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.
First and foremost, don't confuse MMA with WWE. MMA is real, WWE is not. MMA fighters are actually competing against one another in real fights. If you want to watch a bunch of guys pretend to fight, head to a WWE event. If you want to see skilled athletes actually competing, then stick with mixed martial arts.
It might seem kind of obvious that the word "mixed" in MMA means that there are multiple types of martial arts involved. However, you might be surprised to know how many different fighting styles are on display during fights. You definitely see elements of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, Muay Thai and wrestling in most fights, but there are plenty of MMA fighters that are experts in Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do and other arts. Most fighters learn multiple styles and learn them well. Anderson Silva, for example, holds a black belt in four different styles of martial arts, as well as a yellow rope in Capoeira, a unique martial art that is a combination of fighting and dance.
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.
You might be living under the delusion that MMA is the deadliest professional sport, but this is far from true. While deaths sadly have occurred, since the introduction of unified MMA rules in 2001, the number of fighters who have died from MMA fights is three. This certainly is tragic, but nothing compared to those lost during the same period of time due to bicycle racing accidents or surprisingly soccer, which has had more than a dozen deaths since 2001.
Watch a few fights and you will soon be hooked on MMA. If you want to learn more, consider watching a show such as "Fight Master," on Spike or "The Ultimate Fighter," on FX. There are also tons of blogs, MMA forums and websites dedicated to the sport, and you can start to build your knowledge of mixed martial arts by learning about some of the great fighters. Consider reading about everyone from Royce Gracie to Randy Couture to BJ Penn and many more.
First and foremost, don't confuse MMA with WWE. MMA is real, WWE is not. MMA fighters are actually competing against one another in real fights. If you want to watch a bunch of guys pretend to fight, head to a WWE event. If you want to see skilled athletes actually competing, then stick with mixed martial arts.
It might seem kind of obvious that the word "mixed" in MMA means that there are multiple types of martial arts involved. However, you might be surprised to know how many different fighting styles are on display during fights. You definitely see elements of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, boxing, Muay Thai and wrestling in most fights, but there are plenty of MMA fighters that are experts in Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do and other arts. Most fighters learn multiple styles and learn them well. Anderson Silva, for example, holds a black belt in four different styles of martial arts, as well as a yellow rope in Capoeira, a unique martial art that is a combination of fighting and dance.
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.
You might be living under the delusion that MMA is the deadliest professional sport, but this is far from true. While deaths sadly have occurred, since the introduction of unified MMA rules in 2001, the number of fighters who have died from MMA fights is three. This certainly is tragic, but nothing compared to those lost during the same period of time due to bicycle racing accidents or surprisingly soccer, which has had more than a dozen deaths since 2001.
Watch a few fights and you will soon be hooked on MMA. If you want to learn more, consider watching a show such as "Fight Master," on Spike or "The Ultimate Fighter," on FX. There are also tons of blogs, MMA forums and websites dedicated to the sport, and you can start to build your knowledge of mixed martial arts by learning about some of the great fighters. Consider reading about everyone from Royce Gracie to Randy Couture to BJ Penn and many more.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine enjoys writing about mixed martial arts advantages. To get additional details about martial arts in San Diego or to find boxing instruction in San Diego, please check out The Arena MMA website today.
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