Ufc what is it

This art different elements from European and Asian fighting styles like catch wrestling, judo, western boxing, Savate, and jiu-jitsu. When talking about the origin of MMA, it is crucial to mention the first televised mixed fighting style fight in history between judo wrestler Gene Lebell who will later train UFC superstar Ronda Rousey and professional boxer Milo Savage. Take a look at the fight:.

In the late s and early s, he developed his fighting style called Jeet Kune Do, based on taking what works best in different martial arts and combining them in one singular fighting style. The fight was fought under a specific set of rules. The fight ended in a draw. In in Pittsburgh, the Tough Guys contest was established.

It was the first American MMA league. It was the birth of sanctioned MMA fighting under a specific set of rules. Soon, the UFC began using it as well. There were no Conor, Ronda, or Khabib, no mega fights, outside-the-cage antics, and no global phenomena. It was an event where fighters from different martial arts backgrounds could compete and show which fighting style is superior. Fast forward some 20 years later, UFC is a worldwide sensation. The octagon, referring to its eight-sided shape, was there from UFC 1 and continues to the present, becoming so ubiquitous that the word is practically synonymous with the UFC itself.

At UFC 1, competitors were instructed to not bite, pull hair, or hit each other in the nuts. But that was about it. There was a single ref within the octagon that commenced bouts and ruled the winner due to submission read: a kind of crying uncle or knockout. But there were no rounds, weight classes, or time limits; in fact, this glaring weakness was only corrected after its fifth event, in which a Superfight was ruled a draw after more than a half-hour stalemate. Really, the fans lost.

The rules themselves were also refined over time. The Association of Boxing Commissions ratified it in Shoes were banned and padded gloves were added, weight classes were established and then expanded, a point round-by-round scoring system was adopted to decide matches where a submission or knockout was not achieved, and while in the middle years of the organization fighters tended to have the musculature of superheroes, a UFC and U.

Anti-Doping Association deal was struck in that has, if not eliminated performance-enhancing substance use, at least curtailed its excesses while catching the odd dumb fish. From the first, the UFC shook up the combat sports world. But its first great moment beyond its elevator pitch came from UFC 1, when Royce Gracie, younger brother to tournament co-founder Rorion, finessed his way through the bracket to become its first champion.

There, in a close embrace, he used chess-like movements and positionings to manipulate joints, cut off air to the lungs, and restrict blood to the brain. Jet-packing ahead, the next significant moment was in While its heavyweight tournament was notable through the debut of MMA legend Vitor Belfort, the biggest touchpoint was the introduction of Joe Rogan.

Rogan, pre-podcast, was in the flush of his early NewsRadio fame and still owned a full head of a hair. He handled the floor reporting, which would begin his longtime role with the organization that continues to this day. The Ultimate Fighter TUF , a reality TV show that debuted on Spike TV in , brought more fans into the sport as a kind of appetizer of what to expect in the pay-per-view major fights that took place throughout the year.

In the greater context, TUF was part of the whole reality boom of the Aughts, which gave a behind-the-scenes view of such disparate cultures as Jersey Shore , Queer Eye, The Bachelor , and more. Its three-round slugfest was unexpected, and it became a climax for an already riveting show.

Fights in the UFC don't take place inside a ring -- they take place inside the Octagon. As you probably have guessed from its name, the Octagon is an eight-sided octagonal mat and cage. Its walls are made of fencing material, with padding covering all the edges and corners, and it's 30 feet across.

The mat is made of canvas, which is custom painted for each event and then never used again. Two gates lead into the Octagon, and they're secured shut at the beginning of each round. When a fight is in progress, only the referee and the two fighters are allowed inside. Between rounds, officials open the gates to allow a fighter's corner men to enter. Corner men can give their respective fighters strategic advice and help stop cuts and scrapes from bleeding.

Competitors are not allowed to go outside the Octagon during a bout, nor are they allowed to try and throw their opponents over the side of the cage you might laugh, but UFC legend Tank Abbott once appeared to try and throw Carl Worsham over the fence in a UFC bout.

Why does the UFC use an octagonal mat in the first place? According to Dana White, there are several reasons. The original UFC event was conceived as a way to match styles against each other to find which was best. Various styles of fighting take place in different kinds of rings or mats -- for example, boxing is in a square and wrestling is in a circle.

