Combat Sports Help Self Defense Skills

I am in an ongoing debate with some traditonal martial artists who don't think that combat sports are the best method of training for self defense. They argure that there are rules, and referees, gloves, etc. They practice techniques that are illegal in competition (eye gouging, fish hooking, groin kicks, etc.). I always ask how many time they done these deadly techniques against a non-compliant, fully resiting, angry opponent. Sure some of them will talk about one or two altercations they had. Then they will tell me how law enforcement and military personnel are better prepared than the combat athlete. Well, the Army and Marines use training methods based on MMA. All cadets at the Naval Academy learn to box. Korean and Japanese cops have to train Judo. Combat sports use competition as a training tool. Through competiton you get to fight over and over again and live to tell about it. Rules are in place so that participants can go all out without dying. This is the only way to experience the closeness of reality. Spar with a decent amateur boxer, grapple with a grappler, or spar full contact with a bare knuckle karate fighter. If you've never done any of these things you are in for a rude awakening. If you can beat them with rules, how are you going to without.