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com/MMA 1
 Introduction

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a sport that has influences originating in ancient Greece and has
been making a revival since 1993 in the United States. The influences and history of this sport
are far reaching across the globe; from Eastern Europe to South America, a variety of different
martial arts have combined to form what we know today as MMA. The Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) propelled this lesser-known sport into the mainstream in 1993 when Royce
Gracie won the first title. Since then, MMA has become an extremely popular sport; the intense
skill involved appeals to anyone with a martial arts, wrestling, or boxing background—or even
those who have no background whatsoever. MMA combines a plethora of techniques from
almost all different martial arts disciplines in order to create an impressive set of skills for
competition.

Fighters usually come from a background of wrestling, boxing, or a variety of martial arts. They
then train in other disciplines in order to develop their skill set to be competitive in an MMA match.
Since MMA basically takes the best skills from a large number of martial arts, fighters pick and
choose the techniques they use and can keep the sport entertaining because all fighters have
different strengths and weaknesses. This sport allows anyone, even if he does not have a
background in anything, to train and compete in a match.

There are two basic techniques for fighting in an MMA competition; both will be explained
thoroughly in this book. Grappling and striking are the two main components of an MMA
competition—at any given time, both of the fighters are doing one of these actions. Grappling
consists more of holding and controlling the opponent, and striking consists of the punches and
kicks delivered. Knowledge of both of these techniques is required for becoming a competitive
MMA fighter. Both grappling and striking techniques are borrowed from a variety of martial arts,
so it really depends on the background of the fighter as to which one of these they are better at
performing. The development of a fight strategy depends on the strength of the fighter’s
grappling or striking skills.

There are four basic strategies in MMA competition, and all of them highlight a certain skill.
There are strategies for fighters who are better-versed in ground fighting, and there are some for
fighters who have a better stand-up game. Again, the strategy usually depends on the fighter’s
background—if a fighter has more of a wrestling background, then his strategy is going to be to
get his opponent on the ground. For fighters with a boxing background, their strategy is going to
avoid the ground and keep the match in a stand-up position.

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The rules for MMA matches have a history themselves; the first UFC matches had minimal rules,
but after several competitions, problems began arising, and thus the “Unified Rules of Mixed
Martial Arts” was formed. This set of rules is the most prevalent in MMA competitions today, but
there are some slight variations found depending on the organization and region of competition.

Training for MMA is intense and very demanding. In order to be competitive, mastery of many
skills is necessary. Training for competition includes both physical and mental preparation. The
physical development of strength, speed, power, stamina, flexibility, and agility are crucial to
achieving victory in the ring. There are many ways to go about training for an MMA competition,
but the same areas need to be developed for each fighter, and many of the same exercises will
be used.

MMA is a complicated and intense sport, but has developed quite a following world-wide,
especially in the United States. More training centers are forming on a continual basis due to the
increased interest in this sport. Even for those who do not want to compete, this sport is great for
getting in shape and developing some great techniques for fighting.

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 Chapter One
History and Influences

The first influence of what is now today considered MMA was the Greek pankration. The word
“pankration” stems from “pan,” which means “all” and “kratos,” which means “strength” or “power.”
The Greeks competed in this sport dating back as far as 648 B.C. in the Olympic Games.
Pankration was an unarmed combat sport with minimal rules and combined skill sets of wrestling
and boxing. Pankration was also used in ancient times as a form of combat training for Greek
soldiers—if soldiers were well trained in pankration, they would be a stronger force against almost
any opponent. Boxing and wrestling were blended together to make a more entertaining
competition, where the only two rules were no eye-gouging and no biting, and most fights were
won after one of the opponents submitted or died. The extreme violence of pankration led to its
eventual abolishment in 393 A.D. by Christian Byzantine Emperor Theodosius I. Pankration did
th
not re-emerge until the late 20 century by Demetrios “Jim” Arvantis. Arvantis took the sports of
Western boxing and wrestling, combat judo, and muay thai and combined techniques to
modernize the sport of pankration. Due to the popularity of MMA now, pankration has begun
resurfacing, and there has been mention of adding it as a sport in the Olympic Games. It was not
approved for the 2004 Olympic Games for logistical reasons, but there is still hope that it will be
included in future Olympic Games.

The next wave came in 326 B.C. when Asian marital arts were introduced. There was a heavy
influence from India on Asian martial arts; this time period for the sport also included a variety of
mixed style matches, which influenced the sport of MMA to develop like it has.

