Once, there were raw, no-holds-barred competitions, unregulated and brutal, often likened to human cockfighting. Outlawed in many places, these contests faced heavy criticism. To legitimise them, advocates worked with athletic commissions to create the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. This ruleset transformed chaos into a structured, regulated sport, paving the way for MMA’s global rise.

Today, “mixed martial arts” refers specifically to this sport under the Unified Rules. It is not synonymous with martial arts as a whole. Martial arts encompass diverse traditions, philosophies, and disciplines far beyond the confines of a modern competitive framework. MMA is a sport; martial arts are a way of life.