The Rise of Mixed Martial Arts

Hey everyone, this is an article I wrote a while back for a website, obviously alot of things have changed since then(like some people thinking Fedor isn't number 1 anymore), but its an educational article for someone who may be new to MMA.



In the early days of mixed martial arts the concept was simple. Fighters used their specific fighting discipline against an opponent with a different fighting discipline. To prove their style was better they simply got in the ring and used the only style they had trained in for years. This mix of styles often resulted in boring matches. In November of 1993 the first event was held by entrepreneur Art Davie and son of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu creator Helio Gracie's son Rorion Gracie. They named their event Ultimate Fighting Championship now known as the UFC.

The only rules in these fights were no eye-gouging and no biting, but other than that anything else was allowed including groin shots and head butts. The event became popular as people were drawn to the violence and technique. Then came politics as many politicians denounced the sport for its brutal nature. Senator John McCain was so adamant about banning the UFC he was successful in making it illegal in all but 3 states. McCain, who is known for having connections in boxing, also had it removed from 90% of pay-per-view providers. While the UFC was struggling mightily, a promotion in Japan called Pride Fighting Championship was flourishing.

Pride fights were fought in a traditional ring and had slightly different rules than UFC. The UFC was bought by the Zuffa organization in 2001 a company with money and connections. Zuffa is owned by Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta with Dana White being the president. Zuffa was able to get the sport sanctioned in most states that McCain got it banned from. They also inserted boxing like rules with a point system, weight classes, outlawing techniques such as kicking a downed opponent along with rules that were already in place such as glove wearing, no groin shots and no head butts. With these rules in place viewers were able to see the amazing techniques used by the fighters realizing it wasn't just an all-out street brawl with no abilities. Fighters now combined many different fighting styles in fights including jiu-jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, judo, sambo, greco-roman wrestling, submissions and other forms. Fighters in Pride and UFC became celebrities.

UFC owners Zuffa bought Pride recently and is now able to have Super-Fights that many people thought would never happen. Some examples would be Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlai Silva(Now on for December 29th at UFC 79), Fedor Emelianenko vs. Randy Couture and Couture vs. Silva. One of the things that makes MMA so popular now is the fact that there is a consensus greatest fighter in the world in Fedor Emelianenko. Boxing was at its finest when there was one man on top and Fedor is considered unbeatable by most, so if he does lose it would be a major shock. The allure of one guy dominating a sport like Tiger Woods or Roger Federer always makes the sport more popular because everybody is after him but no one can beat him. This sport will continue to grow as the reality TV show "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike TV lets people in on the world of MMA. MMA is NOT a fad that will go away, its here to stay.

Top 5 Most Entertaining Fighters

These are my top 5 fighters who are the most entertaining for me to watch.

5. Antonio Minotauro Nogueira- Theres nothing like seeing a fighter who gets hit over and over again and takes every shot as if a 5-year old were hitting him. Big Nog has been in some of the most entertaining fights ive ever seen. If not for his ability to withstand punishment the Fedor fights may have been over very quickly and not nearly as entertaining. When Big Nog fights I will always watch because you know you might see something you've never seen before. Favorite fights- Nog vs Sapp, Nog vs Crocop, Nog vs Herring 1, Nog vs Fedor 1 and 3.

4. Nick Diaz- Diaz is an animal when he steps into a fight, he has what any great fighter needs, relaxation when things aren't going your way. He never panics in a fight and he is always cocky and confident. You can just tell that he loves what he does, and he can also take some serious punishment. He throws so many punches that his opponents just dont have time to take a break and jiu-jitsu is incredible. After taking so much punishment in the Gomi fight he got taken down, but had the wits to slap on the most beautiful gogoplata you'll ever see. Favorite fights- Diaz vs Gomi, Diaz vs Lawler, Diaz vs Jeremy Jackson 2 and 3.

3. Randy Couture- I will never get tired of watching Couture "shock the world" as he has done so many times. Most recently totally dominating the bigger, younger Gabrial Gonzaga eventually stopping him in the third round. He is the ultimate underdog in almost every fight, whether its size or age it just doesn't matter to the natural. He's a "truth machine" and if your not in supreme mental and physical condition he will expose it. Favorite fights- Couture vs Liddell 1, Couture vs Belfort 1, Couture vs Sylvia, Couture vs Rizzo 1, Couture vs Gonzaga.

