Although challenges between competitors of different fighting styles have been taking place for much longer, the first official UFC MMA (mixed martial arts) contest as we know it today was held on 12 November 1993. Mixed martial arts is a full-contact sport which, as its name suggests, allows competitors to use a combination of several types of fighting disciplines and styles.
Most traditional forms of martial arts concentrate on 3 focus areas, namely Stand-up, Clinch and Ground fighting:
Each of these disciplines need to be adapted from their traditional forms. For example: Mixed Martial Arts competitors don’t wear Gi, so the techniques used in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or Judo need to be adapted to “No Gi” techniques, stances used by boxers don’t do much to counter leg kicks and Muay Thai stances are no good when it comes to takedowns. You can find MMA classes Cape Town or MMA Fish Hoek by clicking the respective links.