Topics on history are tough to write about. Firstly, you need to be knowledgeable about dates. Secondly, you need to be knowledgeable about places. Thirdly, you need to be knowledgeable about facts and myths. As you see, there is only one word that describes the person, who can write about historical events and developments adequately — knowledgeable. The thing is that beginners lack faith and believe there is hardly a thing they can successfully write without essential info in their heads.

But as practice shows, if you apply some efforts during the research, improve your writing skills and devote yourself to the task, you still can cope with it pretty well. With the assistance of an essay sample, you can do more than that: hand in a model essay, the one that will be shown to others as a sample of worthy work.

So what to start with and how to make a worthy conclusion? Are the subheadings appropriate or good work can do well without them? Have a closer look while reading about Mixed Martial Arts and the development of this kind of sport.

History of MMA: Fighting Styles Evolution since Ancient Greece Times

It all goes back to Ancient Greece when combats were performed during the Olympics. At that time they were called pankration. If translated into modern English, it means “all powers”. Actually, there is no surprise about the name because at that time the fighters followed only two rules: no eye gouging or biting.

Imagine the world map and check how far India is from Greece, yet still, the fighting art became so widely-held that it soon spread into the eastern country, where the conquerors recruited athletes due to their fighting skills. Soon, Buddhist monks followed the core rules of the fighting sport and brought it to China. In this country, it became a solid basis for karate, kung fu, and even judo. Then, as travelers discovered new lands, they brought their traditions with them, spreading fighting arts, too. This is how Jiu-Jitsu came to existence in Brazil.

MMA in the 19th Century

At that time French Savate fighters used to challenge those, who practiced any sorts of other fighting arts just for checking their skills and techniques. The most known tournament took place in 1852 but the first actual combination of arts took place in 1899. E. W. Barton-Wright combined the knowledge of western boxing with catch wrestling as well as Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Savate. His deed raised the interest to MMA.

More Than a Hollywood Actor

In the early 1970s, the so-called Dragon showed his unbelievable MMA skills on the screen. Soon, he created his owned style of fighting Jeet Kune Do that combined practically all techniques that he has been working on during his life. The sport that was soon developed and spread in the late 1990s is said to be grounded on Jeet Kune Do. This fact makes Bruce Lee, the Dragon, the developer of modern MMA.

MMA Break in the 1990s

Though mixed fighting arts have a long history, the term itself is a rather recent invention. MMA is just about technique. The main concept is combining elements from various disciplines into new forms. The style of fighting became popular in North America as the known tournament in Denver, Colorado, took place. It was called UFC 1, named after the leading event promoter. The goal was to show participants of various styles fighting with each other. As always, at first, it was all about the income. Today the UFC is a rather profitable sports organization.

The 2 Original Rules + A Dozen

With the appearance, the sport had to be standardized, so more canons were added. Thus the participants are to fight in a surrounded area, use gloves, and refuse from headgear as well as shoes. It is allowed to kick and strike, throw and grapple. Attacks are possible while standing or lying on the floor. No way for gouging and head butting, biting and pulling hair. When canons are violated, a warning is issued and points are deducted. Cases of disqualification are frequent too.

The Appearance of Women in MMA

Mixed Martial Arts were treated like only-for-men kinds of the sport until the 1990s when the very first female competition was documented in Japan. The very first recorded competition in the States was on March 28, 1997, and not just won great popularity but also made promoters look for more women willing to join.

IMMAF

It stands for the International Federation which appeared in 2012 in Sweden. The organization was launched in order to make sure this kind of sport keeps developing. The representatives of the IMMAF act as a global body for amateur MMA. Today it includes over forty national Mixed Martial Arts federations. The prime aim of the body is to secure the presence of MMA on the Olympics.  

The idea of mixed-style spread all over the world and won its audience with amazing speed. Participants learn from their opponents all the time, adding something new and unpredictable to their own techniques. Some may call this sport too cruel and bloody, others — non-interesting. It is a matter of taste. Yet still, it survived centuries and let those, who focused on a single martial art, develop further. These things make it exceptional.

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References

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  4. Donohue J., Taylor K.(1994) The classification of the fighting arts. Journal of Asian Martial Arts3(4), 10-37.
  5. Gernigon C., Le Bars H.(2000) Achievement goals in aikido and judo: a comparative study among beginner and experienced practitioners. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology 12(2), 168-179.
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  7. Matsumoto D., Konno J.(2005) The relationship between adolescents’ participation in judo, quality of life, and life satisfaction. Research Journal of Budo 38(1), 13-26 (In Japanese).
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