Judo - a real rough and tumble martial art

Tokyo Zombie - a movie about zombies and Jujutsu

I've been studying Judo now for 9 months and I am really enjoying the workout.  I had previous martial arts experience with kung fu and hapkido, but nothing prepared me for the rough and tumble world of Judo.  I really wish I had gotten into it in my youth, because now I'm an old man and my body breaks more easily.  I was always interested in Judo because it seems that just about every modern marital arts incorporates some aspect of Judo - Russian Sambo, Israeli Krav Maga, modern MMA, etc.  There's gotta be something to it if everyone wants to incorporate it.  I finally decided to start training in Judo after watching Tokyo Zombie, which is really a love letter to Judo/Jujutsu.  I bet you're wondering why I have a that picture up there, and now you know.

Kung Fu is a lie

This topic has been on my mind for quite some time, so I thought I'd get it out there.  What do I mean by saying that Kung Fu is a lie?  It is because the tradition of Kung Fu wants you to believe that fighting is a beautiful thing.  Kung Fu wants you to believe that fighting is not a life or death struggle, but some kind of artistic ballet.  This is a complete and outright lie.
 
Fighting is dirty and brutish.  It's something that every man must do at some point but let's not kid ourselves that it's anything pretty.  While there have been few fighters such as Mohammed Ali who can make the sport look good, few of the top fighters in the world are known for their artistic grace.  The top fighters finish their opponents as quickly and efficiently as possible.  No flowerly bullshit.  This is the true essence of fighting, is it not?

Somehow, Kung Fu got sidetracked into a performance art.  This is understandable once you realize that many Kung Fu practioners in medieval China made money by giving street performances.  It would make sense for certain styles to take on a showy approach, to better draw in crowds and tips.  Modern day Sanshou or Sanda is basically Kung Fu's attempt at modernizing, and it looks more or less like kickboxing.  Here is the "King of Sanda" Liu Hailong before he was sent to prison for roundhouse kicking a man to death outside a night club in China: