, the young UFC champion, paid a visit to the New York Police Department.

The dominant owner of the light heavyweight division, historically the most revered (and closely matched) of world MMA, took part in a police training course and made some, shall we say, deadly mistakes when it comes to self-defense for the armed forces and police.

Check out how Jon Jones did in trying his hand at police work, in an entertaining and instructive video released last February.

Although “Bones” Jones was clearly having a lark, it’s also apparent that the UFC champion doesn’t have much experience when it comes to self-defense. As a professional athlete and model of efficiency in the octagon, do you feel Jon Jones needs to set an example and become better versed in self-defense in the street? Does mixed martial arts need to be complete martial arts, or is it just entertainment?

As the debate plays out, keep in mind two or three Jiu-Jitsu and self-defense tricks for you to not make the same mistakes the UFC champion made. In the first video, at the two-minute mark, there are some ways Jiu-Jitsu helps to disarm an assailant, as taught by black belt Ronaldo Cardoso.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y512dyA7NXk

In the second video, there are some simple and effective techniques for hand-to-hand combat taught by Relson Gracie that he learned from the very source—his father, Helio.