Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, is a fairly young sport that is gaining more and more popularity every year. If a few years ago it was difficult to find a person who even had a little idea of what mixed martial arts are, today most sports fans and every martial arts fan know what it is. MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts, which characterizes this sport quite well, because representatives of any schools and martial arts can participate in it.
Arsenal of mixed martial arts
There are millions of MMA fans in the world today. What did they find in this sport? What attracts such huge masses of people? The answer lies in a wide arsenal of technical actions allowed in mixed martial arts. Have you always wanted to know who is stronger - a wrestler or a boxer? MMA contains almost the entire arsenal of shock and wrestling equipment.
Initially, many fighters specialized in percussion or wrestling techniques, but over time, professional athletes mastered the most effective things from various martial arts.
One of the most popular martial arts in MMA is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This kind of struggle is mainly aimed at actions on the ground, and after all, many fights sooner or later go to the floor. And there a BJJ fighter can easily show who is in charge here.
History of MMA
The idea of creating such competitions is by no means new. Back in antiquity, martial arts were well developed. The martial arts tournament was part of the Olympic Games and was called Pankration. Apparently, these competitions were similar to modern MMA. What is Pankration is difficult to say, but the fights at this tournament were extremely cruel and often ended in the death of one of the fighters.
The further history of mixed martial arts begins with the legendary Gracie family. Martial arts in this unusual family have become the main occupation. At the beginning of the 20th century, Mitsuyo Maeda, a judo master from Japan, famous for his ability to fight on the ground, came to Brazil. It was he who taught the children of his friend Gastan Gracie, initiating the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
At first, no one believed in the effectiveness of this martial art, so the Gracie family masters had to prove their strength in practice. They invited representatives of any martial arts to fights reminiscent of modern MMA. Perhaps it was the battles between fighters from
around the globe with the masters of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that inspired people to create such a spectacular sport as mixed martial arts.
Fights without rules
Often mixed martial arts are called fights without rules, however this is just a common misconception. With all the external similarities, clandestine fights without rules are not MMA. What is cage fighting , if not a merciless chaotic meat grinder? Mixed martial arts competitions have a clear set of rules, violation of which leads to disqualification of a fighter. The rules are designed to protect athletes from the most dangerous practices, to protect their health. Where will professional fighters come from if, after several fights, they expect disability or death? MMA is a modern sport that tries to protect the health of its athletes as much as possible.
The future of MMA
Today, mixed martial arts competitions are held at the highest level. A competent approach to organizing tournaments and covering important events in the world of MMA has done its job - more and more people are becoming fans of this spectacular sport.
Of course, mixed martial arts have a long way to go before universal recognition comes to them, but now we can say for sure that the popularity of fights in the cage will only grow.
A variety of techniques and fighters promises great success to the sport of the future - MMA. What is mixed martial arts? This is a breath of fresh air for the ossified world of sports martial arts!