In a recent 2015 interview found in the “Chinese Kung Fu History documentary,” JKD instructor, Tommy Carruthers talked about the difference between MMA and JKD.
According to Tommy Carruthers:
“Jeet Kune Do is not directly connected to MMA. However, both MMA and JKD have punches and kicks like Karate and Kung Fu, so people link JKD to MMA. But the goal of Bruce Lee’s JKD is very clear, that is to finish the opponent fast.”
“MMA is a sports, there’s no kicking to the groin, no breaking of legs and no finger jabs. Even if MMA allows groin kicking, finger jabbing and knee kicking,…it is still very difficult to award the points to the participants accurately.”
“MMA is a sports and Jeet Kune Do is not. There are many types of punches and kicks which can be used on the street but to use MMA in real street fighting is highly dangerous and it is very foolish as you may loose your life.”
“I know 2 guys,… two friends of mine who use MMA in a street brawl, died because they never got back up. One guy was kicked to death and another guy being stabbed and never survive. So, have to adjust according to the situation. It’s very important to control the environment…But on the street, they would not just tap you but they would hit and kill you...”
“I appreciate MMA... It’s a sports...what matter is not to just kick the opponent’s legs and body but to kick the groin and use the finger jab more direct and effective and finish it fast. MMA has kicks and punches but as far as attack is concerned, it is more of a sports and not real fighting. Because if you have a chance to kick the groin, why kick the side? Why you punch the face instead of jabbing the eyes? This is Bruce’s theory. Thought I couldn’t remember exactly what he said, but roughly is like if you could use jabbing to the eyes, why punch his head? What Bruce wanted to says was that finger jab is faster, longer and more effective than the punch. You just make sure the jab hit the target and finishes it off.”
“MMA is a sports which people love and look forward to, but compare with MMA, I personally ’m more willingly to watch good boxing matches. Some people thinks that MMA is very good but for me, I like to watch boxing as it looks more skillful and its footsteps are much better (than MMA)...”
Video of Tommy Carruthers: “MMA is a Sports, JKD isn’t” -
Jeet Kune Do Tommy Carruthers Legacy of Bruce Lee
Tommy Carruthers Showreel - Underground Edition
Tommy Carruthers Biography
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(About Tommy: http://www.tommycarruthers.com/tommy)
Tommy Carruthers has over 30 years experience in the martial arts which includes training in military self-defence techniques (taught to him by his father), Judo, Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, Karate, boxing, Ving Tsun (four years with Nino Bernardo's clan), Non-Classical Gung Fu and finally Jeet Kune Do. Whilst training in western boxing, Tommy made something of a name for himself and became the subject of several tempting offers to turn professional. "But still to Tommy, even though he seemed to excel in boxing, it was not JKD." (taken from Fighters Magazine, July 1997).
Frustrated with an absence of Jeet Kune Do clubs in his area, Tommy began to train by himself, pushing himself to the limits and along the way reading and assimilating absolutely everything that was around on JKD. He attended various JKD seminars in Europe but remained unimpressed. "I felt that what they were teaching would not work on the street, and it is in that arena that the truth comes out". Eventually he came across an article on Gary Dill in an American Kung Fu magazine. Everything in the article he agreed with so he took the plunge and phoned him up. Gary Dill was a student of the late James Lee, one of Bruce's own students. Taking the plunge he phoned him up and the upshot was that he was invited to America by Dill to train as a JKD instructor on an intensive course."
Later he came to the attention of Jesse R. Glover, Bruce Lee's first student and assistant-instructor. Glover then recommended Tommy to one of Bruce Lee's best and most highly respected students of his Oakland era, Howard Williams, as well as Bruce's last private student and protegé Ted Wong. It was also Mr Wong who awarded Tommy with an instructor ranking and eventually, Tommy was formally recognised by the JKD Nucleus (Bruce Lee Educational Foundation) at a formal dinner party with over 200 guests from around the Jeet Kune Do scene. In more recent years, Tommy has continued to train and build ties with many respected JKD practitioners from around the world such as Tim Tackett and original Bruce Lee student, Bob Bremer.
Over the years, Tommy Carruthers has acquired a reputation as being a very practical martial artist whose grueling training schedules alone would put most other athletes (from any sporting background) to shame. Tommy's affinity to simplicity and realism are almost certainly the result of being brought up in the rough streets of Glasgow's East End, where employment levels are low and violent crime rates are high.
In 2002 Tommy was invited by the Chinese Boxing Association Switzerland to come to Geneva to give a public demo of his talent live on stage at the SWISS EXPO. He has also recently appeared on several biographic Bruce Lee DVDs within a special feature called "In the footsteps of the Dragon", narrated by Jesse Glover.
What others have said:
"When Tommy is on he reminds me of Bruce when I knew him. The first time that I saw him I told him that he punches like Bruce. Tommy is also a very powerful kicker. He has Bruce like speed and power and is more flexible than Bruce was.
If Tommy landed a full force strike in the center of a person's chest there is a chance that their heart would stop. He transfers an amazing amount of shock with his strikes. He has taken Bruce's ideas and turned them into a functional reality." - Jesse Glover (Bruce Lee's first student)
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"I've not met anybody on par with Bruce Lee except for Tommy Carruthers, who is better than Lee in some respects.
Let me say that Tommy is Bruce Lee #2, hands down. This is the baddest man around. I don't give out props lightly, so take note. There's a new martial star, and his name is Tommy Carruthers. If you are looking for a standard of excellence, look no further than this dude." - George Tan (Bruce Lee historian/film producer)
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"....the fastest hands I have ever seen!" - David Peterson (direct student of Ving Tsun legend Wong Shun Leung)
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"Tommy is a great JKD'er. But most important his students were also very good. This is important, because not all great martial artists can teach. Tommy can." - Tim Tackett, (JKD instructor of the Wednesday Night Group of Redlands, California)
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