While mixed martial arts has only been organized and televised for the last 20 years or so, the sport's roots go back many hundreds of years. Fighters use skills from the world's most ancient of martial arts as well as new styles of fighting. This versatility is what makes MMA so excited to watch and to learn. For those with little knowledge about MMA, here are a few important facts.
It is important to note that there are few things a newcomer could do that would spark as much ire as confusing the WWE with MMA. WWE, or rather World Wresting Entertainment, Inc. is an organization that puts on fake wrestling bouts. Mixed martial arts is the opposite of fake. These are tough athletes competing in real fighting bouts. Don't. Mix. It. Up.
The mixed part of MMA is the idea that fighters can use a variety of different martial arts in order to win a bout. There is no one style required for MMA, but most fighters learn at least one of the following martial arts: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Muay Thai, boxing, and different types of wrestling. Having a full arsenal not only provides you with offensive skills, but important defensive skills that allow you to escape from chokes and holds. So while you might have one style you favor, it is wise to master some other skills as well. There is a reason why Anderson Silva is so effective in a fight; he is a black belt in four different forms of martial arts.
Contrary to popular belief, it's not all about the UFC. There are several professional MMA organizations that hold competitions throughout the year. You hear a lot about the UFC, but you can see great fights from groups such as Bellator MMA. While UFC is certainly the most prominent organization, you can find smaller organizations and clubs where you can see live fights that are definitely worth the ticket price.
At one time in its history, Senator John McCain referred to MMA as "human cockfighting." In the early days, MMA was certainly more dangerous, but sanctioned fights are now under the guise of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which has plenty of rules in place to protect fighters. Since the rules were created, there have been three deaths occurring from injuries during a sanctioned MMA fight. Fatalities, however, are a sad reality of many sports, such as bicycle racing, skiing, NASCAR events, and even soccer has a deadlier record than MMA.
MMA is a complex sport that often moves very quickly, which is all part of the fun of being a spectator. To learn more, watch some bouts on TV, spend some time on MMA websites and learn a little bit about some of the big names in the sport such as Royce Gracie, who won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, Fedor Emelinenko, Randy Couture, Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre.
It is important to note that there are few things a newcomer could do that would spark as much ire as confusing the WWE with MMA. WWE, or rather World Wresting Entertainment, Inc. is an organization that puts on fake wrestling bouts. Mixed martial arts is the opposite of fake. These are tough athletes competing in real fighting bouts. Don't. Mix. It. Up.
The mixed part of MMA is the idea that fighters can use a variety of different martial arts in order to win a bout. There is no one style required for MMA, but most fighters learn at least one of the following martial arts: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Muay Thai, boxing, and different types of wrestling. Having a full arsenal not only provides you with offensive skills, but important defensive skills that allow you to escape from chokes and holds. So while you might have one style you favor, it is wise to master some other skills as well. There is a reason why Anderson Silva is so effective in a fight; he is a black belt in four different forms of martial arts.
Contrary to popular belief, it's not all about the UFC. There are several professional MMA organizations that hold competitions throughout the year. You hear a lot about the UFC, but you can see great fights from groups such as Bellator MMA. While UFC is certainly the most prominent organization, you can find smaller organizations and clubs where you can see live fights that are definitely worth the ticket price.
At one time in its history, Senator John McCain referred to MMA as "human cockfighting." In the early days, MMA was certainly more dangerous, but sanctioned fights are now under the guise of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, which has plenty of rules in place to protect fighters. Since the rules were created, there have been three deaths occurring from injuries during a sanctioned MMA fight. Fatalities, however, are a sad reality of many sports, such as bicycle racing, skiing, NASCAR events, and even soccer has a deadlier record than MMA.
MMA is a complex sport that often moves very quickly, which is all part of the fun of being a spectator. To learn more, watch some bouts on TV, spend some time on MMA websites and learn a little bit about some of the big names in the sport such as Royce Gracie, who won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, Fedor Emelinenko, Randy Couture, Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine likes blogging about mixed martial arts advantages. For more information about martial arts in San Diego or to find boxing instruction in San Diego, please go to The Arena MMA website now.
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