Fast-forward about 1500 years and you will find yourself in 1887, where the first major encounter
between a boxer (John Sullivan) and a wrestler (William Muldoon) took place. This fight ended
with Sullivan being defeated in two minutes by Muldoon. Many of these types of fights were
occurring in the late 1800s and definitely influenced MMA to be a competition of different styles
and techniques. The Sullivan/Muldoon fight also allowed fighters to see that in order to compete
against someone from a different background, some knowledge of the opponent’s background
was necessary.

Bartitsu was developed by Edward William Barton-Wright in London around the late 1800s after
he authored a series of articles entitled “New Art of Self Defence [sic].” Barton-Wright used a
combination of techniques from several different martial arts, and Bartitsu was actually the first
martial art to combine Asian and European fighting styles. Barton-Wright formed his own school
where students could come and learn all of the techniques for fighting Bartitsu. He did not know it

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at the time, but he was actually cross-training his students across a variety of disciplines.
Modern-day cross-training is extremely difficult, but competitors who can achieve this are often
unmatched.

The early 1900s saw many mixed style contests (usually boxing v. jujutsu) throughout Japan,
Europe, and the Pacific Rim. Professional wrestling died out after World War I, and was reborn
into two streams: “shoot” wrestling and “show” wrestling. Shoot wrestling has a long history itself,
beginning with Karl Istaz in the 1970s and ending in modern times. Shoot wrestling was
influenced in the beginning by freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, and catch wresting,
and ended with karate, muay thai, and judo. Istaz taught catch wrestling to quite a few students,
one of whom was Antonio Inoki. Inoki hosted a series of MMA matches in Japan that used shoot-
style wrestling. His matches then led to the first mixed martial arts organizations formed in the
1980s. Inoki was definitely an important part of the development of MMA.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu is another discipline that heavily influenced MMA. The Gracie family story brings
along the re-emergence of mixed martial arts in Brazil. In 1925, the Gracie family opened up a
jiu-jitsu studio and trained hard for matches. One of the brothers, Carlos Gracie, began the
“Gracie challenge,” which was nothing more than an ad in a newspaper encouraging anyone to
try and beat him in a fight. These matches were held vale tudo style, which is basically a fight in
which there are absolutely no rules. The Gracie family rose to a popular status in Brazil due to
these vale tudo matches and the Gracie challenge. The martial art that the Gracies developed is
known as Brazilian jiu-jitsu or Gracie jiu-jitsu. Rorion Gracie came to the United States in the
early 1980s to teach Brazilian jiu-jistu in California. He issued his own “Gracie challenge” in
which he offered $100,000 to anyone who could beat him or one of his brothers in a vale tudo
match. This led to the development of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the emergence of
the sport of MMA as we know it today. The UFC propelled MMA into the mainstream, and made
the sport extremely popular. Royce Gracie actually won the first UFC title and sparked interest in
a very little-known sport. The UFC has done wonders for both the sport of MMA and the interest
surrounding it. The 2006 matchup between UFC fighters Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz broke all
pay-per-view (PPV) sales records and still draws in an extremely large PPV crowd per fight.

The last major influence on both the popularity of MMA and the development of the sport is Bruce
Lee. Bruce Lee is called the father of mixed martial arts because of his ability to adapt to many
different styles. His emergence in the 1960s and 1970s increased awareness of this developing
sport. Lee took the best techniques from the sports of boxing, karate, fencing, jiu-jitsu, and
wrestling, and formed them into a mixed martial art. Lee made popular the sport that we know
today through his status as an actor and a master of martial arts.

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 Chapter Two
Techniques

As stated in the introduction, there are two basic techniques used in MMA. Grappling is the
gripping, handling, and controlling of an opponent, and striking is the punching, kicking, or
kneeing of an opponent. Before major rules were established, head butting was also considered
a strike, but that has since been banned.

Grappling

Grappling is essentially a variety of takedowns, throws, holds, and joint locks. Fighters with a
strong background in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, or wrestling tend to succeed with this technique.
Grappling can be applied either in the stand-up position or the ground position, and the fighter’s
strength in either of these positions depends on his martial arts background. Grappling can be
used in an offensive or defensive manner, depending on what maneuvers an opponent is using.

Stand-up grappling is also known as clinching. Offensive stand-up grappling includes submission
holds, takedowns, and throws. All of these techniques can be used to move the fight to the
ground or cause damage to the opponent. Defensive stand-up grappling includes techniques that
allow for the escape of offensive grappling holds.

