Grappling
To grapple or not to grapple, that is the question
On November 12, 1993, the first Ultimate Fighting Championship was held in Denver, Colorado. This no holds barred (NHB) tournament was the first of a series of events that changed the public perception of the martial arts forever. Over the next decade, this type of fighting evolved into a style of fighting that is now called mixed martial arts (MMA).
The more times people see something, the more they are apt to believe it is true. Due to the popularity of UFC type matches and their proliferation on television, the public has now been indoctrinated into believing that MMA fighting is the best type of fighting for self-defense.
However, this perception is a result of the hype put forth by promoters of UFC style fighting; it is not based upon fact. MMA fighting, like other types of modern sports, is a strictly controlled way of fighting with rules to help prevent serious injury. Some of the rules include:
- Weight classes
- Time limits and rounds
- Approved gloves
- Stoppage when opponent is unable to protect him or herself
- Mandatory drug testing
- No biting
- No head butting or kicking a downed opponent
- No knees to the head of a downed opponent
- No “fish hooking” of the mouth or nose
- No downward point of the elbow strikes
- No strikes to the spine or the back of the head
- No groin or throat strikes
- No eye gouging
- No small joint manipulation