UFC vs. MMA: What’s the Difference?
The answer to the question, “what’s the difference between UFC and MMA?” is quite simple. MMA, which stands for Mixed Martial Arts, is a type of fighting sport. The UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championship, is an organization that promotes MMA fights. In fact, the UFC is the biggest league in all mixed martial arts, earning over a billion dollars a year. The organization’s profits from pay-per-view revenue and UFC tickets are growing rapidly as the league continues to expand. Let’s take a deeper look at the history of MMA and the rise of the UFC.
Where Did Mixed Martial Arts Begin?
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Mixed martial arts can trace its origins back thousands of years in history. In ancient Greece, the popular type of sport fighting was called Pankration, which combined elements of boxing and wrestling, similar to today’s MMA. In ancient China, the military developed a form of hand-to-hand combat called Shuai Jiao, which used elements of wrestling and kung fu. Over the years, different styles of mixed martial arts spread around the world to countries such as France, England, Japan, Brazil, and the United States.
MMA expanded during the 20th Century, but one primary factor in its rise was the actor Bruce Lee. He developed his own fighting style, Jeet Kune Do, which drew on the styles of many martial arts disciplines. Many people believe Jeet Kune Do to have heavily influenced the popularity of the sport and refer to Bruce Lee as the “Father of Modern Day MMA.”
How Did Modern Mixed Martial Arts Grow?
Throughout the 1900s, the Gracies, a family of fighters from Brazil, trained and popularized the art of Jiu-Jitsu; it’s a type of ground fighting that relies on using wrestling, leverage, and submission holds rather than upright kicking and punching. By the late 1960s, Rorion Gracie wanted to bring Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the United States. Once established in Southern California, he brought other members of the Gracie family to the U.S. to help him with his expanding practice as it grew throughout the 1980s. To gain notoriety for their brand of fighting, they would challenge fighters in other disciplines, offering a cash prize if they won. Victories followed, and the Gracies showed that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was a fighting style on the rise.
How Did the UFC Begin?
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The Gracies wanted to bring their sport to a national audience, so they paired with promoter Art Davie and director John Milius to establish a one-day tournament called the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It took place in Denver, Colorado, on November 12, 1993, at the McNichols Sports Arena. The idea was to have eight contestants, who were trained in different forms of combat, battle to determine which fighting discipline was superior, with the winner being crowned as “The Ultimate Fighter.”
There were no judges, weight classes, rounds, or time limits; the only things not allowed were eye-gouging or biting your opponent. Matches could only end when a fighter was knocked out, submitted, or when their corner threw in the towel.
To show the world that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was the supreme form of fighting, the Gracies wanted to have a family member compete in this tournament. But instead of entering the most talented or physically imposing athlete, they chose Royce Gracie, a younger and smaller fighter. They wanted him to look like an underdog, going up against bigger opponents. Royce ended up winning the tournament. One critic, Howard Rosenberg, dubbed the sport as “mixed martial arts,” and the name has stuck ever since.
The Rise of the UFC
From its beginnings, the UFC has developed from a fringe sport with hardly any rules into a regulated, sanctioned sport and today’s most well-known mixed martial arts league. They have weight classes, rounds, judges, and fights for men and women. Since UFC 1, as it has come to be known, they have held hundreds of UFC events over the years in many countries. The global reach of MMA is evident in the number of smaller leagues being created around the world.
What Are Some Other MMA Leagues?
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Several other MMA leagues have been established in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, often seen as training grounds for fighters to gain experience and notoriety as they work to make it into the UFC. They include Bellator MMA, Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA), Fight Nights Global, One Championship, Rizin Fighting Federation, Invicta Fighting Championships, Pancrase, M-1 Global, and Caged Steel, to name a few.
What Does the Future Hold for the UFC?
The UFC is still expanding, constantly establishing new leagues, training gyms, and fight centers. It now rivals boxing as one of the most popular fighting sports, and fans flock to get UFC tickets or watch UFC’s MMA action on pay-per-view; there is no doubt that the UFC will continue to grow in the future.
