I did taekwondo when i was young and this is the sport that i loved . Not the taekwondo this days it sucks they are looking just for pointe and they dont have fun fighting
I'm not a big fan of the Lopez family, but his accomplishments can't be ignored. Great talent, and that he's still fighting is something to be commended.
Trust me bro...it's not like you think. I've fought in TKD and now train in MMA. I see the hole's in the game of TKD, but I see holes in every fight sport. The nature of the rules is what dictates how fighters fight. If an MMA fighter wanted to fight a TKD guy using TKD rules they woudl get smoked! Just try blocking all those kicks, and some how throw your own attacks too. On the flip side a TKD fighter would get pummled in most other types of combats sports. We have to respect them all.
people can sit there and talk bad about Lopez all they want but he dominated his sport for so long. You can say he isnt a real fighter and this and that but he is the best at what he does. How many of us can say we are the best at something. He could have retired on top but he loves his sport. He is 37 and still kicking ass. Tae Kwon!
What bashers don't seem to understand about Olympic style Taekwondo is that no serious or high level competitor thinks of it as a form of brawling or street fighting. It is first and foremost a SPORT. The reason I personally love it is because it allows you to ignore what is practical and focus on a highly strategic game based primarily around relatively aesthetically pleasing kicking techniques. It's also a lower pressure sport with less risk of injury.
4 world championships and an Olympic gold medal. He fought throughout the 80's and was always victorious. And with all of his success, he was and still remains humble and kind. He is a true champion in every sense of the world.
when I was practicing tkd in cerritoes. ca. there was a master steven choi, who came to visit out studio. He was amazing! He was so dang fast and powerful, no one stood a chance against this man. I am not saying he was the best, but he made this guy look like snoop dog in a sprinting race.
i think hes a lot better than the rest of the tkd fighters because he keeps his balance theres a lot of tkd fighters that go for the head shot but trip over there own feet right afterwards this guy always seems to have his balance in check
As we say in boxing, if you were never defeated, you never fought enough guys who counted. Being undefeated is not the mark of greatness. Losing and coming back to beat the guy who beat you is. The best fighters in all fighting sports have lost at least once.
i agree completely. he's good, his kicks are crazy fast and powerful, but his form is all over the place. don't get me wrong, i'd be scared as hell to go up against him in a sparring match, but he doesn't cover himself well and his hands don't offer much for attack or defense. still, those damn roundhouse kicks...
HE HAS A SCHOOL IN OREGON IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN TRAINING UNDER HIM. I BELIEVE ITS CALLED CHAMPION TAEKWONDO OR WORLD CHAMPION TAEKWONDO. HE DOESN'T OWN IT, BUT HE'S A MASTER THERE. THE GUY IS FREAKING AWESOME. SAMSUNG TEAM, KOREAN NATIONAL TEAM, DONG A UNIVERSITY TEAM. WORLD CHAMPION, OLYMPIC CHAMPION. ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED EVERYONE IN HIS PATH. HE WON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITHOUT EVEN TRYING. PASCAL GENTIL WAS THE ONLY PERSON TO LAND A HEAD SHOT ON HIM ONCE. THAT WAS IT.
Now, Taekwondo as a martial art was something developed in the 50s through the unification of the styles of various Korean martial arts experts. It is much broader than the sport, encompassing grappling and hand techniques in addition to kicking techniques. It's further employed by the Korean military as their primary form of training in unarmed combat. It's hard for me to say what this traditional form of TKD is like because I don't practice it, and neither do most Taekwondo practitioners.
Steven is good, I know him personally. But if you notice he had a very set fighting style back then: cut kick then counter, or axe to the head. Those were his two major point kicks, other than hit the person with a flurry of kicks to score, because he was VERY fast when he was young. Now, in his mid 30s, he has lost alot of that speed, which is why he didn't medal in this Olympics. Aaron Cook knocked him out cold in 2009, if I remember right... so he is no longer the best around anymore.
hmmm i do TKD too, this guy is freaking crazy, but one thing i noticed is that any kicks that did get in could have been blocked if his arms werent either out to the side or lodged in the other guys jaw, no t that the second point matters but yeah
In summation. Olympic style Taekwondo is a fun and exciting sport that requires a great deal of training, athleticism, skill and discipline. If you recognize it for what it is, you wouldn't be engaged in pointless bashing. Thank you, and goodnight T.T
Andy...I hear you! If it wasn't a style that I practiced since I was young I woudl think the same thing. I'm just so used to seeing it. I think the same thing about Karate forms (tricking). The thing is...if you go into a high level TKD match with your hands up like a kickboxer you'll get KOed! The rules of the game dictate the players stance, movement, etc... I think any martial artist that becomes too "stylized" is not going to be effective. Take what works and throw away the rest..
looks to be WTF ( world tae kwon do federation ) which is said to be the south Korean style as far as style is concerned but it also appears to be competing all over so you can fix a single organisation to it. hope this helps
@TheTerrorUforgot that's funny man. I've got MMA guys hating on me for liking TKD and I've got TKD guys hating on me for liking MMA. That's right were I like it :)
Aaron Cook has never even medaled in one of the big championships. (World/Olympics) As for his knockout of Lopez, review the fight. Cook grabs Lopez's dobok pinning Lopez's left arm then throws a closing kick. The closing kick forces Lopez to drop his head to the right since he couldn't use the pinned left arm. As Cook is falling to the mat he throws a wild kick and catches Lopez on the chin. Cook will never be in the mix when discussing the best of all time.
@masterjosharcemont Ok... I hope you learn to like actual fighting forms soon. I started in TKD, then upgraded to kickboxing when I hit first degree. Unless the style takes a honest look at its weaknesses, then I suggest most practitioners of TKD do the same. That is if they want to learn effective striking.
The man is good I beat him tho in a colorado Olympic qualification Mike shaw sahn tkd... I shattered my knee or I'd still be throwing some feet!! Glad you stayed healthy steven and always remember sahn and the martinez bros
Steven Lopez is a distant second to Kuk Hyun Chung who completely dominated in the 1980s. Chung is the ONLY man to fight his whole career without loss including 4 worlds and an olympic gold in Seoul before retiring. I beliece Mr. Lopez was knocked out during his career? I've seen both fight and am confident that Chung was the better Tae Kwon Doist. Today's fighters are extremely one dementional. Roundhouse kicks are all they know.
