This is a full-contact sport that combines all fighting styles into one, thus including strikes and grappling holds (wrestling, submissions and chokes), both standing and on the ground. The best techniques of all martial arts and combat sports are used. Standing out is Muay Thai (the Art of Eight Limbs), the Thai striking sport involving punches, kicks, elbows, knees and clinches, along with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which involves taking an opponent to the ground and utilizing techniques to lead an opponent into submission through holds involving joint-locks and chokeholds. Boxing, the use purely of punches to the upper body and face, is also prominent in MMA, as well as Kickboxing (punches and kicks). Wrestling techniques are used to take an opponent to the ground and secure a superior position.
With the founding of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), in 1993, this sport had the goal to pit different fighting styles against each other to see who would come out on top, who would the most effective fighter independent of the fight style.
WAYS TO WIN
Submission: Physical or verbal tap out.
Knockout (KO): Athlete is knocked unconscious due to strikes or impact.
Technical knockout (TKO): The referee stops the contest.
Submission: Physical or verbal tap out.
Knockout (KO): Athlete is knocked unconscious due to strikes or impact.
Technical knockout (TKO): The referee stops the contest.
SCORE CARD DECISIONS
Unanimous: All judges pick the same athlete as the winner.
Split: Two judges pick one athlete. The other judge picks the other athlete.
Majority: Two judges pick the same athlete as the winner. The final judge says fight was a draw.
Draw: Unanimous, majority or split
Unanimous: All judges pick the same athlete as the winner.
Split: Two judges pick one athlete. The other judge picks the other athlete.
Majority: Two judges pick the same athlete as the winner. The final judge says fight was a draw.
Draw: Unanimous, majority or split
The fighting concept of combining various combat disciplines gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the emergence of Bruce Lees JKD and his theories of mixing various martial art styles.