Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a form of combat sport that allows fighters to use techniques from several different fighting styles, including boxing, judo, karate, wrestling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This combination of striking and grappling is what makes MMA such a thrilling and exciting sport to watch, and also practice.
MMA has its roots in ancient combat sports. Historians have been able to trace the history of this type of combat all the way back to Egypt, where they first developed boxing around 3000 BCE. The Greeks then developed a sport called pankration, which was much like MMA today. This sport combined elements of boxing, wrestling and jujitsu in a no holds barred style of competition where the winner would either win by submission or by knockout.
The modern era of MMA began in 1993 when the Ultimate Fighting Championship was founded. The founder of UFC, Rorion Gracie, wanted to create a sport that was more lifelike and less theatrical than traditional sports. This is why he allowed some of the more aggressive moves in MMA, such as headbutts and pulling hair. However, the UFC’s popularity exploded so quickly that politicians and lawmakers started to take notice. Senator John McCain even tried to ban the sport, calling it “human cockfighting.”
To keep MMA as safe as possible for its athletes, there are a few rules that all competitors must follow. These include avoiding eye poking, headbutting, eye gouging and biting. Other rules prohibit strikes to the spine, throat and back of the head. In addition, a fighter cannot hit their opponent in the head while on the ground or with downward blows to the elbow. Those who commit these fouls are subject to penalties, which could lead to disqualification.
In addition to these rules, a competitor may not touch an opponent’s face or groin during a fight. They are also not allowed to kick or punch their head while on the ground or in a choke hold. A competitor can be penalized for these violations by a referee or may lose points if they are found to have committed one of these infractions during a match.
Some of the most important moves in MMA include the arm bar and the heel hook. The arm bar is a technique that involves applying pressure to the opponent’s elbow joint region and forcing them to bend in an unnatural way. To perform an arm bar, a fighter must place the opponent’s arm between their knees and then apply pressure with their hips to the area around the elbow joint. The heel hook is a similar technique, but instead of pressing on the ankle it is applied by placing the opponent’s foot in between your knees.
Other important MMA moves include the spinning back-fist, the kick to the head and the sprawl. The spinning back-fist is a powerful attack that can be used to knock an opponent out, while the sprawl is a defensive technique that can be executed by jumping backwards, lowering your hips and driving weight into your attacker to control them. MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)