#621: UFC Hall of Famer Bas Rutten on Fundamentals of Real Self-Defense, Savage Fight Stories, How He’s Handled Bullies, Breathing Techniques for Increasing Stamina and Endurance, The Art of Personal Reinvention, and Cultivating the Practice of Prayer

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Sep 14, 2022

In this engaging discussion, Bas Rutten, a UFC Hall of Famer and three-time King of Pancrase champion, dives into the fundamentals of self-defense and shares gripping fight stories from his career. He reflects on overcoming bullying and the transformative power of martial arts. Rutten also reveals breathing techniques crucial for stamina and performance, emphasizing their significance in physical training. Additionally, he discusses personal reinvention and the calming effects of prayer, illustrating the balance between combat skills and spiritual growth.

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ANECDOTE

First Impression

Tim Ferriss describes his first encounter with Bas Rutten's fights.
He was captivated by Rutten's power and the unusual silence in the arena after a swift victory.

ANECDOTE

Childhood Adversities

Bas Rutten recounts his childhood struggles with eczema, asthma, and bullying.
Inspired by Bruce Lee, he began martial arts, leading to a street fight victory and a shift in his social dynamics.

ANECDOTE

Unusual Childhood

As a child, Bas Rutten was fascinated by birds and spent hours in trees, even befriending a jackdaw.
He made nunchucks and wore kung fu shoes everywhere, even to the grocery store.

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UFC Hall of Famer Bas Rutten on Fundamentals of Real Self-Defense, Savage Fight Stories, How He’s Handled Bullies, Breathing Techniques for Increasing Stamina and Endurance,The Art of Personal Reinvention, and Cultivating the Practice of Prayer | Brought to you by Maui Nui Venison wildly delicious venison, LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 800M+ users, and Eight Sleep’s Pod Cover sleeping solution for dynamic cooling and heating.

Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten (@BasRuttenMMA) is a Dutch-American actor, former mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and professional wrestler. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion and a three-time King of Pancrase world champion, finishing his career on a 22-fight unbeaten streak with a strike accuracy of 70.6%, the highest ever recorded by FightMetric.

Rutten was co-host of Inside MMA on AXS TV from 2007 to 2016, and he has been a color commentator in several MMA organizations, including Pride Fighting Championships. He has appeared in numerous television shows, movies, and video games as an actor and continues to be involved in MMA through his coaching and publishing of instructional materials. Bas became a naturalized American citizen in the late 1990s, and in 2015 he was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.

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[08:20] My first exposure to the unbridled might of Bas Rutten.

[10:03] Why is there such a strong martial arts tradition in the Netherlands?

[12:28] Breathlessness, Bruce Lee, bullies, and birds: a glimpse into Bas’s childhood.

[20:10] Why Bas walked out on a culinary career path and gave up modeling.

[23:28] How Pancrase entered the picture.

[33:08] Pancrase rules.

[35:47] Why Ken Shamrock is known as Wayne Shamrock in Japan.

[36:11] On fighting Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki.

[41:43] Underrated Japanese fighters.

[44:03] Remembering Pride, UFC’s Japanese predecessor.

[48:52] Pranks.

[54:17] Absolute monsters.

[57:44] Self-defense for beginners and bouncers.

[1:15:33] Why even professional fighters shouldn’t start street fights.

[1:17:15] Grand Theft Auto IV.

[1:19:28] Now a devout Catholic, Bas explains how the rosary is like meditation.

[1:32:06] Who picks fights with Bas Rutten these days?

[1:34:19] That time Bas got into a bar fight with five bouncers in Sweden.

[1:41:00] Re-learning how to breathe with the O2 Trainer.

[2:09:12] Parting thoughts.

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