Mixed Martial Arts(MMA) is everything including boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, tae Kwan do, ju-jitsu, and muy Thai kickboxing. Mixed martial arts are simply a combination of every combat sport. Originally, mixed martial arts were designed as a way to determine which one fighting technique is the best. Since MMA was originally created it has evolved into so much more. It has proven that, today, there is no ONE best fighting style. Instead, it is better to have a well rounded fighting style consisting of different techniques to protect yourself in any given situation of a fight.

There are many people who lack an understanding of what MMA is and claim it is people brutally beating people and nothing else. People claim it is a place for someone to come get drunk and watch legal violence. MMA is often referred to as “human cockfighting”. But, there is more to MMA.

Each fighter knows the risks of what can happen coming into a fight unprepared. Training is essential to be a fighter. Fighters spend hours a day training to best protect themselves from injury. Everyone has a breaking point. Through months and hours of training for a fight, fighters know their breaking point. If a fighter feels he/she is endangered, they know to tap out or submit.

I often hear people say that Cage fighting is unsafe and people can die. But, in doing research I discovered that the total number of deaths from cage fight, Mixed Martial Arts, since it was introduced to the United States in 1993, is zero. No one has ever died from a sanctioned cage fight in the U.S. There has been one recorded death in MMA which, happened outside of the U.S. and was not a sanctioned MMA event.

Boxing, however, averages nearly 11 deaths a year and has a total of 1,326 recorded deaths before April 2006. Also, in boxing a fighter can literally be knocked out and continue fighting. Allowing a boxer to continue fighting after being knocked out leaves him/her subject to being knocked out again shortly after the first knockout, which causes serious damage to a person’s brain and body.

If a person in a MMA fight is knocked out, the fight is immediately stopped and several ringside doctors enter the cage and tend to the fighter to best keep him protected. If a fighter feels he is in danger, a fighter has the option to say “I quit” or tap out in order to protect himself.

Parents want their children to look up to someone who has respect and is disciplined and will be a good influence to their child. Fighters do not hate each other or down talk each other. Before fights it is not uncommon for fighters to touch gloves and wish each other luck. After fights, fighters shake hands and tell each other good job and are friends afterwards.

Fighters want to be in the best of health and give up much to accomplish that health. Mixed Martial Artist are great role models for children because they don’t do drugs, show respect to people and each other, and are very disciplined and goal orientated.

MMA is more than “human cockfighting.” it is a combination of discipline, fitness, and talent.