2. Fedor Emelianenko- What makes Fedor so fun to watch is you know he's the best and any trouble that you think he's in you stand up and watch to see how he's gonna get out of this one. If you love MMA then you just have to watch and appreciate the incredible skill, strength and intelligence that Fedor exhibits in every fight. He is a champion in every sense of the word, he's humble and has total respect for every fighter who steps in the ring. There is nobody else in MMA that makes a ground fight as exciting as Fedor, you will not see anyone else punch that hard on the ground and any other Heavyweight at least display the speed of which he submits people. Favorite Fights- Fedor vs Crocop, Fedor vs Fujita and pretty much all of them.

1. Wanderlei Silva- They call him the "Axe Murderer" for a reason, his intensity and staredowns are legendary. If I was in there nad he was bouncing back and forth staring me down I'd probably bow down, forfiet and kiss his toes. His intensity is only matched by his tremendous fighting talent. When I think of a fighter to show to people who are new to MMA and looking to get into it, the Wanderlei DVDs start popping in and it doesn't stop. Ive had friends who had never seen a MMA match in their life (I know sad, right) and when I show them a Wandy fight they usually say "you got any more of his fights", I say yes and a sleepless night ensues. Even when he loses, the fights are still incredible to watch because you know he's giving it his all in every fight. He also may have the most devastating Muay Thai knees you'll ever see. Favorite fights- Every single one of them.

Top 5 MMA Pound for Pound Rankings

5. BJ Penn- Although the Prodigy hasn't fought in a while he still retains the fifth spot on this list. When I think of an all around P4P fighter, BJ always comes to mind. He just has incredible ability to dominate his opponents and something all great fighters need, the ability to relax when you get in a difficult position. If he wants to do it he could hold more than one belt.

4. Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto- Yamamoto has long been a stable on many P4P rankings. His only loss was due to a cut. Before a decision victory over Bibiano Fernandes in September, Yamamoto had won 7 straight fights by TKO/KO. He is known as a devastating striker, but also has the ability to submit his opponents. As Im writing this I realize I have not posted any of his fights, well look for some soon. Ill try to get the Japanese superfight against Genki Sudo on here soon. "Kid" is someone every MMA fan should get familar with.

3. Anderson Silva- The Spider has completely taken over the UFC middleweight division, in the process of becoming a superstar here in the United States. This guy can do it all and do it all extremely well. With amazing punching power that comes out of nowhere and unbelievable ground skills Silva is on a serious roll. He is fast and accurate with his punches and completely overwelming in the clinch. Silva will indeed dominate the Middleweight division for a long time.

2. Quinton Jackson- Rampage is Rampage again and the only thing that can knock him off is if he has to fight Wanderlei again and can't figure out how to beat his longtime nemesis. He has rededicated himself and he showed what shape he was in when he beat one of the best fighters in the world, Dan Henderson. Quinton has dynamite in his hands and amazing upper body strength. Ever since coming to the UFC he has improved tremendously in every aspect of the game. Jackson beats out Anderson for the second spot because I believe his competition has been a little tougher than Silva's. Taking nothing away from Rich Franklin but he's not Dan Henderson.

1. Fedor Emelianenko- The main reason Fedor remains number one in my eyes is because when you see other fighters interviews and they are asked who they think is number one the answer is always the same. He hasn't fought since the middle of April, but thats not enough reason for me to bump him down the list. Call me a Fedor nuthugger if you want, but you can't argue with his skills and track record. The Russian Experiment can out wrestle most guys in the world, out submit most guys and can strike with anyone. His ground and pound is better than anyone and he is probably the smartest fighter that thinks on his feet. His striking is unorthodox but it certainly works for him, and the speed of his punches is astounding for a heavyweight. If anyone can beat him, they have to get past the mystique first, most of his opponents are beaten before they step in the ring. It can't be comforting for a fighter to look across the ring and see a Emelianenko's stone cold no worries facial expression.

Just Missed- Georges St. Pierre, Paulo Filho, Randy Couture, Gilbert Melendez, Takanori Gomi, Sean Sherk, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Forrest Griffin, Dan Henderson, Frank Shamrock, Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai, Matt Hughes.

Intoductory Post- Ultimate MMA News and Articles

Hello mixed martial arts fans, I love to write about MMA and I already run a blog dedicated to fight videos- Ultimate MMA Videos, but this blog will be all about breaking MMA news, opinionated articles, and live play-by-play of pay per views. Anyways Ill get the posts started right away.