What many martial arts enthusiasts and prospective practitioners eventually came to dislike about "traditional" martial arts or "TMA" wasn't necessarily the "effectiveness" (whatever that means). I would argue it was the gatekeeping and tribalism. What initially seemed liberatory about Brazilian jiu-jitsu or BJJ was that your rank was based on how good you were at sparring. It seemed matter-of-fact, direct, and literal—based on physical rules rather than jargon and metaphorical language. The goals seemed clear, easy to understand, and within your control. You weren't tested on techniques or memorization but on results. Rather than loyalty, dogma, or in-group fealty, you just trained. Similar to the meritocracy and fairness of competitive sports.