It amazes me, especially with the evolution of MMA, how few people know what judo is.

I've been wearing a wrist brace now for three days due my injury last Monday in practice. Dozens and dozens of people keep asking me what happened, which is nice of them, but when I tell them it happened in judo practice, they ask me if I did it punching someone or by blocking a punch.

Now, I know there's atemi waza in judo, but it just amazes me how many people lump judo in with all the other striking arts, at least here in the U.S., and more specifically Denver, thinking that it's just another striking art opposed to something more along the lines of wrestling...something Americans would understand much more readily than any other grappling style.

Anyway, just thought I'd share since it really is a shame that people just don't seem to know what judo is, and aren't terribly interested once you start explaining it to them. Sigh.

Question: What's Judo?

Answer: The father to BJJ

Oh how much grief would that usually bring,

I dont think we have that problem as much over here in the UK, people are usually the other way around, and say things like, oh thats where you dont punch or kick isnt it, and you throw somone,

as a kid they would then proceed to attempt to punch you and say, so what would you do if I did this, I became wise to this as a kid and I once had a bigger kid do the usual feint of a punch and then raise his leg to kick me in the shins, knowing the routine, I lifted my foot first and he kicked the bottom of my shoe, much to his amazement and dissapointment

I also was recently told by a Karateka that Judo is ineffective in the street, and I agreed with him, I walked away and smiled, knowing that the confidence Judo has given me was already working....

I have had similar experiences, I did some door work for a while with some of the other doormen doing some form of martial art there was some mutual respect. It was the regular punters who would hang around with the doormen who would pull a face when told I did Judo.The other doormen usually laughed when they heard the comments "Try it" would be the usual reply. i never really had to hurt anybody normally holding them really tight was enough only once I had to get rough applying an okouri uri jime which calmed the person down enough, I really don't like hurting people if I don't have to, but it did answer some questions for the non believers.

More people know what BJJ is than Judo due to the rise in MMA. I have heard in the past that Zuffa has a wink, wink agreement with the Gracies to promote BJJ in the UFC.

I remember about a year ago I was doing newaza with a BJJ 3 stripe white belt and being more dominant. He was disappointed with himself because I came to his club with a white belt and he thought the end result would be something different. The instructor who I knew mentioned to him that I have a brown belt in Judo. The person had no idea what that meant and I simply told him, "it means that this isn't the first time I've done ground fighting."

I belong to a club that is having a tough time attracting new students. People just don't know what Judo is and it's disappointing because I would like to have new training partners and see Judo grow in my area. Prior to the Salt Lake City Olympics I had never heard of Curling. If I saw advertisements to take up Curling lessons I would not be interested simply because I had never heard of it.

Regarding the UFC Zuffa did not have any deal with the Gracie's and actually Rorion Gracie was partnered up with the Semaphore Entertainment Group to found UFC Royce Gracie was picked to be entered into it because his brother wanted him to since they could not get his other brother Rickson to do it. Zuffa bought the UFC in 2001.