Mixed Martial Arts and What You Should Know About It

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, combines manycompetition. Although many critics have
different fighting techniques, including grappling andattempted to portray the MMA fighting style as
striking, and high performance standards,violent and brutal, there has never been a death
particularly in the often intense, and very popularor crippling injury in any sanctioned MMA event in
MMA tournaments. The first tournaments cameNorth America. The U.S. state athletic and boxing
about as a result of the 1993 Ultimate Fightingcommittee regulates the MMA, requiring
Championship, which matched different fightingparticipants and sponsors to adhere to a set of
styles in a competition where the rules wereofficially sanctioned rules and regulations, which
minimal and the goal was to find the best fightersinclude rules for knockout, submission, technical
in the world. The success of this mixed martialknockout, the ten point system, disqualification,
arts combat style led to the development andand no contest. Common fouls include clawing,
implementation of rules designed to keep athletestwisting and pinching flesh, small joint manipulation,
safe and deflect early criticism of the sport whileattacking an opponent from or on the break in
still holding on to the original concept of the UFCthe care of an official, attacking the groin or
as much as possible. The modern MMAtrachea, fish-hooking, biting, and hair pulling, spitting,
tournaments have their roots in the Vale tudouse of abusive language, and other similar acts.
martial arts tournaments held in Brazil by theThe MMA continues to grow in popularity and
Gracie family beginning in the 1920s, and thereputation, as athletes associated with the sport
preliminary martial arts tournaments hosted inhave also gained reputation and renown, as well
Japan by Antonio Inoki in the early 1970s.as successful careers and endorsement deals.
There are several different competitionWith mainstream acceptance, worldwide acclaim,
techniques, including striking techniques, like kicks,and an every growing fan base, what started as
punches, and knees, and grappling techniques, likean abstract concept has become an established
pinning holds, submission holds, clinch holds,sport and a successful platform from which many
takedowns, throws and sweeps. The permissibilityathletic careers have been launched. The future of
and legality of certain other techniques like headthe MMA appears to be bright, and the popularity
butts, spinal locks, and elbows vary according toof the sport even more so.
the specific organization and sponsored