Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a multi-dimensional, full contact combat sport in which competitors utilize a variety of fighting techniques to defeat their challenger.

The roots of MMA can be traced back to the ancient Greek Olympics, when Pankration (meaning "sport of all holds") combined the best techniques and skills of multiple disciplines by incorporating striking, boxing, kicking, wrestling and submissions to find a champion. The sport was then revitalized years later in Brazil through the Vale Tudo ("anything goes") competition. Today, thanks to the popularity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (U.F.C.), mixed martial arts has, once again, become a dominant sporting event.

Once portrayed as a bloody and brutal competition, mixed martial arts today is considered, by many, to be one of the most demanding and challenging sports in the world. Competitors are world class athletes who are required to master multiple martial arts disciplines and seamlessly incorporate them while in intense competition. Physical and mental strength are equally as important and intense training is required on a level unparalleled to most other sports. Even then, one mistake can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Mixed martial arts promotions are required to meet the strictest of safety requirements and rules today focus on fighter safety. Now a true mainstream sport, MMA is formally practiced in Canada by children as young as four years old. The most effective and highly practiced mixed martial arts techniques include: striking (stand-up), grappling (Jiu Jitsu), wrestling and ground fighting.

SAFETY

As the sport evolved, it became evident that the rules needed to evolve with it. Fighter safety became a priority along with promoting exciting, engaging events for maximum entertainment.

Rule changes were so effective that the sport saw a significant decrease in athlete injuries; this allowed fighters to train more consistently and better develop their skills. The result is not only a safer, more entertaining sport but today's mixed martial artists are considered true professional athletes, having more highly developed skills (overall) and better conditioning than the original U.F.C. athletes from the early 1990s.

LEGALIZING

Today mixed martial arts is legal in 43 of the 50 U.S. states and currently under review in at least three of the remaining seven states. Canada has begun to follow suit; MMA is legal in seven provinces and under review in three (the other three provinces do not have an athletic commission).

The primary concern for legalizing MMA seems to be fighter safety and lack of true education to the sport. Mixed martial arts is now not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but considered to be a true mainstream sport with world class athletes.

TYPES OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Striking - Can include punching, kicking, elbows and knees; can be performed during stand up fighting and ground fighting.

Common forms include: boxing, karate, kickboxing, muay thai, taw kwondo

Grappling - Techniques applied to an opponent to gain an advantage or escape dangerous situations (Wikipedia); general term that encompasses several disciplines; does not include striking

Can include: clinching, takedowns, throws, submissions, pinning and controlling, escapes and sweeps

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - A form of martial arts that focuses on grappling, ground fighting and submission holds; utilized to counter the advantage larger, stronger opponents may have striking

Wrestling - One of the oldest forms of martial arts; involves grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws, takedowns and holds

Types of wrestling - Greco-Roman, Freestyle, Submission

Ground Fighting - Hand-to-hand combat on the ground; often referred to as ground work or ground game; includes striking

W-1 OFFICIAL RULES

W-1 Competitive Weight Divisions

• Lightweight up to 155 lbs
• Welterweight up to 170 lbs
• Middleweight up to 185 lbs
• Light Heavyweight up to 205 lbs
• Heavyweight up to 265 lbs

W-1 Round System and Bout Duration

• All non-championship bouts are a maximum of 3 rounds
• All championship bouts are a maximum of 5 rounds
• Rounds are 5 minutes in duration
• A one minute rest period occurs between each round

Actions Constituting Fouls

• Butting with the head
• Eye gouging
• Biting or spitting at an opponent
• Hair pulling
• Fish hooking
• Groin attacks
• Intentionally placing a finger in any opponent's orifice
• Downward pointing of elbow strikes
• Throwing an opponent out of the fighting area
• Small joint manipulations
• Strikes to the spine or back of the head
• Heel kicks to the kidney
• Throat strikes
• Clawing, pinching, twisting the flesh or grabbing the clavicle
• Kicking the head of a grounded fighter
• Kneeing the head of a grounded fighter
• Stomping the head of a grounded fighter
• The use of abusive language in fighting area
• Any unsportsmanlike conduct that causes an injury to opponent
• Attacking an opponent on or during a break
• Attacking an opponent who is under the referee's care
• Stalling (avoiding contact or consistent dropping of mouthpiece or faking an injury)
• Interference from a competitor's corner
• Flagrant disregard of the referee's instructions
• Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his or her head or neck

Disqualification occurs after any combination of three of the fouls listed above or after a referee determines that a foul was intentional and flagrant

Fouls will result in a point being deducted from the offending competitor by the official scorekeeper

Only a referee can assess a foul. If the referee does not call the foul, judges shall not make the assessment on their own and cannot factor such into their scoring calculations

A fouled fighter has up to five (5) minutes to recuperate

Ways to Win

Submission

• Tap Out or;
• Verbal Tap Out

Technical Knockout

• Referee stops the bout or;
• Ringside physician stops the bout or;

Knockout by failure to rise from the canvas

• Decision via score cards
• Unanimous or;
• Split Decision or;
• Majority Decision

Draws

• Unanimous or;
• Majority or;
• Split

Other Ways to Win:

• Disqualification;
• Forfeit;
• Technical Draw
• Technical Decision
• No Contest