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MMA was previously known as "NHB" ("No Holds Barred"), but this term is now technically retired; it is no longer an accurate description of modern competitions since they utilize a list of rules inhibiting certain holds, as is necessary for the fighters' safety. Actually, the most precise term for such combat forms would be a "brawl by rules" whereas impromptu street fighting. should be named "no holds barred" fight. In fact, the term "mixed martial art" gives the best fit a hybrid style of martial arts, which incorporate techniques and theories from tow or more different martial arts, not necesserily all available techniques. However, since the term MMA is common used, we will use it.
There are many different names for mixed style fighting and its variations: hand-to-hand combat, extreme fight, ultimate fight, freefight, mixfight, Vale Tudo (a Portuguese term meaning "anything goes"), Shooto (an English transliteration of the Japanese words Shu To, which loosely translates to "learn combat"), pancrase, etc. The MMA came from the ancient Greek Olympic sport pankration that combined striking and grappling.
There is another combative sport of Chinese origin - San Shou that is quite similar (but autonomous) to MMA (it is a part of contemporary Wushu martial art); it has been wide spread all over the world.
Originally, MMA were designed as a way to bring the best combat systems and the strongest fighters to light. Usually, MMA fights run in special octagonal cages, sometimes - in the boxing rings. Semi-gloves (without finger covers) are put on participant hands (like gloves for taekwondo). Such semi-gloves allow fighters to box and to wrestle as well as to use free fingers for hair pulling (which is quite rarely allowed though).
Some men's extreme fights in cage run without an internal referee while referees always present at female bouts (for instance, during a bout in 1997 in St. Petersburg, a sturdy black referee was unable to stop Irma Verhoef who had flied into a rage thrashing her opponent - he just grabbed and throw her as a ball to an opposite corner. :) )
The usual legal techniques using by MMA fighters include: general grappling, chokeholds, joint locks, leg trips, kicks, knee strikes, punches, takedowns and throws. Illegal techniques include (not always all) biting, elbow strikes, eye-gouging, forearm strikes, hair pulling, head butting, pressure point techniques, kicking or kneeing the head of a downed opponent, small joint manipulation and strikes to the groin, spine or throat.
As a result of the MMA events, martial arts training and the understanding of the combat effectiveness of various strategies have changed dramatically over the last ten years. MMA competition has indicated that there are three distinct phases in unarmed fighting: Stand-up fighting; Clinch fighting and Ground fighting.
Each organization and promoter determines its own rules (in accordance with a local government regulation).
Each organization and promoter determines its own rules (in accordance with a local government regulation).
Modern fighting strategies
The following is a breakdown of the different fighting styles of modern MMA. With essentially no exceptions, all successful fighters train with (and thus practice against) experts in all disciplines used today. Howerer, most fighters base their overall strategy on one particular style and become associated with it.
Sprawl-and-brawl is a stand-up fighting tactic that consists of effective stand-up striking, while avoiding ground fighting, typically by using sprawls to defend against takedowns. A sprawl-and-brawler is a usually a boxer, kickboxer or Muay Thai fighter who has trained wrestling to avoid takedowns and tries to keep the fight standing.
Clinch-and-pound is a clinch fighting tactic that consists using a clinch hold to prevent the opponent from moving away into more distant striking range, while at the same time striking the opponent using knees, stomps and dirty boxing techniques. Clinch-and-pounders are usually wrestlers that have added in components of the striking games. Often, wrestlers that have added the striking game are partial to strikes from within the clinch (particularly wrestlers who have developed a strong clinch game already). In the case that an exchange on the feet does not go in their favor, they can bring the fight to the ground quickly as their true expertise lies in wrestling, so they are ultimately less timid about trading blows.
Ground-and-pound is a ground fighting tactic consisting of taking an opponent to the ground using a leg trip, takedown or throw, obtaining a dominant position, and then striking the opponent. Ground and pound is also used as a precursor to attempting submission holds. Russian female heavyweight judokas Svetlana Gundarenko and Irina Rodina used similar tactics at the MMA tournament in Japan. Technique consisting in slamming (hurling) an opponent on the floor sometimes is used in such positions. The move is very efficient (and dangerous) against an opponent (especially lighter) who clutches at you or clings to you or accomplishes a hold technique. Slamming the opponent to the ground helps release from clutches and allows to break down the opponent's resistance and to accomplish a submission.
Ground and pound is sometimes referred to as lay-and-pray, when combatant is using his or her positioning to rest, and not to advance in position or using effective striking. These two styles are used by wrestlers or other fighters well-versed in defending submission holds and skilled at takedowns. They take every fight to the ground, maintain a grappling position, and strike (attack) until their opponent submits, is knocked out or is cut so badly that the fight can not continue.
