The term MMA has gained a lot of popularity over the past couple of decades, and its synonymity with the UFC is also no secret. Over the years, this sport has grown to become one of the most-watched fighting sports in the world, producing multiple stars across various weight classes, with the likes of Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor becoming household names.
With that in mind, knowing the difference between the two is pretty important, because you’d not only be able to follow with a solid foundation in what each sport offers, but if you plan on betting on either of them, you’ll know what to look out for. And, speaking of placing wagers, you can learn more about new no deposit NZ casinos and other bonus offers by dedicating some time to research.
If you’re still not sure what the differences are, we hope this simple guide will allow you to understand the overlaps and differences between these two combat sports – here’s how to never mix them up again.
What is MMA?
The term MMA stands for mixed martial arts and is essentially a full-contact combat sport that allows the use of both grappling and striking techniques – both when standing as well as while on the ground. The rules of MMA have been specifically designed to allow fighters to make use of a vast range of techniques and tactics to defeat their opponents. Fighters are also able to use techniques such as kicks, punches, elbows, knees, and even takedowns to gain competitive advantage over their adversaries.
What Is The UFC?
UFC stands for Ultimate Fighting Championship and represents the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that’s currently based in the US. Its sheer size and massive following have been instrumental to the growth and popularity of mixed martial arts fighting as an official sport. Founded back in 1993 and steadily rising to global phenomenon status, today UFC events are held pretty much all over the world.
Apart from helping MMA establish several rules and regulations within the sport, this organization has also been responsible for bringing some of the world’s best fighters to the forefront of this beloved sport. Today, the UFC includes several weight classes for both male and female fighters, with combatants invited to compete in their respective weight and gender category depending on their size and level of expertise.
Generally speaking, UFC and MMA are often used interchangeably, however it’s important to realize that they are not the same thing – MMA is the sport, while UFC is the company that organizes and promotes fights.
Exploring the Foundations
Before the UFC even existed, there were several mixed martial arts organizations in place. The two most popular ones included Vale Tudo in Brazil, which was eventually overshadowed by Japanese shoot wrestling shows and the Gracie Jiu Jitsu clan. Even though both entities proved incredibly popular in their respective countries, none of them appeared to have what it takes to take over the US market.
Fast forward to 1993 and we’ve got the UFC pushing MMA fights to the next level. The first UFC promotion was created as a one-off competition in the attempt to determine which was the most effective martial art, with fighters taking on different styles such as Taekwondo, Karate, Muay Thai, Wrestling and Brazlian Jui Jitsu amongst others. This first event was won by Royce Gracie who impressed spectators with a brilliant display of Brazilian Jui Jitsu to defeat his opponents, even though some of them happened to be double his size.
Due to its instant popularity, UFC promoters decided to launch a series of events, with Gracie winning the first three out of five. Since then, the collaboration between the two has grown from strength to strength and today the UFC represents the biggest MMA organization, attracting talent from across the globe.
How the UFC Influenced MMA
In the beginning, MMA simply meant one style of fighter pitted directly against another. For this reason, you might have had a wrestler or Karate fighter competing against someone skilled in Judo or Taekwondo for example. However, over the years, as the UFC continued to develop it became clear that one style alone would never be effective enough to guarantee constant wins – and it’s exactly at this point that MMA changed forever.
Today, instead of having two fighters experienced in individual martial arts fighting each other, UFC fighters are trained to fight using various techniques from different sports, with strikers working on becoming better grapplers and vice versa. This implies that MMA competitions are no longer a mix of martial artists pitted against each other, but rather a unique cross-training sport that’s developed its own unique style incorporating a combination derived from various disciplines.
What Does the Future Look Like for the UFC?
It’s hard to imagine modern MMA without the inclusion of UFC, and while mixed martial arts may still officially exist as a combat sport, it’s highly unlikely that it will ever reach the same level of professionalism and global popularity without the UFC.
Originally regarded as extremely dangerous and violent with critics dubbing these matches as ‘human cockfights’, the UFC has left its indelible mark on the sport with the introduction of weight classes and other regulations that finally made MMA acceptable to mainstream audiences and, more importantly, athletic commissions.
Today, the UFC is constantly developing new training gyms, fight centers and leagues with viewership rivalling boxing, positioning it as one of the most popular combat sports of all time. As fans consistently flock to get hold of UFC tickets or catch up on the latest fights via the UFC’s pay-per-view channel, there’s no doubt that the UFC will continue to grow and prosper in the years to come.
