MMA, mixed martial arts, no holds bar, and absolute fighting is an extremely full-contact, competitive combat sport consisting of striking, locking, and ground fighting, all incorporating different techniques from various other combat sports and disciplines. The primary competitors in MMA competitions are either amateur fighters or professional fighters with years of training and experience in MMA. The MMA competitions differ from country to country with varying rules, uniforms, and structures. In general, there are no rules that prohibit fighters from striking their opponents below the belt, although some countries have rules enforcing a fighter’s need to ‘stand up’ before striking. Each country has its own traditions and competitions, though the most famous in the US is the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The MMA sports events can take place all around the globe and some fighters specialize in certain areas of the sport such as submission wrestling, takedowns, stand up fighting and boxing. There are various different types of tournaments for MMA events, including the Ultimate Fight Championship, Strikeforce, WEC, TNA, Strikeforce MMA, King of the cage, and more. Each tournament has its own standards of what fighters should be like, with regards to size, strength, skill, athleticism, and experience. Most fighters will compete in more than one tournament.
Mixed martial artists have been taking place since the mid 1990s in Japan, where competitions were organized freestyle style tournaments. Initially, no rules were in place and the fighters just had fun striking each other. Since then, rules have been put in place that limit each competitor’s abilities and keep the fights fair. In order to become a professional MMA fighter, you must first participate in a minimum of five MMA fights and learn how to submit the opponent. Submission wrestling, in particular, is a crucial part of the combat sport.
The strikes that are used in MMA do not take advantage of an opponent’s knees, head, or lower back. Kicks are used only to bring an opponent down and to finish the fight. One way to get a submission hold is to twist the knee, bend the knee and then snap the arm backward, allowing the opponent to be slammed to the mat. In addition, some submissions can be done while standing on the ground, which is a rare situation in MMA. Another key concept of the sport is that a fighter cannot submit his or her opponent until the opponent is no longer able to defend themselves.
Unlike other striking sports, MMA includes various weight classes, which helps to determine the power of strikes used by competitors. Many fighters, who have more powerful striking capabilities, compete at light weights and try to conserve energy. Conversely, lighter fighters try to increase their power by working on joint locks and breaking the bones of their opponents with hard jabs and kicks. Once the heavier weight classes step into the octagon, the match begins in a standing position.
The Brazilian Jujitsu (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) is often taught to amateur MMA fighters, as it is highly effective in grappling. Many fighters who learn Brazilian jiu-jitsu learn the basic techniques of stand-up striking before moving on to the ground. Basic strikes grappling include elbow strikes, wrist attacks, eye-gouging, shoulder blocks, and takedowns. Eye gouging is a technique that involves using the opponent’s own tears or vision to gouge him or her. Eye gouging is one of the more difficult techniques to perform and can leave the fighter temporarily blind.
MMA fighters are carefully selected by a sport’s governing body, either the UFC or the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), based upon the popularity of a particular fighter. A variety of different styles are mixed with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission wrestling, all designed to keep opponents on the ground. MMA fighters are trained in a very particular manner, from the ground up, including how to develop a strategy to face their opponent. They are taught how to strike with their hands, feet, elbows, and knees; how to throw punches; how to get out of grappling positions; and how to avoid being caught in submission holds. MMA fighters are constantly evaluated and updated as new techniques and strategies become available.
In contrast to traditional mixed martial arts competitions, MMA competitions tend to be short, snappy, intense affairs that end in a quick and decisive victory for one side or the other. Since the sport has been adapted from a variety of different fighting styles, there are numerous different ways in which the sport can be enjoyed. Since the inception of mixed martial arts, the UFC has enjoyed tremendous success, and many fighters have gone on to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), earning themselves titles throughout the sport. As a result of this success, many people are now looking towards the sport as a way of entertainment and fitness.