Outer Eastern Martial Arts
Okinawan Goju Ryu Karate, Progressive Krav Maga & Reality Based Self Defence
   Home      Self Defence      When the fight cannot be avoided.
 
 
Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten is a Dutch retired mixed martial artist, Karate and Taekwondo blackbelt, and Muay Thai kickboxer. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three-time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak.
 
He is also a nice guy with an entertaining twist on self defence.
 
If you are in a situation where you can't avoid physical confrontation then you have some crucial decisions to make.
 
  • ♦   Will you make the first move? Sometimes a pre-emptive strike will finish the confrontation before it begins. Of course witnesses may only see your strike and not be aware of the foregoing interaction.
  • ♦  How much force can you employ? Disproportionate force may well see you explaining your actions to a magistrate.
  • ♦  Was there any time in the altercation that you could have stopped fighting and escaped the situation?  'Self defence' as a legal defence is debatable if you didn't need to continue the affray.
  • ♦  When does self defence cross the line to become retaliation? Once your opponent is defenceless you have to back off.
  • ♦  Did you really need to use a devastating technique to end the fight, especially if your opponent was defenceless at the time? A stomp on the ankle of your downed opponent may well be justified to allow you to run away but a kick to the head is a different ball game.
Here is an interesting take on self defence from Bas Rutten.