Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) are most commonly associated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) - founded by the Gracie family in 1993.
The origins of MMA however go back to the early 1900's. Various mixed style contests took place throughout Europe, Japan and the Pacific Rim during that period. And you could argue it began even earlier, with ancient Greek competitions, or Bartitsu, which Edward William Barton-Wright founded in London in 1899. Combining judo, jujutsu, boxing, savate and canne de combat (French stick fighting), it was the first martial art known to have combined European & Asian fighting styles, and which saw Mixed Martial Arts-style contests throughout England, pitting European and Japanese champions against representatives of various European wrestling styles.
But it is the founding of the UFC that has brought MMA into the public domain, and made it one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a fighting sport with full contact, where techniques from pretty much every martial art are allowed - including striking, grappling, ground fighting and throwing.
A win is awarded to the person who achieves one of the following:
- Knockout (KO)
- Submission (tap)
- Submission (verbal)
- Technical submission
- Technical Knockout (TKO)
- Doctor stoppage
- Corner stoppage
- Retirement
- Decision
Read our blog about training for MMA here.
