A while back, I wrote a post on Steven Seagal. Read it here. I've always been a fan of his skill and his impact on the martial arts.
Now, after some less than fantastic films, to many, he has become a bit of a joke. People criticize him for a variety of reasons. Most people who have spent time with him, however, believe in this skill and ability.
(UFC 129 spoiler alert)
Interestingly, two of the best UFC fighters have enlisted the help of Seagal in their fight preparation. Both Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida are training with him. And each fighter has now successfully used a 'never seen before' technique in the UFC to score knock out wins. Granted, we've seen the Karate Kid use a variation, but that's another story. The point is, some of the most elite MMA athletes in the world are turning to Seagal to improve their game. What does that tell you?
Here's a video to Lyoto training with Seagal:
And here's the knockout kick:
And here's a post fight interview given by Seagal:
Seagal is the real deal, if you ask me. He has just put on weight. Then again, when he was young he never focused on having a rippling bodybuilder physique. But as an inspiration in the martial arts, there is no doubt - opening a dojo in Japan when you are a foreigner (back then) was no mean feat!
ReplyDeleteNot bad at all.
ReplyDeletehey, i think we all learned something in that clip.... and look how intent lyoto listens... i know silva is the same....
ReplyDeleteIt's funny. Lyoto and Silva have been my two favorite ufc fighters for awhile now, and they both end up having a connection to Steven Seagal.
ReplyDeleteI don't think even a skilled writer could have created that as fiction!
Yamabushi,
ReplyDeleteI agree. You are correct, at the time, he was one of the only non-Japanese people to be given permission to open his own school. In that regard, he also opened up some doors. It is my understanding that he also trained in Japanese, and learned the language from his training.
John, it was interesting, wasn't it?
J.C, both athletes clearly respect Seagal's knowledge and skill. It doesn't appear to be a publicity stint, at least not from the footage I've seen.
Ikigai,
Both Lyoto and Silva are interesting to watch. I've enjoyed their fights as well. It's interesting that neither athlete has abandoned their respect for, or their practice of more traditional styles. I'd seen the footage with Silva but had not known about Lyoto until recently. It'll be interesting to see if any other UFC fighters approach Seagal Sensei.
Thanks to all for commenting.