MMA
Mixed martial arts (MMA), popularly known as cage fighting or ultimate fighting is a
full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques and skills,
from a mixture of martial arts traditions, to be used in competitions. The rules allow
the use of both striking as well as grappling techniques, both while standing and on
the ground. Such competitions allow martial artists of different backgrounds to
compete.
The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be traced back to various mixed style
contests that took place throughout Europe, Japan and the Pacific Rim during the
early 1900s. The combat sport of Vale Tudo that had developed in Brazil from the
1920s was brought to the United states by the Gracie family in 1993 with the
founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Professional MMA events had also
been held in Japan by Shooto starting back in 1989. In due course the more
dangerous Vale Tudo style bouts of the early UFCs were made safer with the
implementation of additional rules, leading to the popular regulated form of MMA
seen today. Originally promoted as a competition with the intention of finding the
most effective martial arts for real unarmed combat situations, competitors were
pitted against one another with minimal rules.[1] Later promoters adopted many
additional rules aimed at increasing safety for competitors and to promote
mainstream acceptance of the sport.[2