Ground grappling is similar to stand-up grappling, but all techniques are performed on the ground.
A dominant (top) position is desired, and grappling techniques are used by each competitor to
achieve the dominant position. The dominant position on the ground definitely gives a fighter a
huge advantage, unless the opponent is well-trained in escaping grappling holds. A dominant
position on the ground can leave the bottom opponent open for strikes or a submission hold,
which can win the match for the fighter. Some fighters who are experienced in grappling prefer
the bottom position, because they are much better at escaping the holds than executing them. It
depends on the fighter, but these are all items that come into play when developing a fight
strategy, which will be explained later.

Takedowns
• Leg trip
The leg trip is a technique where a fighter uses his legs to off-balance his opponent,
causing his opponent to fall to the ground.
• Single leg takedown
A single leg takedown is a technique when the fighter grabs one of the legs of his

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 opponents and uses this position to force him on the ground. Once the leg is grabbed,
the fighter can use the rest of his body to force his opponent down.
• Double leg takedown
This maneuver is similar to the single leg takedown; however, both legs are grabbed and
the fighter forces his opponent to the ground.

Throws
• Shoulder throws
The shoulder throw results in the opponent bring thrown over the shoulder of the fighter.
The fighter will grab the arms of the opponent behind him and throw him forward over his
shoulder.
• Leg throws
Leg throws include reaps and trips (see takedowns). A leg reap is where the fighter will
use one of his legs to sweep his opponents legs off the ground, causing him to fall over.
• Hip throws
Hip throws involve the use of the fighter’s hip as a pivot point. If a fighter can get his hip
into a position that is lower than his opponent’s center of gravity, then the opponent can
be easily thrown.
• Sacrifice throws
This throw is perhaps the most risky in any competition, because it involves the fighter
putting himself on the ground in order to execute. When executed, the fighter uses the
momentum of his falling body to propel his opponent forward and over the fighter’s head;
the fighter uses his leg in his opponent’s stomach to facilitate the throwing motion.
• Pick-ups
Pick-ups are self-explanatory, in that they involve the fighter picking up his opponent
before he is taken down. The double leg takedown can be considered a pick-up if the
fighter picks up his opponent’s legs before taking him down.

Holds

There are two main types of holds that can be executed. The air choke is delivered by
compressing the upper airway. This subsequently leads to difficulty breathing, and a fighter
usually submit if an air hold is used because of the pain is causes. The other type of hold is the
blood choke, where pressure is delivered to one or both of the carotid arteries, or the jugular vein.
Executed correctly, a blood choke will result in unconsciousness in an opponent. Death rarely
occurs, but is possible. Several different hold techniques are outlined below.

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 • Leg triangle choke
Opponent’s neck is trapped by using his own arm and the fighter’s thigh and calf. This
hold is applied from below.
• Arm triangle choke
Same as the leg triangle choke, with the use of the fighter’s arms instead of his legs.
• Guillotine choke
Fighter holds the opponent’s neck in the crook of his elbow. This is executed in front of
and above the opponent.
• Rear naked choke
This choke hold is complicated in nature, but commonly used in practice. This is applied
from behind the opponent. First, the fighter loops his arm around his opponent’s head so
that the crook of the elbow is under the opponent’s chin. The other hand is then placed
on the back of the opponent’s head and pushes the head forward into the crook of the
flexed arm.

Compression Locks (Pain Compliance Holds)

• Achilles lock
This lock involves pressing the Achilles tendon into the back of the ankle or lower leg
using a forearm. This will cause a great deal of pain to the opponent, and often creates
an ankle lock of that joint (see joint locks below).
• Biceps slicer
This maneuver involves pressing the biceps into the upper arm, or humerus. This can be
executed by using a leg or and an arm.
• Leg slicer
This is similar to the biceps slicer and can be delivered on the calf or the thigh of the
opponent using a leg or an arm.

Joint Locks (Arm, Leg, Spinal, and Wrist)

• Armbar
The armbar is a joint lock that hyperextends the elbow. It is executed by putting the
opponent’s extended arm over a fulcrum, such as a leg, arm, or hip and extending the
elbow.
• Juji-gatame
Juji-gatame is very similar to the arm bar, but the wrist is secured and the opponent’s arm
is brought between the fighter’s thighs. The fighter then has control and can apply more
pressure to the elbow joint by arching his hips.

