by Brandon Higgins
The world of mixed martial arts in America is a very well known and respected sport by anyone interested in the art of fighting. It has been here in the states for many years but was started in Brazil and was introduced to America by a group of Brazilian Ju-Jitsu fighters known as the Gracies. They were a large family that practiced Ju-Jitsu all of their lives and they are considered to be some of the greatest fighters in the world.
In the beginning mixed martial arts or MMA had no true rules it was left to the discretion of the referee. The only rules were the length of the rounds. No gloves, no mouthpiece, or any other protective gear. There was no weight class that one had to fight in. Someone who weighed 165lbs could fight someone else who weighed 230lbs. This called for a lot of skill and strength on the part of the fighters because you could be fighting someone who weighed close to you or someone 80lbs heavier. The rings that were used were not square but were octagons with chain link fences on them.
MMA today is a highly publicized sport because of the brutality and the talent that it takes to be considered a good fighter. Today there is a different set of rules and a different organization of MMA known as the UFC. The UFC stands for Ultimate Fighting Championship but there are different and more fair rules within this organization of fighting. Gloves must be worn as well as a mouthpiece and any groin protection. The rules are also fairer towards weight class now. It is separated into different divisions. Lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, light heavy weight and heavyweight. This of course makes things somewhat easier for a lightweight fighter who no longer has to fight a heavyweight. There are several fighting tournaments that are held in Japan and in America. In Japan they have a different division known as Pride fighting which can be more violent at times because of there lack of rules. Protective gear must be worn but there are no illegal blows or chokes that they cannot use. There is another branch of MMA known as Bushido and it also takes place in Japan where fighters come from all over the world to prove their strength and heart in the ring.
The fighting itself is so diverse that some fighters may practice 3 to 4 different styles of fighting to be well-rounded enough to be prepared for any fighter. Some of the more commonly known styles would be Ju-Jitsu, Muay Thai, Kick Boxing, Wrestling, Brazilian Martial Arts, Karate, Boxing, Tae Kwon Do, and Isshinryu. All of these styles have their strengths and weaknesses. When fighting MMA some fighters have mastered at least 3 of these styles to properly perfect a well-rounded style that works for them.
I became so interested in MMA myself that I started to practice several different styles of martial arts and fight in the octagon. This can be a very intense and exasperating sport that can very quickly drain your energy and strength. It is very important that you not only have a good experience with martial arts but that you also have excellent cardiovascular skill so that once you have went 2 to 3 rounds that you don’t become weak which can lead to the loss of a fight. The world of MMA is one of heavy competition and a fight to be the best because being a decent fighter or being an okay fighter doesn’t cut it. Either you’re the best and you’re at the top of your game or your nothing because everyone that you fight is going to be fighting their hardest to beat you and if you’re not careful you could easily become a failure in the world of MMA.
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