How the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)

Have you heard of MMA? Or in Mixed Martial Arts? Or in MMA? Yes, indeed you may have heard that this is one of the fastest growing sports in the world today.

The MMA is defined as a mode of struggle where the players need not follow a specific style of martial art. Come hence the name "technical" Sport: Mixed Martial Arts (Mixed Martial Arts). The sport allows the practitioner to use any stroke or technique from different martial arts like boxing, jujitsu, karate, judo, muay Thai, among others. The good fighter is one who dominates much of the main strokes of a variety of martial arts and how to apply them at the right time.

Contrary to what everyone thinks, not "anything goes" in MMA. The sport has evolved and professionalized in such a way that the rules are getting stricter. The purpose of this whole development is increasingly the preserve integrity of the athletes. Practitioners are increasingly technical and prepared.
Despite all the resistance of the media in disseminating this sport, MMA is experiencing a real transformation and is entering a new phase in Brazil, mainly driven by three key factors:

    * Professionalisation of sport
    * Exponential growth of fans
    * Success of Brazilian fighters abroad

The numbers are impressive MMA. There are journalistic professional websites and online stores with sales of specific products aimed at the fighting world. Within these sites are forums held by the users who exchange information and spread the sport. The rates of purchase pay-per-view of major tournaments are huge, and the sale of tickets.
Currently, the MMA is being played on every continent - the countries that make up most fighters are Brazil, Japan, USA and Russia.

History

The first precursors of MMA events dating from 648 BC and emerged in Greece. The Greeks created the Pankration, a combination of two Greek words: pan, which means everything or more, and kratos, meaning strength. The sport, which was a mixture of boxing and wrestling, soon became the most popular event of the Games. This is the first record of the existence of something like the MMA.

The decline of Pankration coincided with the rise of the Roman Empire. The mixed match was no longer so popular, giving rise to such sports as boxing and wrestling, which were more widespread in the West.

In 1925 fighting with a mixture of different martial arts back to the world stage thanks to a Brazilian family. The history of modern MMA is closely linked to the history of the Gracie family. Carlos Gracie learned to fight judo with Mitsuyo Maeda, a Japanese who lived in the same region. Carlos later taught the sport to his brothers and was gradually adapting the rules and blows the same, creating the Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Soon Carlos opened an academy in Rio de Janeiro. Aiming to draw attention to it, he invented the "Gracie Challenge," which challenged other fighters. These challenges served to promote his fight the Gracies, showing that they could defeat any opponent, no matter who practiced martial art. The fighting became known as Vale Tudo.

The fights have gained such popularity that came to be held in football stadiums. The idea was to show that it was possible to defeat any adversary, no matter what was his physical size. The Gracies were so happy in their "contract" that ended up taking his art to the United States, where they set up an academy and began to teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Since then, major events are now organized. In 1993 came the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), selling 86 thousand shares of pay-per-view since the first edition. In the third edition of the event the number of units sold jumped to 300 thousand.

The first CFUs had few rules, and no weight division, time limit or safety equipment. The fight took place in an octagonal cage, dubbed "The Octagon." Since then the event has evolved and is now undoubtedly one of the largest of the sport. Usually fighters vying smaller events for about 5 years and then begin to compete in major events like the UFC, PRIDE and K-1.

MMA is now a sport of high performance, besides being a real show of entertainment. The limits exist, but only inside the ring. Outside of combat, there is no limit to the number of fans of this sport, that triple every year that passes.

Practice, rules and events
 
-Practice

The practice of MMA is first of all by a lot of training in any specific martial art. Typically, a good MMA fighter has ever stood out in any martial art. The academies are an eye on the specific talents of each fighter and route it to the training of MMA when he is ready.

The practice of MMA is becoming common also among those who just want to do an exercise. The MMA gyms offer classes for various audiences, from professional wrestlers to women who just want to keep in shape.

There is no minimum age to start training MMA. Children 5 and 6 years practicing martial arts such as karate and judo. After 12 and 13 years are now able to blend the arts in a mixed class, for example - which is a real step of the MMA.

Normally, up to 14 years, children and pre-teens learn the technique of coups and do physical conditioning. Ideally, the more intense physical contact in classes only happen after that. Like any contact sport, the risks of injury exist. It is very important to choose the suitable place for practice. There are excellent academies all over Brazil. Make sure that your instructor has the appropriate knowledge. It is also important that you respect the limitations of his body.

There is no record of death in professional MMA fight. In every struggle there is an official medical team and closely monitoring the fighters - the priority is to maintain their physical integrity. What happens more cuts are on the virtues of punch. Eventually a fighter breaks his arm when he falls awkwardly.

Rules

In Brazil, as there is no single regulatory body this way, there are no standardized rules. They vary greatly from event to event. However, the vast majority of events takes as basic rules of the Pride, increased competition in the world.

Fortunately, most events have tax rules that seek to avoid serious damage to the fighter. Following the rules used in most events:

General rules

    * The fighters must wear gloves, open finger provided by the event.
    * It required the use of chill (accessory genital protection).
    * It is required to wear a mouthguard.
    * It is allowed (but not required) the use of: shoes, protectors for knees, elbows and guards bandages to the ankles and wrists.
    * The fighters may not apply to the skin products such as oil, vaseline etc.

Rules of engagement

    * It is prohibited:
          to set the genital region
          bite
          stick their fingers in the eyes of the adversary
          pulling hair
          hit the back of the neck (Pride)
          jostle the top down
          give any kind of poke (Pride)
          the butt
          grab the ropes of the ring
          throw the opponent out of the ring
          the kicking an opponent when he is down (UFC)
          stepping on the head
          give rides when the opponent is on the floor with knees

    * The fighters who fail to fight "tied", not showing aggression, are warned and the fight resumed.
    * If both fighters are on the ground to leave the ring, the judge should stop fighting and put the two fighters in the same position in the center of the ring.

Rules for end to fighting

The fight ends when one of the fighters can no longer defend itself from attacks against it granted. This happens when:

    * The fighter hits the mat, indicating that it no longer supports the coup
    * The coach tosses the towel in the ring
    * Faints fighter or the judge decides he can no longer continue
    * Fighter bleeds, and the injury is not stalled by the doctor in time set
    * Fighter breaks the rules listed above
    * The time runs out fighting

Events
Two major events shaking the world of MMA - Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pride. At the end of March 2007, the UFC officially announced the purchase of Pride, held in Japan The union between the companies also provided an annual event involving the main champions of UFC and Pride.

This happened recently at UFC 82 held on the morning of March 2, in the U.S. state of Ohio. The Brazilian Anderson Silva, the spider, holding the belt middleweight category of the UFC, he fought Dan Henderson (USA), holding the belt in the same category defunct Pride. The Brazilian has a real show and ended his opponent to defend his title in the UFC, taking home two awards: best fight and best submission.