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 • Flying armbar
This maneuver is simply the juji-gatame applied from a stand-up position. It is not often
executed because of the risk of losing the dominant position when the fighter and the
opponent falls to the ground.
• Keylock
The keylock move is where the fighter will take his opponent’s forearm and use it to twist
the arm from side to side, much like a key does in a lock. This can also be considered a
shoulder lock because pressure can be applied to the shoulder, but the elbow can also
be locked using this maneuver.
• Hammerlock
The hammer lock is a shoulder lock pain compliance hold. The opponent’s arm is bent
against his back and his hand is forced upward towards the neck. This applies
pressure to the shoulder joint.
• Kneebar
The knee bar is executed in the same manner as the juji-gatame, with the knee and leg
being placed between the fighter’s thighs.
• Straight ankle lock
In order to perform this maneuver, the fighter must isolate one of the opponent’s legs.
The foot on the isolated leg is then put in the fighter’s armpit, and the leg is held by
placing a forearm at the opponent’s calf. This puts considerable pressure on the Achilles
tendon, and for this reason is sometimes referred to as an Achilles lock.
• Heel hook
A heel hook locks up a number of joints in the leg. This lock leads to a high number of
injuries because of the torque inflicted on the ankle and the knee. The most common
heel hook is executed by placing the legs around the leg of an opponent and holding the
opponent’s foot in the armpit of the same side. The opponent’s foot is twisted to the side
by using the heel, which is held in place by the fighter’s forearm.
• Can opener
This is a neck crank move designed to force the opponent’s head forward to his chest.
The hands are used to grab the opponent’s head and push it down towards his chest.
• Cattle catch
The cattle catch involves gaining control of the opponent’s hands and forcing the head
towards his chest. This move is performed when the opponent is on his back and the
fighter is face-down on his knees perpendicularly. The opponent’s head should end up in
the fighter’s armpit, with the legs controlling (pinning) one of the arms, and the fighter’s
arms pinning the other. This move is often referred to as the crucifix.

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 • Twister
The twister is a move that forces the head towards the shoulder while the rest of the body
is controlled.
• Spine crank
Spine cranks are difficult to apply, as they require twisting or bending the opponent’s
body to result in hyperextension, hyper rotation, or hyper flexion of the spine.
• Rotational wristlock
This wristlock is delivered by grabbing and rotating the hand. The wrist does not rotate,
so the pressure is applied at the radioulnar joint.
• Supinating wristlock
The supinating wristlock involves the hand being grabbed and turned away from the
opponent so the thumb points away from the opponent. Performed in a stand-up
position, this lock can be used to force an opponent on his back. It is one of the most
commonly used joint locks in competition.
• Pronating wristlock
The pronating wristlock is the reverse of the supinating wristlock. Instead of the hand
being rotated outward, it is rotated inward causing a lock on the wrist and the radioulnar
joint.
• Hyperflexing wristlock
This wristlock is performed by taking the opponent’s hand and forcing it towards his
forearm. The hyperflexing wristlock is usually used in conjunction with another wristlock,
since the hyperflexion facilitates easy twisting. This is also a pain-compliance hold
because of the amount of pressure applied at the wrist.
• Adductive wristlock
This wristlock is delivered by forcing an ulnar deviation of the hand. The opponent’s arm
is twisted so the palm is pointing laterally and the elbow is slightly bent. Then, the hand
is forced downward, reaching ulnar deviation and creating a wristlock.

Striking

Striking includes all punches, kicks, and knees. Moves from all three of these categories will be
described. Allowed striking includes strikes that use the fist, palm, elbow (except downward
motion; see chapter three), knee, and foot.

Hand strikes
• Knife hand (karate chop)
This maneuver is used both for blocking and striking. Targets for this strike include the

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 neck, jugular, collar bones, upper arm, wrist, elbow, and knee cap. This move uses the
outer edge of the hand to deliver a blow.
• Ridge hand (reverse knife hand)
The ridge hand is similar to the karate chop, but the thumb is tucked into the palm and
the inside edge of the hand is used instead of the outside. Targets include neck, jugular,
nose, and jaw.
• Spear hand
This is executed by essentially punching with an open hand, using the fingertips to deliver
the blow. This maneuver is not used very often because of the high potential for broken
fingers.
• Hammer fist
The hammer fist is delivered with the bottom of a clenched fist. This can cause a lot of
damage when executed correctly. Targets include temples, nose, jaw, wrist, and
sternum. The hammer fist is often used in the ground-and-pound fight strategy, which
will be explained in chapter four.

Knee Strikes
• Straight knee strike
This move uses the front of the knee to deliver the blow to the head or body of the
opponent. Targets include the head, hips, ribs, stomach, and thighs.
• Curved knee strike
The curved knee strike is similar to the front knee strike, except for the fact that it is
rotated from the outside instead of the front. Targets include floating (lower) ribs, hips,
and side of abdomen.
• Flying knee strike
This maneuver is also called the jumping knee, and is executed by rushing the opponent,
jumping, and delivering a knee to a part of the body. This move works best when the
opponent is off-balance, and has been used to deliver knockouts in UFC fighting.

