just a quick question in your opinions, this goes especially out to people like merryprankster.
Let us say an individual wanted to be crowned best in the world or one of the best in the world of martial arts. Mainly by American standards, what would he have to do ?
Would you believe entering the ufc is enough ? would he have to win pro level kickboxing and muay thai belts also ? would you believe he even has to win pro boxing in his weight class ?
Or do you believe there can never be somebody who could be classed as one of the best ?
Wongsifu
For me, one will have to be able to sit silently in the land of snow and high altitudes for 3 years 3 months 3 days and 3 hours, and after such intense a feat, should be able to melt a block of ice in amidst the snow mountains.
And of course, that master will show the lacking of the 5 poisons and be in abundance with the perfection of speech, thought and heart.
How are you anyway ?
prana 
good answer
I am well as always, i dont post much on the forum as i spend more time practising, and in general i am bored of the level of the conversation on the forum.
On another note i remember the lamas in tibet about 80 years ago used to practise for entertainment and for testing, how many wet blankets they could dry out , they used to sit by the river (or snow) in freezing cold temperatures, dip a blanket into the river (or snow) and wrap themselves up in it then mediatate and see how long it would take for th eblanket to dry up . not bad eh ?
I remember reading your post about the old lama you helped , do you have a guru ? or do you try and learn for yourself ?
prana,
Bah! Any schmoe could do that! I want to see someone consistently defeat all takedown attempts with one-punch KO’s. 
tigerstyle, im sure youre not the only one who would like to see that so i wouldnt doubt it happening all in good time
Tigerstyle- The streetfighter rocks!Where did you get that avatar?
Honestly?
I think a person would have to go out and show themselves in an event like Pride or the UFC.
I am aware that there are rules, but it’s the best we’ve got going right now.
I think people misunderstand crosstraining. They think its “spend a year here, spend a month there, mix and match, etc.” It’s really more about making yourself aware of other modes of attack.
I will ALWAYS primarly be a grappler. Even when I work Muay Thai, I have to force myself out of the clinch. But I am aware that somebody might hit me in the face or kick me.
Most people that succeed in those events have something they are VERY good at and then know enough about other dangers to keep themselves from getting destroyed by something foreign to them. Sakuraba has AMAZING submission skills and inventiveness. Igor Vovchanchin hits like a freight train. Sakurabas not that great a striker though, and Igor doesn’t have a ton of ground work, as examples.
Can Sakuraba outstrike somebody like roy jones jr? Nope, but he could take him down, and now it’s saku’s world. Roy Jones would have to prevent the takedown, and given the fact he doesn’t TRAIN that, it’s a little unlikely. Roy Jones may have wrestled, this is just an example…
The first few UFC’s really showed what can happen when somebody is unused to a specific set of dangers. Boxers were taken down and destroyed, thai boxers seriously wrecked people with leg kicks, boxers hit people in the face when they weren’t used to dealing with that. Dan Severn took Royce Gracie down but was unaware of submission defenses and Royce got him. That kind of thing. Now, with some rounded out training, these specialists can become VERY dangerous. Mo Smith has perfected the “sprawl and brawl,” for example, avoiding the takedown and beating many people with his kickboxing skills. Randy Couture, a Greco-Roman bad-ass, can box a bit and with his upper body throwing skills is pretty good at taking people out 
You need to be aware of other venues of attack than just your specialty or it’s a bad day for you.
The wave of MMA competitions will be this IMO: San Shou, Muay Thai, and some form of groundfighting. San Shou for integrated kickboxing and throws, Muay Thai for knees and elbows, and the groundfighting for escapes, hold-downs and submissions.
thanks merryp , would you say that igor vovchanchin can hit as hard as vanderlei silva.
Also by this rationale do you deem the pride and ufc champions definately some of the best in the world ?
Also what about comparisons of vanderlei silvas power and endurance etc compared to that of k-1 competitors ?
I remember reading your post about the old lama you helped , do you have a guru ? or do you try and learn for yourself ?
