We all know the type.
He’s a middleweight - as in, all his weight is in his middle. This is his favorite nutritional supplement.
His sense of self is wrapped up in some preposterous martial art, one closer to LARPing than actual training. He mindlessly combines Chinese and Japanese lettering, and logos from utterly different martial arts. His fighting skills are hopeless, to the same vast extent he believes them to be very nearly unstoppable. He gives himself a ludicrous nickname, like Shinigami (it means the personification of death, in Japanese).
And, of course, he wears a headband, sort of like what Georges St-Pierre wears, except he’s not GSP.
This is what “Shinigami” looked like, right before the fight below:
“Shinigami” who is also a Goth - shocker - decided to test his skills in the below-the-grassroots combat sports organization Streetbeefs. It’s an East Coast of the USA-based backyard fighting club and YouTube channel, that’s been around for 15 years or so. Participants can choose varying rule sets, including boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts. Shinigami chose MMA.
You have to admire his courage for actually testing his Korean White Eyebrow Kenpo or whatever it is, but maybe it’s stupidity. And it’s maybe a little mean to make fun of him, but actually fighting is serious business. If people aren’t somehow made aware of reality, they could find out the truth of their fake skills on the unforgiving streets, and that can be fatal. So having a little fun with Shinigami, well it’s ultimately good for him.
This is what happened.
Right before the fight, his opponent said, “if you don’t know me, you’re about to.” That came true, sort of.
Shinigami’s someone who wanted to become an anime hero, put in the work, and succeeded, making his dream a reality. He’s a pocket Roxanne Modafferi!
The Lesson
The lesson is be nice to people, and don’t make fun of them. It’s the right thing to do, and as well could save you a beating.
Shinigami is a devoted karate student, he is a Goth Kid, and is absolutely as geeky as he wants to be. And he trains at The Lab BJJ in Lancaster, California, has gone 8-2 in Streetbeefs, and is about to have his first regulated MMA fight.
He’s a badass. Follow him on Instagram.