Q: What is MMA?
A:
It is a full contact, combat sport, that allows competitors to use a wide variety of fighting techniques. Most
techniques come from martial arts such as Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Muay Thai Kickboxing and from some fighting techniques
that are not based in martial arts such as Boxing and Wrestling.
Q: Is MMA a brutal,
violent sport?
A: Brutal is defined as
Brutal
is defined as Extremely ruthless or cruel.
Crude or unfeeling in manner
or speech.
Harsh; unrelenting: a brutal winter in the Arctic.
Violent
is defined as
Marked by, acting with, or resulting from great force: a violent attack.
Having or showing great emotional force: violent dislike.
Marked
by intensity; extreme: violent pain; a violent squall.
Historically Mixed Martial
Arts were much more brutal and violent as compared to today’s standards. Today’s MMA have important rules in place
that eliminate a lot of the violence and brutality and protect the participants. You still get hit with kicks and punches
and yes they can hurt. So there is still pain and injuries.
But the referee is in the cage to
watch over the fighters, to enforce the rules and to also control the actions of the fighters, so that brutality and violence
doesn’t occur. For those unfamiliar with this type of fighting an MMA fight can seem very violent, bloody, and even
brutal.
But a seasoned MMA fan knows that there are kicks and punches, take downs, and arm and
leg locks in every round in the cage. There usually is a certain type of pattern in this combination of moves, and in a way
it is like a ballet. Frequent fans who know find it very interesting and entertaining, but for those who aren’t, MMA
can seem like a violent encounter.