Wongsifu
I am very happy, as I now have a guru of which to be guided on the path of Vajrayana. Thanks again for your kind thoughts and heart towards Lama. Lama is happy, and that is most important, but Rinponche has expressed his wish to send Lama back to Sikkim and I would be happy to accomodate if he so wished…
I understand your concern, myself tend to fall into the stream of mindlesness… guilty. Ahhh such ignorance I exhibit. but good to see that you have such discipline to return to training, it is very inspiring
I do have a new name too, and it is under the lineage of Karmapa, so I am greatly honoured. I am glad you are well, and I wish you the very best. Om Mani Padme Hum, Wongsifu.
prana just out of interest what is advocated on your path ? raising of the kundalini or opening the chakras until the third eye and then entering inside ? or things like excessive pranayama ?
Tigerstyle- The streetfighter rocks!Where did you get that avatar?
LOL! I just did a search for Sonny Chiba on Amazon.com and saved the image of the Streetfighter video cover. I cropped out a part of the image that I thought would look good small and created it with PhotoShop.
And I agree, Streetfighter rocks.
My main practise if that of ‘Phowa’. If perfected, a good Phowa master can send the consciousness of the deceased towards Amithaba. Jetsun Milarepa is famous for the mastery these dharmas.
what is your main goal ? is it to achieve perfection (in any way that is needed) and never be reborn ?
I don’t know about comparing Silva and the K-1 guys. I think he’d have to get in the ring to find out.
I SHOULD amend what I said before I get myself in trouble.
Being one of the best FIGHTERS in the world is different than being one of the best martial artists.
Rocky Marciano would be a good example. Not such a great BOXER, per se, but a tremendous fighter. Would you want to learn to BOX from Marciano or Sugar Ray Robinson? I mean, I don’t want to learn how to punch from Igor Vovchanchin. Have you seen him punch? Looks terrible. I could do the same things he does and I’d get myself knocked out
I would personally deem guys like Sakuraba, Randy Couture, Renzo Gracie, Silva, to be some of the top fighters and MAists in the world, yes. However, if you look at somebody like Gary Goodridge, I certainly don’t think he’s a great MA’ist… guy trades primarily on being very big and strong.
Bottom line, if you are trying to set the trap that I think you are trying to set is this:
It is possible to be a great fighter and be not the most technical fighter in the world. I don’t think you can call yourself a great martial artist if you can’t compete with great fighters, however.
So no, winning Pride or the UFC does not automatically connote being a great martial artist because you can be a great fighter and not be a great martial artist (Marciano), however, great martial skill MUST connote great fighting ability (Sugar Ray Leonard) or it is not martial.
I would like to add that I am discussing simply personal abilities here, not the ability to teach. Totally different.
I think to be named the best, you just need to take the word of Grandmaster Sin Kwang The’ whose word cannot be questioned and must be beleived. 
MonkeySlapToo,
I agree. This is why I have renounced all other styles except Shaolin-Do. I devote my life earnings and all my time to serve in his army…er…learn from his wisdom.
**** merryp !!! that was more complex than a scientific definition of chi
In all truthfullnes it was no trap it was just to see from others perspectives.
Unfortunately all the people who are forever arguing about bjj and mma whooping kung fu arent here today to tell me what they believe is the best proving ground to being no1 in america!!! go figure.
nah, I didn’t really think it was a trap, I was just realizing that I shouldn’t confuse being a good fighter with being a good MAist, but you CAN’T be a good MAist without being a good fighter IMO.
Yeah. Pride, UFC. IVC has a lower level of comp in Brazil, but I believe the rules are more open. Don’t quote me though.
I don’t think it’s too farfetched.
Best Boxer=undisputed professional champion
Best kickboxer=k1
Best Wrestler=Olympic Gold medal/World Champion
Best Judoka=Olympic Gold medal
Best TKD’er=Olympic Gold Medal
Best all around guy=Pride, UFC champions.
There will always be arguments about what that means, but nobody says that saku and silva and couture and newton aren’t badass!
I agree with MERRY.
Impossible, as greatness is relative to the observer.