Kicks (Leg/foot strikes)

• Side kick
This is a kick that is delivered sideways one of two ways. It can be delivered by bending
the knee and kicking outward, or by holding the leg out straight and pivoting the body.
The heel can be used to deliver a blow to the ribs, stomach, jaw, or chest, and the outer
edge of the foot can be used to deliver a strike to the knee or neck.
• Back kick
This kick uses the heel to strike just about any part of the opponent’s body. It is executed

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 by keeping the kicking leg close to the standing leg, bending the knee, and pushing the
leg outward. It is usually delivered with a spin, making the blow much more powerful.
• Reverse side kick
This kick is similar to the back kick, but is delivered with more spin in the hips. The heel
or the outer edge of the foot can be used to deliver the strike.
• Axe kick
The axe kick is also called the hammer kick because the leg comes down on the
opponent, much like an axe or hammer would on its target. The foot moves in an arc,
either clockwise or counterclockwise, and delivers the strike on the opponent’s body.
• Butterfly kick
This kick is considered a signature martial arts kick. The butterfly kick uses both feet in a
large circular motion to deliver the strike. There are many different variations of this kick,
and all use the speed and the power of the leg to deliver quite a blow.
• Calf kick
This is a simple kick that uses the backside of the calf to deliver the strike. This can be
effective as a sweep technique when trying to knock the opponent on the ground.
• Crescent kick
In this kick, the leg is held in the position of a front kick, but the knee is pointed to the left
or right of the target. To execute, the leg is whipped into an arc and hits the intended
target from the side. The inward crescent kick uses the instep to deliver the strike, while
the outward crescent kick uses the outside edge of the leg to deliver the strike.
• Hook kick
The hook kick uses the heel from the side to deliver the strike. Its execution is similar to
the side kick, but the kick is aimed off target.
• Twist kick
The twist kick begins like the front kick, but the heel moves towards the center of the
body and is directed outward to a target on the side, not directly ahead.
• Roundhouse
This strike is delivered with the top of the foot. The fighter swings his leg sideways in a
circular motion to strike.
• Reverse roundhouse
This kick uses the heel for striking; the kicking leg comes from around the kicker’s back,
with the leg remaining straight. This kick can be varied and delivered at low, middle, and
high heights.
• Flying kick
This kick can be any kick that is delivered with a running head start and a jump. All of the
above kicks can be developed into flying kicks for more damage infliction.

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 • Scissor kick
The scissor kick got its name because of the use of both legs in a scissor-like manner to
grab the opponent’s head or body for a takedown.
• Vertical kick
The vertical kick uses the outside edge of the foot for the strike. The knee is brought
forward and across the chest—the strike is delivered by swinging the hips while
extending the kicking leg outward.
• Multiple kick
This kick is simply the execution of several kicks performed in succession. It could be the
same kick performed several times, or several different kicks performed in succession.

Both grappling and striking are complicated techniques to learn and master for MMA competition.
The mastery of both of these skills is preferred, but often not achieved due to the large amount of
learning required. These two techniques cannot be learned halfway—complete mastery is
required to be a competitive fighter. Most fighters will master several grappling techniques and
several striking techniques in order to have a combination of skills to use in the ring. However,
some fighters prefer to excel in their discipline and use that skill set entirely to compete. Cross-
training across several disciplines is very difficult, and not often achieved. More often than not, a
fighter will stick to his discipline when it comes to mastering techniques. The majority of martial
arts disciplines use a combination of grappling and striking in competition, so for MMA, the fighter
simply has to work on fine-tuning his skill set.

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 Chapter Three
Rules

An understanding of the rules is necessary to understand the fighting strategies outlined in the
next chapter. Rules for MMA fighting evolved over several years and became the “Unified Rules
of Mixed Marital Arts.” These rules have been adopted by many organizations and gaming
commissions, including the UFC. Before these rules were established, MMA fighting was viewed
as extremely violent and barbaric. Organizations wanted to get away from the vale tudo way of
fighting, where there are a minimal number of rules, into a more structured way of fighting to
protect the health of the fighters as well as the integrity of the sport. The rules evolved over time,
as more and more matches were fought. For instance, weight classes emerged because as
knowledge of submission spread, weight became an issue. A 400-pound man fighting a 200-
pound man was not an even match with the knowledge of submission holds. Head butts were not
initially excluded, but after several fights resulted in bloody messes due to a head strike, head
butts were prohibited. UFC set many pay-per-view records, and still continues to. In the early
days of UFC, there were no time limits on the matches, so live televised events were a question
mark, because it could take any amount of time to complete the fight. The time limits also
prevent long fights and promote the skill of the fighters, and not just their endurance. This
chapter will outline the general rules, the ways to win a match, and a list of common fouls.

