Mixed Martial Arts
Making the scene in 1993, with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) gaining much acclaim, Mixed Martial Arts is a relatively new form of fighting that has taken the world of sport fighting by storm. A mixture of traditional martial arts and more non-traditional styles, this exciting sport actually has its roots much deeper in history and allows martial artists from all levels of skill to compete against one another in a brilliant display of fighting prowess.
Prior to the formation of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the more modern form of the sport was gaining ground quickly by the Gracie Family martial arts tournaments in the 1920s, and Antonio Inoki’s mixed martial arts competitions in Japan, in the 70s. Later on, in Japan, with the popularity of the sport rising, the PRIDE Fighting Championships, a Japanese version of the UFC was born in 1997. The very first Ultimate Fighting Championship, in 1993, where three fighters competed for the title in only five minutes was, in fact, won by a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Royce Gracie. Those who saw the event would later describe it as a rather quick and brutal victory by the martial artist.
As an interesting addition to the legacy behind Mixed Martial Arts, some feel that actually, the man responsible for the rise in the sport was none other than martial arts legend Bruce Lee, who pioneered a form of martial arts known as Jeet Kune Do. Originally known as Jun Fan Gung Fu, Bruce Lee never considered the name important, but the Bruce Lee Foundation later renamed the art form Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, literally translating to “Bruce Lee’s Way of the Intercepting Fist.”
The style, developed by Lee as a way of “casting off what is useless” is seen by many as the ultimate in Mixed Martial Arts, and as a matter of fact, in 2004, Lee was hailed by UFC founder Dana White as the “Father of Mixed Martial Arts.” Based on the fluidity of European boxing and fencing, blended with many elements from other martial arts forms, the fighting style, Lee said, was not to be seen as just a way to improve the fighter’s abilities, but as a tool for personal development. In November of 2005, this way of fighting was adopted by the US Army for the first ever Army Combatives Championships.
The title “Mixed Martial Arts” itself actually began to be put into use by a former Olympic Gold Medalist and Greco-Roman wrestler, Jeff Blatnick, one of the forefathers of what we know today to be Mixed Martial Arts. After the stunning success of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, several promoters of the sport began to adopt a number of safety rules and changes to the minimal rules already in place to further gain more mainstream acceptance and also, to maintain the safety of those competing in the matches. Some claim that the height of the popularity of the sport came in December of 2006, with a rematch between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell and rival Tito Ortiz. The match beat out pay per view sales of some of the most legendary boxing matches of all time, causing the UFC to take in more gross profit than any other Pay Per View event before it. Mixed Martial Arts had set a new record in sales.
Mixed Martial arts itself has now evolved, and one can fighters implementing almost every style imaginable, with three styles standing out as best blended of all- amateur and shoot wrestling, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. As innovative as the style blend is, it is no surprise that it continues to evolve.
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