In a revealing discussion about martial arts effectiveness, Straight Blast Gym founder Matt Thornton shared his experiences with Krav Maga instructors training at his facility. According to Thornton, multiple Krav Maga practitioners preparing for their high-level instructor certifications in Los Angeles would come to his gym for preparation, only to be thoroughly outmatched by SBG’s blue belt students. Thornton famously heads the association to which McGregor’s coach John Kavanagh belongs to.
“I would put them on the mat with one of my blue belts,” Thornton explained at a Q and A, noting that blue belt is just the first rank after white belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, typically achieved within two years of training. These blue belts, who also had some basic MMA training including boxing and wrestling, consistently dominated the Krav Maga instructor candidates.
Thornton expressed concern about the disparity in skill levels, stating,
“I would wind up having to explain very basic things about how to survive a choke, how to protect themselves, how to move the right way.”
The Krav Maga instructors would typically train for a week, then return to Los Angeles to pass their certification tests successfully.
“My personal opinion of Krav Maga is it’s just really bad MMA,” Thornton stated bluntly. He emphasized that real fights inevitably involve boxing, wrestling, and ground fighting elements, suggesting that proper training in these areas is crucial for effective self-defense.
Thornton particularly endorsed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for self-defense purposes, explaining that most self-defense situations involve grappling rather than striking exchanges.
“If somebody’s not hanging to you, you can usually get away,”
he noted, adding that when escape isn’t possible, the situation typically involves someone trying to hold or restrain you – scenarios where BJJ training proves particularly valuable.
The influence of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has extended beyond civilian self-defense. Thornton pointed out that the U.S. military’s combatives program was revamped by Matt Larson, a BJJ and MMA practitioner, who implemented a BJJ-based system. Many elite military operators, including Navy SEALs, now hold advanced ranks in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Thornton also shared a success story from law enforcement, describing how one of his former students, a Portland police officer and purple belt named Chad, would effectively handle difficult situations that typically required multiple officers. Despite being smaller in stature, Chad’s BJJ training enabled him to safely control and subdue resistant subjects, demonstrating the practical value of proper grappling training for law enforcement personnel.
