MMA: A Legitimate Sporting Event or a Bloodsport?

Mixed martial arts or MMA is now considered one of the most exciting sports events that could even rival the popularity of boxing. Unlike other traditional martial arts, its practitioners need to learn all the ways and means to defeat an opponent. Mastery of striking must be developed together with grappling, submissions, throws, and take-downs. Its popularity as a sporting event was gained primarily through the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, its origins can be found in ancient Egypt and Greece. Sports competitions such as the Olympics in ancient Greece featured many events like running and swimming. But those games also showcased brutal hand-to-hand combat between athletes. Some of these bouts continued until one athlete surrendered or died.

The present form of mixed martial arts, however, is less brutal and is subjected to many rules to protect the fighter’s safety. The use of equipment such as the groin cup, mouthpiece, and gloves were introduced to minimize serious injuries brought about by continues hard blows or kicks. An MMA fighter can also tap or signify a form of surrender during a submission attempt to avoid getting choked out or getting a broken arm or leg. A few years ago, weight divisions were also designed in sharp contrast to the “old school” MMA competitions that were mostly tournament-style. Regardless of size, age, weight, or style, all competitors had to battle it out and survive the matches to be declared the winner.

The pioneers of this sport included the Gracie Family who were renowned in Brazil for their effective grappling style called Gracie Jujitsu. While they trace their early techniques to the Japanese style of jujitsu, the Gracies developed their own techniques and training methods. In the early UFC matches, a man named Royce Gracie proved the superiority of his family’s martial art. He submitted all his opponents by using chokes. Even if he was smaller and lighter than his opponents, Royce Gracie used superb positioning, leverage, and technique to prevail over his rivals who were also considered to be martial arts experts. His winning streak in the UFC led others to understand that knowledge in striking alone was not enough. One had to be able to strike as well as launch effective attacks and defenses on the ground. In many of those matches, Royce Gracie was able to take down his much-larger opponents to the ground where he had the advantage. His adversaries in the so-called Octagon had many years of training in punches and kicks. But when the young Gracie took them down on the mat, these strikers lost their bearings and did not know how to defend or attack while on the ground.

Some believe that the term “mixed martial arts” was first used by former Graeco-Roman wrestler Jeff Blatnick who also worked as a commentator during the early editions of the UFC. But years before the first UFC, the martial arts legend Bruce Lee had already preached about the virtues of learning various techniques and applying them in different combat ranges. Lee’s personal system of martial arts called Jeet Kune Do incorporated many aspects of Chinese Kung Fu with western boxing, fencing, Filipino kali, jujitsu, and other forms of combative arts.

MMA is still a relatively new sport but it is gaining adherents in different parts of the world. It poses a unique challenge to martial artists in terms of the need to master not only punching and kicking, but also the grappling range and the strength training involved. Conditioning is now a major factor in training for MMA especially for those who compete professionally.

Names like Chuck Liddell, Frank Shamrock, Anderson Silva, and even a woman called Gina Carano have become synonymous with the excitement, technical wizardry, and physicality of MMA as a sport. As a multi-million dollar business, MMA is attracting many sponsors who ride on the growing popularity of the martial sport. Hordes of fans eagerly await the high profile match-ups that are organized and shown in the United States, Japan, and Europe either live or via pay-per-view.

Despite its popularity, there are those from the traditional side of the martial arts spectrum who remain skeptical about MMA. Many traditionalists question the lack of “spirit” or the apparent lack of philosophical foundations that are found in the earlier interpretations of karate, judo, kung fu, and aikido. The brutality of UFC bouts have been protested by those who are more inclined towards the aesthetic or non-contact style of performing martial arts. But even with the doubts and criticism, it seems that the popularity of mixed martial arts will continue to rise together with the fame of MMA athletes in the UFC and other similar events.

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