General Rules

• Every round is 5 minutes long, with a 1 minute rest in between.

• Title matches last for a maximum of five rounds, while non-title matches last for a
maximum of three rounds.
• Fighters must wear approved shorts, no shoes or foot padding, and approved light, open-
fingered gloves.
• The 10-point system (similar to boxing) is used for all fights. Three judges score each
round. The winner of the round gets 10 points, and his opponent will receive a score
between 7-9 points. If it is an even round, then each fighter is awarded 10 points.
• Elbow strikes are allowed, except those which hit downwards with the point of the elbow.
• Much like any sport, fighters are routinely tested for steroids and other illegal substances.

Ways to Win

1) Knockout (KO)
A KO is awarded when a fighter becomes unconscious due to strikes.

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2) Submission
A fighter can admit defeat in a submission hold by tapping three times on the opponent’s
body, tapping three times on the mat or floor, or verbally announcing it.
3) Technical knockout (TKO)
The technical knockout can be awarded for a variety of reasons.
• Referee stoppage. The referee will stop the match if a fighter becomes so
dominant that his opponent cannot intelligently defend himself, a fighter appears
unconscious due to a grappling hold, or there is a visible injury, such as a broken
bone.
• Doctor stoppage. A referee will call a time out if a fighter has large visible
injuries, such as the above example of a broken bone, or a cut that will not stop
bleeding. The doctor is then called over to make a decision as to whether or not
the fighter can continue competing. A disqualification or no contest will be issued
if the injury was a result of an illegal action.
• Corner stoppage. The fighter’s representatives can forfeit the fight on behalf of
their fighter by throwing in the towel.
4) Decision
If the fight goes through all the rounds without a KO, TKO, or submission, then a decision
is issued by the judges. The winner of the fight is the competitor with the highest score
after all rounds are completed.
5) Forfeit
Either side can forfeit a match before it begins. This can happen for a number of
reasons. A match can be forfeited by the fighter or one of the fighter’s representatives.
6) Disqualification
During the fight, one warning is issued by the referee if a foul or illegal action takes place.
Three warnings result in a disqualification. A disqualification is also issued in the case
that a fighter is injured as a result of a deliberate illegal action by his opponent.
7) No contest
A no contest can be issued if both fighters violate the rules, or if a fighter is injured as a
result of an accidental illegal action by his opponent.

Common Fouls

If any of these fouls occur, depending on the severity, a warning may be issued to the offender, or
a disqualification or a no contest could be issued.
• Head butting.
• Eye gouging.

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 • Hair pulling.
• Biting.
• Fish hooking.
• Attacking the groin.
• Strikes to the back of the head, spinal area, and kidneys.
• Strikes to the trachea or grabs to the trachea.
• Small joint manipulation (control of 3+ fingers or toes).
• Intentionally throwing opponent out of the ring or cage.
• Running out of the ring or cage.
• Purposely holding the ring ropes or the cage fence.
• Putting a finger into any orifice or any cut of an opponent.
• Using the point of elbow in a downward strike.
• Clawing, pinching, or twisting the flesh of the opponent.
• Grabbing the clavicle.
• Kicking the head of a grounded opponent.
• Kneeing the head of a grounded opponent.
• Stomping a grounded opponent.
• Spiking an opponent to the canvas on his head or neck.
• Holding the shorts or gloves of an opponent.
• Spitting at an opponent.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct that results in an injury to opponent.
• Using abusive language in ring or cage.
• Attacking an opponent during break.
• Attacking an opponent that is under the care of the referee.
• Attacking an opponent after the bell has sounded the end of the round.
• Disregarding the instructions of referee.
• Avoiding contact with opponent, intentionally or consistently dropping the mouthpiece, or
faking an injury.
• Interference by the corner.
• Throwing in the towel (forfeiting) during competition.

The rules for MMA competition regulate the matches in order to give the fighter and the viewer a
good experience. Without rules, the sport may not have become as popular as it has because of
the extreme violence and the laissez-faire way of fighting. Fighting techniques are used within
the limits of the rules in order to develop a fighting strategy.

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 Chapter Four
Fighting Strategies

There are four main strategies in MMA fighting. Each of them play to a certain strength, and most
fighters fit into one of these categories. A fighting strategy has everything to do with the strengths
of a fighter, and the techniques that the fighter is strongest at are fine-tuned before the match.

