Interesting to hear Master Philip Rhee's view on the state of MA in the arly 90's. That a lot of what a true MA is...budo...has been lost. Or is much less of. MA for civilians has always been about income. Even during the "golden age" (( think is from the mid-60's to thte late 80's). Why do some MA really want to open schools? Income. Some have day jobs. Many others it's their ONLY source of income. Costs money to keep a school open and to have money for their own homes/families. So they have to hopefully produce champions...get more students...etc. Do seminars. If they produce a "Bill Wallace" then they get more students than a school no one's heard of that has no champions. So it gets to the point where it's more about the business side than budo..handing out black belts to 14 year old kids...like candy. Opening schools in the back of strip mals. Where the rent is cheapest. Even the legends of MA...hard to open a school in one's own building that isn't attached to a hair salon. Their name can only do so much. That and there isn't any money in MA competition vs professional boxing. :) Probably why there are large 4000 square foot boxing gyms run by ex-world champions. Not sure how big Floyd Mayweather's gym is. But he can afford it...and his strip club...heh... Kind of interesting why and how boxing has managed to become decades ago a multi-million dollar sport with multi-million $ purses. UFC fighters only recently began making 6 figures. I think maybe in the last decade? With maybe the big name fights giving the winner $2M? Connor McGregor? For everyone else...chump change..
Look at where a Bill Wallace lives today vs a Mike Tyson (or where Mike used to live)...or Mayweather...etc. Had Chuck Norris not had a film career...I think he'd be living in a more modest home. Not that I've seen any photos of his home online. He's rarely done interviews. Never seen Bill Wallace's home. Benny Urquidez's...
