MMA PURIST?!?

The way I would understand it is someone who is dedicated to learning the broadest spectrum of martial arts possible. instead of a purist in TKD who is strictly a TKD fighter. It's kind of the Bruce Lee philosophy. If you learn Karate, you will fight like a karate fighter. If you learn everything you can and are so varied in your approach, (mixed we'll call it) then you are unpredicatble, and better able to change your tactics. (See Genki Sudo for more)

Maybe they are an MMA purest in the sense that they only study MMA, idk. 

One thing I do know is that they aren't martial artists.  I agree with the earlier post about Bruce Lee and stating how it's important to learn all aspects of martial arts, not just one discipline.  In a way MMA fighters are doing this.

The thing that makes them not martial artists is the fact that they (for the most part) only do what their coaches say.  They stick to a game plan (thus making it sport).  They don't go out there, read their opponent, and destroy them in the quickest way possible. 

Martial artists study their entire lives to master their craft, whether it be one art, or a mixture.  MMA guys are fighting as quick as 4-6 months  and are considered seasoned vets after 3 or 4 years of training.  Once they retire that's it, they don't really train to improve, or learn more.

MMA is a sport, martial arts is a way of life.  Hope I made sense.

i see what you are saying here ronin but i think its a little short viewed. in the broader frame MMA fighters are martial artist just as an aikido-ka or a TKD fighter. anyone who has ever PASSIONATELY studied a martial art can be considered a martial artist regardless of their discipline. if you look at it under a scope almost any and every possible technique can be found in almost any martial art in some variation. i guess you could say there is no such thing as a "chinese sweep" or "japanese sweep".

as far mma fighters being short lived may be true to some degree but how long is the career of a karate fighter? i ran tournaments in my younger days and when i had accomplished what i aimed for i was done. took about 2 years at the most and then i went back to regular training and learning something new. never competed again and it wasnt much of a "career" i guess

as far as fighters continuing after they are done fighting, i think you are wrong on that one. some fighters got there start in "traditional" styles. liddell, gsp, machida, and more most likely will go to their respective gyms when they are through and teach a younger brood.

mma fighters do listen to their coaches but if they didnt make adjustments in the cage they wouldnt be champions.

just  my scattered, early morning, pre caffeine view

I have been training in the Martial Arts for a good while now, I started when I was 5 and have had maybe 5 or 6 years off since then (am now almost 26).  I've trained in everything from Taekwondo, Full Contact Karate, Kickboxing, Boxing, MMA, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Urban Street Fighting...etc... None of that is neither here nor there just an intro I suppose?

What I've come to realize during that time training, I haven't really been training the art of self defense, or Martial Arts at all really.  I've been training in arts of sport and pride.  There's no such thing as a "purist" in Martial Arts, Martial Arts isn't about pure art form, it's about true personal expression.  Expression within oneself.  All these "styles" of Martial Arts focus on tradition, competition, and to be fair, money. 

In Martial Arts there is no pride, there is no glory.  In MMA one trains to succeed in a sport, to win a belt, so everyone can see them.  Everytime there is a "poor" performed fight the fighters always apologize to the crowd for "letting them down" or state that they did what they had to do to pull out the win (to get a bigger pay day).  MMA isn't a Martial Art, but to be fair - 99% of people who train today don't train in a true Martial Art and live as a Martial Artist - they train in a sport, for a competition, for money, or maybe just for exercise or socializing. The idea of training for a true path in life has been watered down by belts, money, pride, and envy. 

The only thing that is pure is your self knowledge. Does it kind of sound like hippy BS?  Yes, but it's true BS.