Growing up my dad shared his idolization of Bruce Lee with me, so I get the "absorb what is useful and discard what isn't" mindset. However, watching MMA guys nowadays it looks more like "whatever it takes to force the other person to submit". In my mind martial arts is a martial form of intentional self expression, more focused on who you are as a person and less about what it takes to beat the other person. It's nice if your philosophy of fighting is proven to be greater than another's, but that's not why you practice. Imagine some post-modernist painter studies painting for years and creates something that looks nonsensical but is actually a commentary on whatever-whatever, then some doofus who doesn't understand it creates some mockery of it and it becomes super popular. Like, what do you value if the only thing you care about is besting everyone around you? Ultimately my question is: Is MMA an actual art? What else could we call it that more accurately captures what it's about?

(I get this is an unpopular opinion but I'm a scrawny guy and I've had one too many sparring partners who have just bullied me and a couple who actually injured me and I find it upsetting cause I genuinely like martial arts but can't go anywhere without running into tools)

Edit: a word