By This is a question that many young people are asking, especially here in the UK, where MMA has quickly become a household name, alongside UFC and Conor McGregor. Of course, the giveaway is the name and if you wondered exactly which martial arts are combined to create MMA, you’ve come to the right place.
Muay Thai
Thai boxing is a brutal sport, where the pugilist uses fists, elbows, knees and feet to defeat the opponent. Striking, kicking, blocking and the use of elbows when in close and the knees are also a heavy weapon. Muay Thai is strictly an upright combat sport and as soon as one fighter hits the canvas, he is allowed to get up and continue. Clinching is a major aspect of Muay Thai, which shot to global prominence in the 1990s, with several European Muay Thai champions. Thailand is the home of Muay Thai, a 17th century discipline created by warriors who fought valiantly with the Burmese and as the world developed, Muay Thai enjoyed worldwide popularity.
Brazilian Jui Jitsu
This is a ground-based martial art that includes grappling and submission holds and with Brazilian Jiu jitsu in Reading at the MMA gym, you can explore the potential of this judo-like discipline, which is a major part of MMA. Developed in the early twentieth century by two Brazilian brothers, Jui Jitsu was a combination of the Brazilian and Japanese disciplines and it grew in popularity. There are many holds and ways to force a submission (tap out) and the MMA instructor would have a good grounding in BJJ, which they would teach you as one aspect of MMA.
Boxing
The western style of boxing that we’re all familiar with is incorporated into MMA; jabs, hooks, uppercuts and body shots are all scoring in the cage. Some MMA fighters are exceptional strikers and prefer to avoid take-downs, as their ground game is not as strong as their striking, while other fighters try to get the opponent to the ground, where they can work towards a submission. Some pro boxers are attracted into MMA and they learn the ground game and make the transition; without a ground game, you would not last long, one take-down and a tap-out is on the cards.
Wrestling
Grappling is a major aspect of MMA and some of the best MMA fighters started out as college wrestlers, who went on to UFC World Champions. Wrestling is all about shifting the body weight and using an opponent’s strength and size to defeat him or her. This is a ground and stand-up discipline and all the techniques are used in the octagon; the east European nations are producing some great wrestlers, who end up as MMA world champions.
If you would like to check out the atmosphere in your local MMA gym, drop by during opening hours and have a chat with one of the MMA instructors.
