Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a combat sport in which two competitors attempt to achieve dominance over one another by utilizing a wide variety of permitted martial arts techniques, including striking and grappling.  Well-known MMA organizations include the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships.  MMA is also sometimes referred to as "No Holds Barred" or “NHB” but this term is now out of favor because NHB is no longer an accurate description of the modern sport, with its formalized rules and banned techniques that were developed for the fighters' safety.

 

When training in Mixed Martial Arts, as the name implies, one must learn techniques in several types of Martial Arts and fighting styles, both on the ground and standing as well as sport and traditional.

 

Some of the many positions used in Mixed Martial Arts matches are...

 

· Standing - Striking and Clinching range.

· Guard - Practitioner is on his back using his legs to control and protect against his opponent.

· Full Guard - Both legs wrapped around opponent's torso.

· Closed Guard - Full guard with feet hooked together.

· Open Guard - Full guard with feet unhooked.

· Half Guard - Opponent is halfway out of the guard with one leg left in.

· Butterfly Guard - The insteps of the practitioner's feet are placed on the inside of the opponent's thighs.

· Spider Guard - Practitioner holds the opponent's arms while controlling him with the soles of his feet.

· X - Guard - A form of open guard used on a standing opponent.

· Mount - On top of opponent in a dominant position.

· Top Mount - Straddled across opponent while he is facing up, sitting on his torso.

· Rear Mount - Sitting on opponent's torso while he is facing down.

· Side Mount - On top and to the side of opponent pinning them. Also known as side control and cross mount.

· Reverse Mount - Same as top mount, except practitioner is facing toward opponent's legs.

· North/South position - One man on top and one on bottom, chest to chest. Heads facing in opposite directions.

· Knee On Stomach - Knee is placed on opponent's stomach from top position.

· Scarf Hold - On top and to the side of opponent holding their head and one of their arms.

· Modified Scarf Hold - On top and to the side of opponent holding their arms in over and under hooks.

 

 

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Mixed Martial Arts Overview