What is Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)?
Mixed martial arts (commonly referred to as MMA) is a combat sport
in which two competitors attempt to achieve dominance over one another by utilizing a wide variety of permitted martial arts
techniques in full contact, including striking and grappling. Well known MMA organizations include the Ultimate Fighting
Championship, King of the Cage, and Pride Fighting Championships.
MMA has also been referred to as No Holds Barred (NHB) fighting, however
this term is no longer considered an accurate description of the modern sport, with it's formalized rules and banned techniques
that have been developed for the fighters' safety.
Mixed martial arts was originally based around the concept of pitting
different martial arts and fighting styles against each other in competition with minimal rules, in an attempt to determine
which system would be more effective in a real, unregulated combat situation. Modern MMA competition is an evolution
of such events, but rules have been implemented to promote acceptance of the sport, while at the same time maintaining as
much of the original no-holds-barred concept as possible.
The techniques used in MMA competition generally fall into two categories:
striking techniques (such as kicks, knees, and punches) and grappling techniques (such as clinch holds, pinning holds, submissions,
sweeps, takedowns, and throws). Some unarmed hand-to-hand combat techniques are considered illegal in arguably all modern
MMA competition, such as biting, eye gouging, fish-hooking, and small joint manipulation. Over the last ten years,
strikes to the groin have become illegal in all MMA organizations. The legality of other techniques such as elbows,
head butts, and spinal locks vary according to competition or organization.
A victory in an MMA bout is normally gained by the judges' decision
after an allotted amount of time has elapsed, a stoppage by the referee or the fight doctor, a submission, by knockout, or
by a competitor's cornerman throwing in the towel.
While MMA competition is occasionally depicted as brutal by the media,
there has never been a death or crippling injury in a sanctioned MMA event in North America. It has become
so popular, it has made it's way to mainstream television and set pay-per-view records.