Sprawl-and-brawl

The sprawl-and-brawl way of fighting is predominately a stand-up fighting strategy. Sprawl-and-

brawl fighters generally have a background of boxing, kickboxing, or Thai boxing. Their aim is to
keep the fight off the ground as much as possible, because they have a weaker ground game.
Most sprawl-and-brawl fighters will train in wrestling as well so if the fight goes to the ground, they
are not immediately defeated. Training in wrestling also teaches them how to avoid takedowns.
This strategy relies heavily on a fighter’s ability to strike.

Clinch Fighting

Clinch fighting is a strategy that keeps the fighters very close for striking. A clinch hold is used
against the opponent to prevent them from moving away into distant striking range. Clinch
fighters will attempt takedowns of their opponent. Clinch fighters rely more on punches, elbows,
and knees than kicks because of the close nature of the fight. If the fighters get some distance
between them, kicks may be used, but for the most part, clinch fighters rely heavily on their
punching. Clinch fighting uses Greco-Roman clinching techniques to hold onto an opponent.

Ground-and-pound

The ground-and-pound strategy is true to its name. The goal of this strategy is simply to get the
game on the floor, achieve a dominant fighting position, and “pound” the opponent. Fighters will
use takedowns or throws to get their opponents on the ground. Most ground-and-pound fighters
have strong wrestling backgrounds and are extremely skilled at takedowns. These fighters will
also use grappling holds to strike their opponent until he submits.

Submission Grappling

Submission grappling is another ground fighting strategy. The fighter aims to get the fight on the
ground, then obtain a dominant position and apply a submission hold. Some submission

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grapplers are comfortable working from the bottom position because they are able to escape
submission holds and achieve the dominant position. Other submission grapplers are not as
well-trained in escaping the holds, so this strategy may have to be abandoned if they find
themselves in the bottom position. This strategy is used by fighters with a background in catch
wrestling, judo, sambo, pankration, or Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

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 Chapter Five
Training

Training for MMA competition is intense and long. There are several areas that have to be
developed in order to be a competitive fighter. Solid skills have to be achieved before the training
can really start. Most of these come from the martial arts discipline of the fighter. The
development of strength, power, force, and endurance will come after the skill set is established.
After the physical preparation is complete, there is mental preparation and nutritional preparation
to be done before a fighter is absolutely ready for a match. This chapter will explain all of these
phases of training and how to prepare for a match.

Solid Skills

There are three basic solid skill sets that can come from any martial arts discipline. These skill
sets also coincide with the fighting strategies outlined in the last chapter. The “stand-up” skill set
deals mostly with striking skills that are found in kickboxing, boxing, and muay thai. This skill set
includes footwork, kicking, elbowing, kneeing, and punching. Developmental training would work
on getting some power and force behind the strikes and training for endurance. The “clinch” skill
set involves close-range fighting, takedowns, and throws. Clinching skills come from
backgrounds in Greco-Roman wrestling, judo, and sambo. Developmental training for this skill
set would involve improving holds and working on quicker takedowns and throws. The “ground”
skill set mainly consists of submission holds and ground control. These skills come from a
background in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, catch wrestling, shoot wrestling, judo, or sambo. Developmental
training would involve working on the submission holds and working on ground positioning in
order to gain advantage.

Development

Development of skills in MMA is, like most other sports, extremely important. Having the skills is
only half of the battle—the other half is getting your skills mastered and up to a competitive level.
This means working long and hard on training to gain strength, power, and stamina. The
foundation is already there, it just needs to built upon.

MMA competition forces the body to use a wide variety of muscles, so most muscle groups need
to be strengthened. Perhaps the most important one is the core muscles. The core uses the
hips, lower back, and waist to facilitate movements such as twisting and bending, which are two
large movements in MMA. Without a strong core, injuries are much more likely and the power

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behind strikes or holds will not be maximally achieved. The core is also a stabilizer between the
upper body and lower body—it is essentially the foundation for all movement. Weight
transference from upper to lower body also utilizes the core. Core training should be done about
twice a week in order to give the body plenty of time to recover between sessions. Exercises that
strengthen the core are crunches, side bends, leg raises, and Swiss ball exercises. Once the
core is strengthened, specific muscle groups can be worked on, such as the arms and legs.
Training for fight-specific conditions is very important as well. Weight transference is a large
factor in MMA, and practicing those conditions where weight is transferred from one leg to the
other, or from upper to lower body will increase your power and strength in the ring. Offset lifting
is used most often to train the body for a fight. One legged exercises will work the legs
individually instead of together. Performing walking lunges will familiarize the fighter with working
in a split stance, because rarely is a fighter ever standing with his feet together. Once a solid
foundation of strength is accomplished, the next step is developing power.

