hi guys,

great site, found it while looking for catch wrestling stuff (Billy robinson). Can you believe I am approx 60 miles from where Billy learned his trade (Snake Pit Gym) and I am having to learn stuff from over the pond!

Keep up the good work

Hi, the US is a collection of states each of which considers itself "independant", some more than others i.e. Hawaii (own flag, formerly belonged to the British Empire hence the Union Flag in the corner), but collectively it is the United States.  The United Kingdom is along the same lines, but we have four actual countries that were brought together to prevent future wars, these are, in order of population (and many would say importance, that will cause trouble ;) ), England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland.

Great Britain can be used instead of the United Kingdom, but it really pi**es off each seperate country to be known as the UK or GB before your own country eg calling Michael Bisping or Dan Hardy a Brit rather than English really gets up our collective noses :) Calling any one of us the other ie calling me a Scot or a Welshman a Scot would in all likelyhoodresult in someone wanting to bang with you. Though its like everywhere else we call each other all the time, but dont like it if someone else does it :)  I have just got UFC 2010 and I can label myself from England, but they only have the Union Flag (the flag of the UK/GB) and that my friend is an insult.

Being a relatively "new" country the US  allways seems to be "in your face" and that doesnt sit well with the old school countries here in Europe, hence the reason you get the Fench being pains in the ar*e towards the US, with others backing them up (dont worry they dislike us even more, as they have all in their turn lost wars to us over the last 1000yrs). The British (yes all of us) dont ever feel inferior because we know we are top of the pile and always will be, we look to the facts of what the British Empire gave the world over a 500yr period, the US would have remained part of the Empire if King George had listened to all his advisors and not been addled with veneral disease. Canada, Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, most of the Caribbean, half of Africa, most of the Asian sub continent are still members of the Commonwealth and help each other finacially and militarily, the Queen is still the Head of State for most of these countries as they did not want to lose the links with Great Britain. wherever you go in the world if they speak English its because the British were there long before and brought a basic system of government, justice and miltary order.  Dont forget we have been fighting wars for nigh on 2000yrs on our own soil, so the combat arts run deep, soldiers returing from all parts of the world would bring bits they had learned and pass them on to others.  Indian wrestling, the Filipino arts, Thai boxing, Karate all got brought back over hundreds of years, there is a good foundation of Jui Jitsu, Aikido, Judo all over the UK, but the BJJ section is growing fast and I think wrestling is making a comeback, albeit slowly.

Hope this condesed version isnt too long for all you youn 'uns :)

You will see how bad it can be at the World Cup, only England qualified out of our Home Nations (thats the term used over here) so Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as countries will be cheering on every team we play against, US first match :)  

Oh thats socccer to you guys, the most watched and played sport in the world bar none (inc mma), you Americans really need to catch up with the rest of the world you know :)

Sterling, If I remember rightly (long time since I read up on it), most of the founding fathers didnt want to seperate from Britain, but a vociferous minority wanted to govern themselves and went about causing mayhem to the British (similar to the afghans at the moment). the violent minority eventually got their way with the help of some very poor decisions by "Mad" King George. Things could have been so different.

The English were/are very good at getting others to come up with ideas and inventions and utilise them for their own benefit ie Most of the best engineers in the world were Scottish and so were used to further the enlargement of the British Empire (naturalbornfighter will like that one)

ps

I havent done so much Math in ages ;)

That religion for you. I think the Celtic/Rangers rivalry is rather unique because of the religious dimension, its a little bit of Northern Ireland dropped into Scotland and the innocent suffer as usual.

As they say religion and politics two things never to discuss with strangers;)