Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has come a long way since the formation of the UFC back in 1993.

1. MMA equipment

2. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has come a
long way since the formation of the UFC
back in 1993. While modern day MMA
comes from pro wrestling roots in Japan
and Ancient Greek Pankration, it’s hard
to separate from Ironman tournaments
or unsanctioned street fights and as
such, early UFC events were notable for
their lack of rules and safety features.

3. One famous example of this is Art
Jimmerson who at UFC 1 fought with one
glove and one bare hand as he wasn’t
sure what to expect.
Of course, there is also the infamous UFC
4 bout between Joe Son and Keith
Hackney where the two men traded legal
groin punches which made every man
watching cringe and cross their legs.

4. Nowadays, rules have been introduced to
standardise competition across America
and the world.
It would be very hard to find a pro MMA
event where the fighters weren’t wearing
4oz gloves and a gum shield, for
example.

5. Each bout is observed by a fully trained
referee and if no man can finish the bout
by submission, knock out or stoppage a
panel of three trained judges will decide
the winner based on a set criteria.
Quite a difference from the likes of Royce
Gracie’s PRIDE Grand Prix Final bout in
2000 when his bout with Kazushi
Sakuraba lasted 90 minutes!

6. It isn’t only what the audience sees that
has undergone drastic changes. While
some of the early competitors were
trained in one martial art, many were
simply “tough men” or street fighters.
Modern day mixed martial artists are
some of the most finely tuned athletic
machines on the planet.

7. A professional will train in a range of
martial arts but typically these will be a
combination of Boxing, Muay Thai, Judo,
Brazilian Jui Jitsu (BJJ) and Wrestling.
This means that the modern day mixed
martial artist is fully prepared for
whatever is opposite them in the cage. It
also means they must be fully prepared
for training.

8. Standard training equipment has evolved
to include a kit bag full of equipment for
multiple daily training sessions a
professional will undertake. While 4oz
fight gloves and hand wraps are
standard, it’s also common to see
heavier gloves for training and sparring,
typically a heavier pair of MMA sparring
gloves and a pair of boxing gloves for
bag and pad work. For kickboxing or
Muay Thai, they will need shin guards
and a head guard.

9. Grappling could be done noGi, with the
fighters wearing a t-shirt or a rashguard,
but if the Judo or BJJ class is traditional
they will insist on wearing a Gi.

10. When you may have a Muay Thai lesson
in the morning, strength and conditioning
in the afternoon and grappling class in
the evening, you’d better be prepared
with the correct safety equipment!
Checkout http://www.mmashop.dk for
best equipment at low prices.

11. MMA may have changed over the years
to make it safer and more exciting for
the fans, but it still remains one of the
toughest sports in the world, and its
popularity is only rising.
Read more about MMA Udstyr.