MMA, the abbreviation for Mixed Martial Arts, is nowadays one of the most dominant and complete combat sports practiced worldwide.
Originating from Vale Tudo and Luta Livre
MMA originally emerged from the Brazilian Vale Tudo and Luta Livre. Sometimes it is also called cage fighting, Freefight, or No Holds Barred (NHB) fighting. However, contrary to what is sometimes claimed, there are quite a few regulations in modern MMA and the major organizations, and obviously not everything is allowed.
UFC 1: a turning point in MMA history
The first time the term MMA was used was during what is now generally considered the most important moment in modern MMA history, the UFC 1 (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
In the 1990s, the Gracie family from Brazil brought their adapted (Brazilian) Jiu-Jitsu style to the USA. This eventually led to the very first major global MMA tournament: UFC 1.
Originally, the idea was to filter the best fighting styles by allowing almost everything. Since then, MMA has taken off tremendously, and many professional fighters have started cross-training in various fighting styles.
Regulation and popularization
To keep it safe, make the sport more mainstream, and thus commercially accepted, many more rules and weight classes were gradually introduced into what today is a hugely popular sport and organization: MMA and the UFC.
Today, MMA is such a big business worldwide, especially in the USA, that it competes with the always popular professional boxing, pro-wrestling, and kickboxing.
View in Webshop:
Collections >> Gear