Striking power is necessary in fights to do as much damage in one strike as possible. Once
again, core strength is essential for striking power because most strikes will originate from the
core. The hips and legs are also very important because they provide stability for the core.
Developing technique will also help develop power, because it will allow the fighter to work
specifically on those movements instead of just working on arm strength. Arm strength for a
hammer fist and arm strength for a karate chop are two different things, so working on technique
will increase and improve power. Squats, walking lunges, and dead lifts are all good exercises
for developing power.

Stamina is an aspect of MMA competition that cannot be overlooked. Fighters would be

disappointed with themselves if they spent their training program working on strength and power
but could not last until the second round because they had not conditioned their bodies. MMA is
a very intense and trying competition on the body. Figuring out which energy system the fighter
is weakest with will give time to condition the body to get used to working in that situation. The
anaerobic lactate system is one that leads to tiring because of lactate build-up. If this system is
the fighter’s weakness, then the training should be molded around putting the fighter in a situation
where there is lactate build-up so the fighter gets used to it. Interval sprints, circuit training, and
the speed ladder are great exercises for building overall endurance and stamina. Muscular
endurance is also something that needs to be developed. Most MMA moves require one
powerful muscular movement at a time. Training your body to develop muscular endurance will
allow the fighter to be able to deal out more powerful blows because the muscles have been
conditioned to perform consistently at that level over time. Isometric exercises and training will

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improve muscular endurance, so not only the fighter’s body, but also his muscles, will last until
the fight is over.

Part of the training period should be dedicated to developing and fine-tuning fight techniques and
strategies. Experts recommend cutting back on cardio exercises two weeks before the fight and
work more on mastering technique. This phase of training should include lots of sparring
sessions with as many different competitors as possible. Sparring is the closest a fighter can get
to the real thing, and this will help immensely as far as developing technique and strategy are
concerned. Sparring should include stand-up and ground work to get the fighter used to both.
This phase of training is the most beneficial to the fighter in the sense that it gets him used to a
fight situation and gives him the opportunity to see how his techniques and strategies work in the
ring.

Nutrition

Nutrition is an important part of training, because not getting enough nutrients can do more harm
than good. Since MMA is such an intense sport, a fighter has to make sure that he is consuming
the right amount of everything since a lot is being burned off through exercise. The goal for MMA
nutrition is to keep the calories high enough to train on, but not too high because a fighter will still
have to make weight before the match. Essential vitamins and nutrients are important during this
period, because they keep a fighter’s body functioning as it should and healthy. Some
supplements can help with training, such as protein shakes, creatine, and caffeine. These can
keep a fighter going through longer workout sessions and help keep the body fueled for the
duration of the workout.

Mental Preparation

The last phase of training is the mental preparation. One way for a fighter to become more
confident with his game is to watch footage of his opponent. This will allow the fighter to see
what techniques his opponent uses often and where his strengths and weaknesses are. Seeing
footage of the opponent will reduce anxiety and uncertainty in the fighter’s mind. Going into the
ring anxious or uncertain is a recipe for disaster. Aggression is key in MMA fights, and a fighter
has to be able to prepare himself to be the most aggressive and the most confident fighter that he
can be. The key is to be confident, but not too confident. Being cocky can also spell disaster
because then a fighter’s mind is clouded by the fact that he is the best. A fighter has to find the
middle ground where he is confident in his ability to fight, but also realizes that changes may

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need to be made in his strategy during the fight. Achieving this middle ground will lead to a
fighter becoming totally prepared, both mentally and physically for competition.

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 Conclusion

MMA is an intricate sport that has many different influences and has developed over the last 2000
years. With influences from sports like pankration, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Bartitsu, judo, wrestling,
and boxing, MMA has developed into a mixture of borrowed techniques and strategies. The UFC
is the most popular version of MMA in America today, and there are many popular versions
around the world. MMA is a sport of skill, technique, and mental prowess, making it one of the
most difficult sports to train for and master. Those who do are able to use an arsenal of
techniques against their opponent, while making the sport extremely entertaining to the viewing
audience.

Fighters who train for this sport have to be in peak shape for the match—any lack of preparation
will result in a loss in the ring. Most fighters who compete already have a strong background in a
discipline of martial arts; however, further training is required to develop more skills. These
techniques are then used to develop a fight strategy, which boils down into developing a stand-up
game or a ground game for competition.

There are not many sports that have as rich of a history or as much of a sticking power as MMA
does. MMA dates back to ancient Greece, and has developed over thousands of years to
become the sport that it has. The mental and physical discipline required for this sport make it
valuable to the fighters and highly respected by the people who watch it.

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