The Octagon was designed to avoid giving any one martial arts discipline an advantage. Because the angles in an Octagon are wider than those for each corner of a boxing ring, there is little chance for a fighter to get stuck in a corner with no way out. The UFC bordered the Octagon with fencing so that fighters couldn't fall or get thrown out of the ring. The Octagon is a stable structure designed with the fighter's safety in mind, while still providing a good view for spectators.

The UFC has no formal ranking system, though each weight class does have its own champion. UFC President Dana White says that ranking systems often get in the way of putting together the best fights and invite corruption. Silva uses his own system, analyzing the style and records of fighters to determine the most exciting fights.

When a fighter has proven himself sufficiently, he can earn himself a title shot against the reigning champion. Lightweight to pounds Welterweight to pounds Middleweight to pounds Light Heavyweight to pounds Heavyweight to pounds. Fighters only face opponents in their same weight class, but they are free to move up or down weight classes.

Most fighters find that moving up in a weight class gaining weight means they sacrifice speed, while moving down a weight class could mean losing striking power. Fighters' techniques can be classified in three broad categories: striking, grappling and ground fighting. Let's look at each one in more detail. Striking includes punches, kicks, knee strikes and elbows.

Often fighters will learn striking techniques from various disciplines, from boxing to Muay Thai a Thai style of boxing. The UFC requires all fighters to wear fingerless 4 to 6 ounce gloves and no footwear.

Because the gloves are thin compared to boxing gloves which weigh 8 to 10 ounces, depending on the weight class of the boxer , fighters must be careful not to damage their own hands when throwing punches. There are restrictions on where and how a fighter may strike his opponent. Fighters can't throw a knee strike or kick to the head of an opponent on the ground, for example. They also can't use a downward strike with the point of their elbows or strike the back of their opponent's head.

Grappling Some fighters spend more time working on grappling and wrestling skills than striking. A fighter can attempt a takedown on his opponent, meaning he forces his opponent to the ground. You can defend a takedown with a sprawl, where you use balance and leverage to stay standing. Takedowns can be spectacular -- such as a slam or suplex -- or they can be as simple as knocking someone off balance. Good grapplers may also be skilled in submissions. A fighter might submit due to strikes or submission holds like a guillotine choke.

While many submission holds are best applied when both fighters are on the ground, there are some that can be applied when standing. Unlike boxing -- or even most kickboxing matches -- in the UFC, fights continue even if a fighter falls to the ground. Fighters can throw strikes sometimes called ground and pound or apply submission holds while on the ground. There are many ways to attack and defend. Usually one fighter will end up on top of the other fighter, and you're likely to hear terms like guard , half guard , side control and full mount.

These terms refer to the position of the fighters in relation to each another. For a fighter to be successful in the UFC, he must train in all three techniques extensively. While most fighters tend to focus on particular styles such as wrestling or striking, almost all of them have at least a basic working knowledge of other techniques.

You can win by submission , indicated when your opponent either physically taps out or verbally submits. A fighter might submit if he is unable to defend effectively against strikes or if he is caught in a painful hold such as an armbar or ankle lock.

A fighter can even knock out an opponent with a submission hold such as a rear naked choke , where either his opponent's air supply or blood flow is cut off. Unlike other sports, submitting to your opponent is considered an honorable way to lose a fight. In some competitive sports you might see your career end if you were to "give up," but not in the UFC. You could also win by technical knockout TKO.

In a technical knockout, the referee stops the fight when he determines that a fighter is no longer able to defend himself intelligently. Referees are responsible for determining a fighter's status in rapidly changing and often chaotic conditions. Unlike boxing , there is no standing eight count.

A technical knockout can be declared whether a fighter is on the ground or still standing. If a fight goes the distance and the last round ends without a submission or knockout, the results are determined by decision. A panel of three judges scores each round using a point must system, meaning that when a judge determines a fighter won a round, that fighter receives 10 points barring any penalties due to fouls.

His opponent receives a nine or lower. Lower scores are usually the result of penalties for fouls, for being inactive or for being timid during a round. At the end of the fight, each judge adds up the scores given to each fighter. If all three judges score the same fighter as the winner, it is called a unanimous decision. If two judges score one fighter the winner, but the third judge scored the fight in favor of his opponent, it's called a split decision.

If two judges determine that one fighter is the winner and the other judge determined the bout a draw, it's called a majority decision. You could also win by technical decision , meaning your opponent is too injured to continue. If the referee determines your opponent is violating the rules, you could win through disqualification.

Finally, your opponent may forfeit a match, giving you the win. Fighters might forfeit if they are suffering from an injury or illness. Too Scared to Fight?