FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)?

Mixed Martial Arts, also known as Freestyle Fighting, Vale Tudo, No Holds Barred (NHB), Cage Fighting or Ultimate Fighting, is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques and skills to be used in combat. MMA is influenced by a mixture of martial arts from traditional and non-traditional backgrounds. The rules allow the use of both striking as well as grappling/wrestling techniques, both while standing and on the ground. MMA allow martial artists and fighter of different backgrounds to train and compete.

Why train in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)?

• MMA is one of the fastest growing sports in the world
• MMA allows a person to develop their own fighting style and strength. MMA bears the sport combat principle of doing "whatever works" to win a fight
• MMA doesn’t require you to wear a Judo-gi or other uniform. Shorts and a t-shirt along with protective gear (mouth guard and groin protector) are the only essentials
• MMA demands dedication and practice. It delivers what you are prepared to put in, practitioners find that the sport inevitably makes you faster, stronger and supple
• MMA is a new sport that utilises contemporary combat techniques proven in realistic combat situations. Techniques are continually revised to accommodate for defences and counter-attacks.

What is the history of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)?

The roots of modern Mixed Martial Arts can be traced back to various mixed style contests that took place throughout Europe, Japan and the Pacific Rim during the early 1900s. The combat sport of Vale Tudo that had developed in Brazil from the 1920s was brought to the United States by the Gracie family in 1993 with the founding of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Professional MMA events had also been held in Japan by Shooto starting back in 1989. In due course the more dangerous Vale Tudo style bouts of the early UFC's were made safer with the implementation of additional rules, leading to the popular regulated form of MMA seen today. Originally promoted as a competition with the intention of finding the most effective martial arts for real unarmed combat situations, competitors were pitted against one another with minimal rules. Later promoters adopted many additional rules aimed at increasing safety for competitors and to promote mainstream acceptance of the sport.