A Beginner’s Guide To MMA: Everything You Need To Know
For the last three decades, Mixed martial arts is the fastest-growing sport in the world.
Over the last three decades, it has overtaken boxing in many cultures as the number
one combat sport.
With that said, there are many people who still ask, “What is MMA?” So, if you fit that
demographic, we’ll get you up to speed.
There’s plenty to know about MMA. From the disciplines involved to how contests are
managed. So if you’re asking what is MMA, here’s everything you need to know.
The Foundations of MMA
As a sport, MMA introduced itself to fans worldwide in 1993 when the UFC came to
light. But the foundations of MMA date back a lot further.
The sport’s roots date back to ancient China, where the combat sport of Leitai was
developed. It combined Chinese martial arts, boxing and wrestling – similar to ancient
Greece’s art of Pankration, which blended Olympic wrestling and boxing, as well as
palm strikes.
However, rounds were not utilised, and fighters would compete until one of them
submitted or refused to continue. Throughout time, many variations of the sport evolved
to what we know as MMA in modern times, which consists of boxing, kickboxing,
wrestling, and jiu-jitsu inside an eight-sided cage – known to fans as the Octagon.
How Long Do Fights Last?
In professional MMA, each bout has three rounds, with each round lasting five minutes
as standard. In a world championship bout, the match will be contested over five
rounds, each lasting five minutes.
Should the competitors use all rounds, the three judges at ringside will add up their
scorecards to determine a winner. This can come by either unanimous decision, which
sees all judges agreeing. A split-decision takes place when two judges favour one
combatant, with a lone judge scoring it in the opposite direction.
Meanwhile, a majority decision can take place when two judges pick a winner, and the
third judge declares it a draw.
There are also very rare outcomes in unanimous draws, split draws, and a technical
decision. Those can occur if the fight is stopped due to an accidental foul following the
completion of sufficient rounds.
What Are The Rules?
In the modern sport of MMA, fighters wear four-ounce gloves that enable them to punch
and grapple. Athletes are not allowed to headbutt, eye gouge or kick to the groin. If
opponents are poked in the eye, they are given a chance by the referee to restore their
vision.
Depending on the severity of the situation, the offender is either warned or a point will
be taken from their score.
If a low blow occurs, fighters are given an uninterrupted slot of five minutes to recover
from the offence.
The most recent rule change came on 1st November 2024, stating that a fighter shall be
considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part
of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the ground.
Are There Weight Classes?
Weight classes in mixed martial arts have evolved greatly since their early days. In the
90s, there were no weight classes. Each bout was contested under ‘openweight’ rules.
But times have changed since then.
For men, it begins with the lowest weight category: atomweight. That consists of a
weight limit of 48.9kg/105lbs. However, it is a rarely seen category in the sport. But it
has been used throughout Asia’s fighting ranks.
Technically speaking, strawweight (115lbs/52.2kg) is next on the list, but is mostly
reserved for female athletes and not something seen in Western MMA.
From there, the most prominent division for men is flyweight (125lbs/56.7kg), which was
officially recognised in 2012.
The weight limit for bantamweight comes in at 135lbs/61.2kg, and featherweight is
145lbs/65.8 kg. Lightweight is 155lbs/70.3 kg.
Welterweight is 170lbs/77kg. Middleweight is 185lbs/84kg. Light-heavyweight is
205lbs/93kg. Lastly, heavyweight starts from 93.4kg/206lbs and ends at 120kg/265lbs.
How To Win An MMA Fight:
There are also multiple ways to win, which is what makes MMA one of the most
exhilarating sports in the world!
As aforementioned, firstly, there are decisions. These take place after all rounds have
been spent, calling the judges scorecards into action to determine a winner.
More excitingly, fighters can win by knockout. This takes place when an opponent is
rendered unconscious from a strike, which can take place either on the feet or on the
ground.
There is also a technical knockout (TKO) method, which occurs when a battler has
taken damage to the point that they are no longer intelligently defending themselves
and is a call made at the discretion of the referee or corner team. This, too, can take
place on the feet or the ground.
In addition, a submission victory occurs when an opponent is forced to tap out or submit
to a hold. This can range from a rear-naked choke to an arm bar and ends the bout
when the opponent taps the mat or gives a verbal signal to the referee.
Finally, the bout can end due to a disqualification for a variety of reasons. It can be due
to consistent illegal strikes like the back of the head or groin, or from being slammed on
the top of their head. If a fighter is unable to continue, the referee’s discretion will see
the bout ended by disqualification or ruled as a no-contest if accidental.
