One of my UFC DVDs is hosed, and that fight may be on that disk. I have seen the video, in replays on other DVDs. don't recall shoes, but do recall seeing Colman getting knocked out. But of course, I wasn't looking for shoes.

Short clip of the knockout, both fighters have shoes.

One of the few traditional schools of Karate that has put out people who can fight in the ring is Kyokushin and its off shoots. Kyokushin had a crew kicking ass in K1 and George Saint Pierre trained in it.

The problem is you will probably not find a Kyokushin school in the USA. It didn't take off here like it did in Europe. There are a few schools in the North East, I trained in an offshoot of Kyokushin in VA. If you want to learn striking for MMA or combatives do Kickboxing.

Find an MMA gym where the coach has and/or  is fighting and train there.

edited to add

World Oyama is a Kyokushin offshoot that is alive in AL.

World Oyama

once you go to the ground you are now tied up w the idiot that messed with. you are stuck with him until you break free or knock him out. he may have friends that may want to stomp you too. goin to the ground should be a last resort. stay on your feet so you can move and escape if need be. if you go to the ground be free (youtube vladimir vasiliev and see the cnctema ground movement).  the bjj guys and such will argue my point. i speak from many years of training. i have almost 40 years of combined training to back me up (karate, aikido, russian cnctema, kogen itto ryu taihojutsu, firearms retention/disarm, blunt/edged weapons, goshinjutsu)

It is the instructor not the style.

Bother I politely digree wit this

You going to build a house with out a foundation?

The problem is that it is almost impossible to stay on your feet if you can't grapple. You need wrestling/judo skills to stay on your feet, and BJJ to survive if you don't.

I'm not sure traditional martial arts forms provide a real foundation.

The foundation you need is a firm foundation in grappling, as shown by early UFC (and shoot fighting and val tudo earlier). You need to develop a solid basic foundation that goes beyond just techniques, but in knowing how to use your body in grappling, by training against a resisting opponent.

After almost three decades in the arts I can offer you this. If you are just beginning no video is going to substitute for the keen, watchful eye of a skilled teacher to build your fundamentals. You need to learn how to move from your center, root yourself,step, stances and other basic skills then yes you can easily pick up on other styles. For example our dojo offers traditional karate and jujutsu but one must be over 16 and at least intermediate rank to began jujitsu. Reasons for that being that we move quicker in the jujitsu class so generally time correcting a stance or explaining what a Japanese term for a stance isn't available, one must have a basic understanding of how the body moves and works to learn how to obtain directional energies to apply locks or use pressure points and the student has somewhat of a knowledge of how to move/enter/evade. There are wonderful video programs out there (my Shihan personally trains with guys like Dr Yang, Danny Inasanto, Norris, etc) and I've learned much from those. --The most wonderful thing about martial arts is the brotherhood between those who've been involved (or the ones just starting). My friends, training partners and teachers are some of my dearest friends that help me not only in the arts but everyday life.
I hope this helped some as I've been in your position, with all the available info out there it can be confusing. In the end NOTHING can substitute for one on one training in front of a skilled teacher in any art, it DOES NOT MATTER what style as long as you can learn from the teacher and they have no malicious intentions.
Message me if you'd like ANY INFO regarding teachers in your area, through Shuri te bujitsukai(Google it and watch Tachi Troy Price actually now Shihan Price go) I've met good people the world over I could recommend. If I can help in any manner I certainly will, martial arts and sigarms/Sauer pistols are the two greatest gifts mankind can offer, ha.

In addition to the previous MMA is typically more just for sport, i said typically you MMA guys before you start cussing me. Each art has its ups as another member stated like Must Thai for knees and elbows, karate for sheer power of punches and low kicks since traditional karate has very few kicks if any above the waist, Judo for throws, etc etc so keep that in mind. If you want to gi all out in sparring without gear find a Kyokushin karate dojo (Michael Jai White, Georges St Pierre) as the pure form uses NO GEAR period, except sometimes a mouth piece.
The other option to your conundrum is this... Seminars that provide the video footage, this is how our conferences and workshops have always been done as are many others now. The advantages here are at the event there are almost always multiple dan rank (black belt and up) people in each class to answer any question while everyone is trying the technique just demonstrated and correct any obvious mistakes. Another way to greatly benefit from these is to not be shy or embarrassed by your lack of training (everyone there started at white belt and ANYONE who acts superior to you is NO GOOD so get away as fast as you can) and grab the nearest brown or black belt to do the technique with. This helps you and them because you learn their"secrets"and you ask them the "why's"you haven't thought about in years. A few weeks later you should get the footage of the entire event so guess what... now you can practice those techniques at home over and over (but be careful doing them on your wife or girl friend because you don't know control yet and it can lead to a long, lonely month on the couch, lol)!!! Good luck!! Osu!

Been doing traditional Karate for most of my life. I am currently back to Shotokan with a mix of Ju Jitsu and Aikido thrown in.  
M2C, If you want to skip forms, go find a McDojo and just buy a belt.  Show me a BJJ or MMA champ without a traditional background....Cant.
The forms are repititions that build muscle memory and keep you thinking.  You will also learn how to apply the "forms" to real self defense.
Your money, good luck.

I did karate and Kung Fu San Soo for a few years. On the street it is pretty much useless. Jujitsu and Judo mixed with boxing is a much better choice.

Forms are just a tool that can be over or mis-used.

They're there to train your body repetitively until you reflexively link certain movements.

If you are a musician, the equivalent is doing your scales.

They are not supposed to be straight up used for combat.

You need sparring for getting used to working with someone who is not cooperating, and you need work on the heavy bag and people holding pads to develop the techniques at full power.

If you have to use the training, the forms shouldn't "be there" in your conscious mind, they should be pulled by your mind reflexively to link actions so you can flow in combat. You should NOT be hitting like you do in sparring, even heavy contact sparring, you SHOULD be hitting like you do on the bag or pads at full power, and you *should* be used to the lack of cooperation due to your sparring.

It's not any one part. It's the whole group of things and how they interact.

----

On karate: worry less about that at the start. Rubber hits the road, you need to find a good teacher and a good class (the two do not always come together). Good teachers are NOT the ones that are most capable at *executing* their style/art/system. Good teachers are those who are competent at executing the art who can *also* help people learn it.

Avoid any classes where they will pass you up to the next level of whatever without you showing mastery / proficiency at the requirements for your level.  Generically, this means avoid places tthat say "if you stay here x amount of time, you will be x belt/level."  When you visit and watch classes, ask them "who's been stuck at their belt/level for a while?"

Make sure to let teachers know what you are looking for in the classes ... self defense purely, or sport, or a mix of both.

ETA: lol, should have looked at the thread date! Serious thread necro.

Fuck that wall of text.  
BJJ.
End of thread.
You’re welcome.