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>MMA
MMA is a combat sport in which a wide variety of fighting techniques are used, including striking, throws, grappling and submissions.
The history of the modern MMA tournament can be traced back to Brazil in the 1920s with the Gracie family's vale tudo (anything goes) martial arts tournaments, as well as early mixed martial arts matches hosted by Antonio Inoki in Japan in the 1970s. The fighting concept of combining various combat disciplines gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the emergence of Bruce Lee and his theories of mixing various martial art styles.
The sport then gained international exposure and widespread publicity in the United States in 1993 with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The concept was to test specific fighting styles by pitting one distinct style against the other (ie. Boxing vs. Wrestling) to see which one was the most effective in a real combat situation – no rules. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Royce Gracie dominated the Ultimate Fighting Championship and sparked a revolution in the martial arts. At the same time, Japan the continued interest in the sport resulted in 1997's creation of the PRIDE Fighting Championships.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, rules and regulations were adopted for fighter safety and in an effort to gain acceptance of the sport. Because of the perceived brutality, legislation was drafted and the sport was illegal in most states during its inception.
In the beginning, fighters from all disciplines stepped up to fight and fans witnessed everything from sumo and kickboxing to boxing and jiu-jitsu. As the sport evolved, fighters learned the necessity to become well-rounded – dismissing the original intent to determine a superior art. Fighters began cross-training – pure strikers like kickboxing practitioners developed a ground game by training jiu-jistu. Jiu-jitsu players, added strikes to their arsenal, took off the gi, and learned to approach takedowns with caution to avoid a devastating knee to the face.
Today, mixed martial artists train in a variety of styles that have been proven effective in the ring, so that they can be effective in all the phases of combat. Although fighters will try to play to their strengths, they understand they will encounter a wide range of situations – this is the beauty of the sport. The sport has grown into a multi-million dollar industry competitive with boxing in terms of Pay-Per-View numbers and ticket sales.
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