The two oldest and most well-known MMA promotions are the UFC and Pride. Ultimate Fighting Championship(UFC) is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts organization. Fighters in the sport use combinations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, boxing, wrestling, Muay Thai, submission wrestling and many other martial arts. The UFC is currently owned and operated by "Zuffa Entertainment, LLC. Pride Fighting Championships (or Pride) is a mixed martial arts organization based in Japan, promoted by Dream Stage Entertainment. Pride's rules result in similar styles of fighting as seen in Ultimate Fighting Championship in the United States. Unlike the UFC, where matches take place within a cage, Pride holds its bouts within a boxing style ring. Notable differences between Pride FC and the UFC are:
- Kicking and kneeing a downed opponent are allowed in Pride but not in UFC.
- Elbows to the head/face are allowed in UFC but not in Pride.
Women compete in various formats, both in the cage and on the ring. One of the most famous events are "ReMix" / "L-1" tournaments in Japan, where women prove their great capabilities in free-style fighting. The tournaments are de facto the MMA world women's championships. At present, women's MMA is covered by the International Sport Combat Federation (ISCF). The federation established MMA rules and weight categories (even though many women's events are run regardless weight). Currently, just four ISCF MMA weight categories have advanced female fighetrs (according to the ISCF rank):
Bantamweight (125-135lbs/57-61.5kg). Number one: Laura D'Auguste.
Featherweight (135-145lbs/61.5-66kg). Number one: Kelly Kobald.
Lightweight (145-155lbs/66-70.5kg). Number one: Jen Case.
Welterweight (155-170lbs/70.5-77kg). Number one: Erin Toughill.
Japanese women made the history participating in UFC type tournaments since 1993. The first notable women's tournaments in UFC style was promoted by the Japanese company "LLPW" (Ladies Legend Pro-Wrestling) in August 1993 in Japan. Shinobu Kandori became the first champion defeated all her Japanese opponents. However, these tournaments became popular only after women all over the world started participating in the next competitions.
The most important later women's tournaments in UFC style in Japan were:
"Ultimate Challenge L-1 Tournament" (in octagonal cage), July 1995 in Tokyo. Winner: Svetlana Gundarenko, Russia.
UTT-Women's Vale Tudo Championship (in the ring), August 1996. Winner: Irina Rodina, Russia
"L-1 Show" (in octagonal cage), October 1998. Winner Shinobu Kandori, Japan (beat Svetlana Gundarenko via submission).
"ReMix World Cup" (in octagonal cage), December 2000. Winner Marloes Coenen, Netherlands (beat Megumi Yabushita).
"LLPW Title Tournament 2001" (in octagonal cage), November-December 2001. Winner: Carol Midori, Japan
"World ReMix Championship" (in octagonal cage), December 2004. Official winner: Megumi Yabushita, Japan (got the title due to disqualification Erin Toughill illegally knocking her down)
While in the first tournaments heavyweight judokas dominated on the arena (like Irina Rodina, 103kg and Svetlana Gundarenko, 150kg), later mobile combatants took over who possessed both grappling and hitting techniques taken from different martial arts. Good example: at the 1998 tournament mobile and skillful Marloes Coenen managed to submit robust Becky Levi in seconds taking her down by locking her arm and accomplishing back somersault forcing the instant submission (technique of the "Flying Armbar").
In November 1997" M-1 Mix-Fight World Championship" in the cage was held in St. Petersburg (Russia) with both men and women participation. (Some women's bouts were taped for the video called women cage fighting"). Irma Verhoef from Netherlands became a winner defeating Russian judoka Irina Ignatovich. In order to improve fight impression, period of time in "par terre" was limited. This rule increased chances of boxers and kickboxers against grapplers.
Female MMA competitions called "Hook N Shoot" (NHB fights) are held in USA since 2002. Hook N Shoot promoter Jeff Osborne suggested the idea of an all-woman’s Mixed Martial Arts event. On April 13, 2002, 14 female fighters (including Shannon Logan and Debi Purcell) came out into the ring and demonstrated great skills and will. The bout between Debi Purcell and Christine Van Fleet in 135lbs category squared off in the main event (Debi defeated Christine).
Very professional and skillful MMA fighters work in the club ““Fighter Girls” headed by Debi Purcell, the founder of "Women's Martial Arts Association". The girls participate in MMA-style competitions (Hook N Shoot tournaments, underground bouts and others) in different American states. The most of the participants are Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing masters including Shannon Logan and Zee Vzhesaliku. The girls in the club are so strong and trained that they fight not just with each other but also with men (see the picture). According to Shannon and Zee, the both sides of such mixed combat fight in full strength.
