Ancient Light #5 Mixed Martial Arts vs Ancient Combat Sports #MMA

Ancient Light Episode #5 Mixed Martial Arts vs Ancient Combat Sports

Episode five is Ancient Light's first long-form show. Host and historian, Steve Dotson presents a comparison of systems making up modern MMA and Systems which make up Ancient Pankration.

:33 Highlight of Modern MMA landscape
1:43 Evolution in modern MMA; "Rise of the kickers" Steve "Wonderboy" Thompson
3:20 Traditional martial arts (not ancient) & MMA
5:57 Main Argument; systems comparison
8:11 Modern boxing & heavy hands
10:00 Modern kicking systems: Muay Thai, TKD, Karate, Tournament style karate, kickboxing; Bill "Superfoot" Wallace; Steve "Wonderboy" Thompson
12:32 Modern Wrestling Systems
14:27 Submission systems
18:25 Specific systems: Muay Thai, Judo, modern athleticism, Chemical enhancement
26:45 Ancient unarmed combat systems; Boxing; Wrestling; Unmentioned Systems, [I will dedicate an entire episode to Prankration]; Athleticism: strength, unique training methods, lactic acid tolerance training example, chemical enhancement in the ancient world.

Topics mentioned in the show: MMA, UFC, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, Conor McGregor, Rhonda Rousey, Muay Thai, Judo, Jiu Jitsu (Brazilian & Japanese), kickboxing, tae kwon do, karate, tournament fighting, submissions, boxing, wrestling, Greece, Roman-Greco, gladiators, combat, sports, olympic lifting, scientific training & conditioning, lactic acid tolerance, explosive strength, steroids, performance enhancing drugs, take-downs, athleticism, ancient Greek pottery, rear naked choke (hadaka jime), juji gatame (cross-body arm bar) (I call it a scissor arm lock in the show, but that is not the conventional term for it. Many commentators simply call it an arm bar).

Captured City - The Dark Side of Ancient Light [Haiku & History]

Haiku & History day four!



Captured City - The Dark Side of Ancient Light [Haiku & History]



 A Morning battle

 Husband brothers, and sons dead

 Girls await shackle



After a battle, the victor would often slay all the men and haul off the women and children to sell into slavery.



War & ancient combat, slavery.



Hosted by Steve Dotson

Spartan Sword - The Dark Side of Ancient Light [Haiku & History]

Haiku & History Day Three!!

Spartan Sword - The Dark Side of Ancient Light [Haiku & History]

The short Spartan sword
Why is it so small you ask?
Easy to reach heart

The Spartans had their own style of sword they carried, which was slightly shorter than the norm. Spartans are often illustrated with a Macedonian style sword, one which has a slight curve. The Spartan blade we are discussing was straight and short. Since Greeks specialized in phalanx combat, the spear was the main weapon in such a battle. The sword was an important weapon to draw after the initial clash when the two sides are in chaos and inside of spear range. One could draw the sword while his hoplite shield was pressed against the enemy. If your sword was too long, you would not be able to draw it and use it to drive under the opponents armor into their vitals.

Parthian Shot - The Dark Side of Ancient Light [Haiku & History]

Haiku & History Day Two!

Parthian Shot - The Dark Side of Ancient Light [Haiku & History]



The Parthians Flee

Turning round on their saddles

Pull bow release soul



The Parthian shot, a parting blow. A famous term for a strike made as someone retreats. The Persian Parthians had a horse riding warrior who would motivate the rapid advance of an opponent by retreating on their horses. As the enemy advanced into the vacuum of the retreat, the Parthians would turn their torsos as their hips and legs continued to hug the charging horse, and fire their arrows into the rapidly advancing enemy. The enemy and arrows are both flying toward each other, an advanced combat technique indeed. In striking arts, one uses a trick where he gets the opponent to duck right into an uppercut. The head meets the hand in one powerful moment of impact.

Scythian Sniper - The Dark Side of Ancient Light [Haiku & History]

What did the Athenians hire the ancient sharpshooters in the north to do? Find out with a little haiku & history. Grab a cucumber sandwich and a glass of lemonade, but hurry, it will be over all too soon! It is a short video.