| Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, combines many different | | | | sponsored competition. Although many critics have |
| fighting techniques, including grappling and striking, and | | | | attempted to portray the MMA fighting style as violent |
| high performance standards, particularly in the often | | | | and brutal, there has never been a death or crippling |
| intense, and very popular MMA tournaments. The first | | | | injury in any sanctioned MMA event in North America. |
| tournaments came about as a result of the 1993 | | | | The U.S. state athletic and boxing committee regulates |
| Ultimate Fighting Championship, which matched | | | | the MMA, requiring participants and sponsors to adhere |
| different fighting styles in a competition where the rules | | | | to a set of officially sanctioned rules and regulations, |
| were minimal and the goal was to find the best | | | | which include rules for knockout, submission, technical |
| fighters in the world. | | | | knockout, the ten point system, disqualification, and no |
| The success of this mixed martial arts combat style | | | | contest. |
| led to the development and implementation of rules | | | | Common fouls include: clawing, twisting and pinching |
| designed to keep athletes safe and deflect early | | | | flesh; small joint manipulation; attacking an opponent |
| criticism of the sport while still holding on to the original | | | | from or on the break in the care of an official, |
| concept of the UFC as much as possible. The modern | | | | attacking the groin or trachea, fish-hooking, biting, and |
| MMA tournaments have their roots in the Vale tudo | | | | hair pulling, spitting, use of abusive language, and other |
| martial arts tournaments held in Brazil by the Gracie | | | | similar acts. |
| family beginning in the 1920s, and the preliminary martial | | | | The MMA continues to grow in popularity and |
| arts tournaments hosted in Japan by Antonio Inoki in | | | | reputation, as athletes associated with the sport have |
| the early 1970s. | | | | also gained reputation and renown, as well as |
| There are several different competition techniques, | | | | successful careers and endorsement deals. |
| including striking techniques, like kicks, punches, and | | | | With mainstream acceptance, worldwide acclaim, and |
| knees, and grappling techniques, like pinning holds, | | | | an every growing fan base, what started as an |
| submission holds, clinch holds, takedowns, throws and | | | | abstract concept has become an established sport |
| sweeps. | | | | and a successful platform from which many athletic |
| The permissibility and legality of certain other | | | | careers have been launched. The future of the MMA |
| techniques like head butts, spinal locks, and elbows | | | | appears to be bright, and the popularity of the sport |
| vary according to the specific organization and | | | | even more so. |