Besides the above mentioned clubs and promotions, a lot of other MMA promoters (particularly, in the US and Japan) involve women fighters in their events or hold all-female competitions. Female MMA tournaments and individual bouts are held before audience as well as in order to record them for sale. Currently, women's combined style fighting became very popular and it is seriously promoted by such organizations as Smack Girl (SG, Japan), DEEP (Japan), Ultimate Wrestling (UW), Ring Of Fire (ROF), Reality Submission Fighting (RSF), International Cage Combat (ICC), International Fighting Alliance (IFA), Ultimate Combat Sports (UCS), Bar Room Brawl (BRB), Minnesota Combat Sports (MCS), Shooto, Shooto Americas, Xtreme Fighting Organization (XFO), Ring of Combat (ROC), American Fighting Association (AFA) and many more.
Recently, female MMA bouts called "Reality fighting" began in the North American Grappler Association (NAGA). One of the most dangerous female MMA fighters Laura D'Auguste has got the women's title.
Besides straight athletic, 100% real MMA fighting events involving real combative women, bouts in the manner of MMA (quasi-MMA bouts) are held by female combat entertainment clubs and promotion, like DWW. These are not about fake foxy shows, these events include real fighting plus kind of beauty (erotic) demonstrations. Very precise name for such events invented in California - "extreme catfighting". Another club is called "Extreme Chickfights" where some bouts are 100% for real.
DWW promotes combat style "fighting in bikini". The DWW's daughter enterprise BSA ("Black Sea Amazons") promotes MMA-style fights in which hair pulling is allowed (it usually doesn't help to shorten long rolling over the floor though). Besides extreme fights in the ring, BSA organizes fights outdoors (in the sand beach, on the snow) in order to diversify the scenery.
Two well-organized MMA-style tournaments for not well-trained in martial arts were held in California, USA (they have been taped and named "Extreme catfighting"). The first tournament was running on the ring, the second one - in the cage. Although, the fighters were not high level martial artists, many bouts were quite fierce and ardent but didn't last too long and were not too much persistent though as the ones between well-trained MMA combatants (like in the Japanese tournaments). In absence of trained judokas, street fighters stood out there who were used to brutal fighting. Prior a bout, a referee introduces participants and announces their fighting background. For instance: "has experience in boxing" or just "a street fighter".
In fact, the DWW and the Californian competitions were real rather than fake. However, the promoters took care of demonstration of girls' "beauties" and attractiveness as well. The Californian girls wore shorts and loose t-shirts (without bras), which were stretched and torn up during fighting sometimes exposing bare flesh. The DWW girls wear more stable tops and quite short skirts. The girls from these promotions look attractive, slender and some even fragile. Nevertheless, they fought quite passionately and toughly. Looking timid at the pre-match interview beautiful girls from both clubs got all worked up as soon as she comes out into the ring.
Lately, "organized" street fights between girls became popular being taped for sale. It's unknown how the promoters manage to set on to fight, most likely they are attracted by a good prize in cash. Although the "techniques" in such a fight would be refer to mixed martial art, it stille a brawl without rules and a referee.
MMA promoters sometimes have problems with local authorities because this form of combat still is illegal in some regions. Many people (some of them have never seen MMA events at all) consider this show as a brutal dangerous gladiator battle. Probably, some time should pass to get used to this activity and to learn more about influence of this sport to people, particularly to women. However, once established, this combative activity became one of many other officially recognized combative sports. And it is very unlikely that it will be banned everywhere earlier than, say, boxing.
Episodes from MMA tournaments "HOOKnSHOOT" (2004-2005)
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Kelly Kobald vs. Greta Hicks
Site Kelat Graphy
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Jennifer How vs. Roxanne Modafferi
Site Kelat Graphy
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Kelly Huehn vs Victoria Remington
Site Sher Dog
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Jen Case vs Julie Ketzie
Site Sher Dog
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Women's Title Fight: Laura D'Auguste (Tiger Schulmann Karate) vs. Amanda Buckner (Academy Mixed Martial Arts)
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The best MMA fighters for the past decade:
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Shinobu Kandori
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Carol Midori
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Megumi Yabushita
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Marloes Coenen
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Svetlana Gundarenko
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Irina Rodina
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Irma Verhoef
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According to the MMA Ranks, the best MMA fighters for the last three years as of March 2005 are:
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Kelly
Kobald |
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Tara
LaRosa |
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Satoko
Shinashi |
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Yula
Tsuji |
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Laura
D'Auguste |
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Roxanne
Modafferi |
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Jennifer
Howe |
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Debi
Purcell |
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Megumi
Fujii |
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Erica
Montoya |
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Amanda
Buckner |
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Megumi
Yabushita |
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Masako
Yoshida |
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Erin
Toughill |
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Yuki
Kubota |
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Marloes
Coenen |
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