This is an old video that went viral around 3 years ago but I guess I want to revive it in this post.
Cyan Heskett, a self-taught aikidoka, said in an Instagram video that he believed aikido was better than BJJ for street fights and MMA matches.
He then came to an MMA gym in Memphis and challenged a brown belt by the name of Jason Aldridge there for a street fight rules no holds barred spar.
To be fair, Jason and his team had already suggested to the aikidoka that it would be better for them to just have a grappling match - in which there is no punch or kick - but the challenger insisted that they went full no-holds barred with punches, kicks, elbows and everything.
What happened next can be easily predicted and if you have never watched the video, here it is again:
Aikidoka VS BJJ brown belt street fight rules video
What we can learn from this
First and foremost; aikido does not work in a real fight regardless of what Steven Seagal wants you to believe.
Aikido training usually does not have pressure testing of the techniques being taught through sparring and without this, practitioners will never be able to learn on how to utilize their moves against someone who gives resistance or reacts differently.
Does aikido have its benefits? For sure. Any form of exercises is always good for your body but please do not be disillusioned that it is also works for self defense.
Secondly, never ever come to an MMA gym with the purpose of challenging the instructors or members there to a fight to prove how bad ass you are. It will not end well.
Most guys in MMA are chill and very friendly. If you come to their place with respect, good manners and a mentality that wants to improve rather than to prove, they will accept you with open arms and help you to reach your goals.
To wrap it up....
I don't know what has happened to Cyan after the challenge video went viral.
I do remember not long after the challenge, he posted another video of his side of the story in which he said so many excuses on why the fight went the way it did and that he could have won if he wanted to.
His video, however, was deleted just a couple of days later.
I do hope, for his sake, that he recovers from his delusion and actually finds a decent gym to train.
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