History: What is MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)?

While I could write a short novel about the history, rules and different aspects of MMA, I will try and keep this to the length of a complete essay.

Mixed Martial Arts, which we will refer to as MMA from here on out, is a full contact combat sport. In this combat sport, you have various and vast fighting styles and techniques that are used against each other in competition. Depending on the organizer^[1] there are various rules that the fighters must follow. Regardless though, it is the striking and grappling while standing and on the ground that are allowed.

The founding of the UFC in 1993 boosted MMA popularity of the sport and brought on the modern era of competition.  While there was a lack of rules and organization in it’s first years, it became apparent that safety and rules were needed if it were to become a top sport in the world.  Within the next 10 years, rules were adopted to help the safety of the fighters and help push the sport into mainstream.  The rule changes were a success as after implementation, MMA Pay-Per-View Events became as popular as Boxing and Wrestling events.

However, MMA isn’t something that we thought up recently.  It can be traced back to Ancient Greece if not further back.  This type of sport was called “Pankration” by the Greeks and was found in the Olympic Games.  Statues were built to resemble the sport which was also unarmed hand to hand combat which resembles what we see today as MMA.

Gracie Family’s Vale Tudo was a major player in bringing MMA (Vale Tudo) to modern sporting events that we see now.  The sport gained it’s international exposure when Royce Gracie (yes he is a member of the Gracie Family) became the first Ultimate Fighting Champion in 1993 when he submitted 3 opponents in 5 minutes.

The combining of multiple MMA concepts was actually thought up and made popular by, you guessed it, Bruce Lee.  Lee believed that “the best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt to any style.”  Dana White recognized his concepts and brilliance by calling Bruce Lee “The Father of Mixed Martial Arts”

But even then, the sports popularity didn’t reach where it is today.  Many believe the sport started peaking in 2006 when Chuck Liddell fought against Tito Ortiz for a rematch.  This event rivaled some of the biggest selling PPV events in Boxing of all time.  It didn’t stop there, while the iron was still hot, in 2007 Zuffa bought Pride (the other leading MMA Event Organizer).  This merged the fighters under one promotion almost guarantying big fights on a consistent basis.

Now today may mark a new day and age in MMA History that we are all witness too.  The big emergence of EliteXC showing on network television of CBS and Donald Trump’s involvement in Affliction.  Before Affliction was just clothing and now looks to be a top event organizer.  It’s these big changes that continue to increase the popularity of MMA.

I for one, look forward to increasing popularity of the sport and would love for the day that it became as popular as NFL, NBA or MLB.  For this day may be a long way away, but I can see it coming.

1. Some organizations allow elbows depending on where they land and the new Unified MMA Rules now allow elbows as well.

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