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Since the dawn of man, humans have been in situations where acting instinctually is the only way to outlast a threat. There are times when raw, primeval instincts embedded deep within our DNA take over. This all comes to fruition in the fight – it’s a beautiful and ugly thing that has and always will be a part of our survival.
Two adversaries trying to incapacitate one another is often seen in the wild, but how does it have a place in modern sports?
Originally, during the Olympic games of 648 BC, the Greeks held possibly the most brutal organized sport in history, in an event known as Pankration.
According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, the rules of Pankration goes as followed: “Pankration was a combination of boxing, wrestling, and other fighting arts with the only difference that there were virtually no rules. To bite and to gouge an opponent’s eyes, nose, or mouth with fingers were the only off-limits once in the ring. Anything else – such as kicking in the belly and the genitals – was permitted and even expected.”
Thousands gathered publically to witness and marvel at this no rules clash where one contender may very well die. So much so in fact, it was widely considered the crowd’s favorite game. Pankration was even respected by even Alexander the Great, one of the supreme conquerors of history. It is said that Dioxippus of Athens, a soldier in Alexanders army had won the Games of 336 BC and a result became a part of his inner circle through his triumph and courage.
Harvard physiologist, Walter Bradford Cannon is credited with coining the notion that when any human is faced with a threat to its survival, a fight-or-flight response triggers the brain to prepare the body to flee or fight the perceived threat. When you can’t run or use tools, the adrenaline overtakes your body and you must impose your will to survive with only what you were born with; transforming fighting into an extension of socialization. Fighting is not exclusive to anyone – anyone will engage in combat when triggered.
Luckily, most people do not need to fight to survive every day, and this instinct rarely comes out in people. But in those who do, it can be an art form and a highly athletic feat. A fighter needs mental, physical and emotional strength which is second to none.
The gloried fighting spirit is still strong amongst humans and that is why combat sports have been watched for centuries. It’s fairly widely accepted that as long as there will be man there will be fights, so it is beneficial as humans to have a league where unique fighting styles can meet and show us which one is the best – all while doing so safely.
The more that people know about physical confrontation, we can become better and smarter as people. If single person knew that when you swing on somebody’s head without a boxing glove on, you will most likely break your hand and give them a very serious concussion, maybe people would think twice before fighting, and change the way the world thinks.
Figuring out fight science is necessary to keep things safe for the fighters, structured and fair. If people are going to fight, they might as well fight correctly.
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) came to the United States of America when the Gracie family of Brazil decided to show off their homeland grappling style of Jiu Jitsu in the 1990s. Royce of the Gracie family caught the world’s attention when he took part in and won the 1993 martial arts tournament in McNichols Arena in Denver which later came to be named UFC 1. It is an acronym for Ultimate Fighting Championship, and it’s vision was to showcase the best fighting style in the world. Meaning that in this league, there were no weight classes, hair pulling and groin striking was allowed, there were no gloves, the ref would only stop the fight if the losing fighter’s corner threw in his towel. It was so disorganized it was considered a laughingstock for its lack of uniformity.
It even got the attention of Republican Senator John McCain in 1996 where he famously called the event “human cockfighting” and campaigned to ban the UFC – and it worked. In total, 36 states then banned “no-holds-barred fighting” and the UFC almost folded.
It was not until a rulebook was written and the company was bought out and rebranded until did it become successful. After being bought out by Zuffa LLC for $2 Million in January 2001, the new management climbed a mountain by creating real ethical and practical rules, unlike the mayhem that went on in the early events.
Observers learned this style of fighting was too raw and people were getting horrendous injuries. The rules now keep striking and grappling safer, they created weight classes, uniformity in match length and referees were given more power in making sure both fighters are safe. The rule changes also signify that the attitudes of fights have also changed. It can be seen as and scored as any other sport. This has not been done since this type of fighting was banned from the Olympic games in 393AD.
There are three, five-minute rounds, with a one-minute break between each round. Championship fights are five rounds. A fighter can win a bout by knock out or submission. If a fight goes the distance, however, the winner is decided by a panel of three judges, using boxing’s 10-point system.
“In the United States the sport came under regulation by the same bodies that governed the sport of boxing, including the Nevada State Athletic Commission and the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. Even McCain dropped his opposition to MMA, acknowledging in 2007 that the “sport has made significant progress,” says Britannica dictionary. It was a necessary step in the advancement of the sport, through the amazing transformation of the UFC we are one step closer to perfecting and modernizing the ancient martial arts the of the Greek Empire. In the years after its revamping, the popularity skyrocketed and the UFC was sold for $4 Billion in 2016. It proves there is a market for televised fights and someone needs to set the example of good ethics and practices so other leagues can follow.
The octagon is not much different than the bloody Olympic games of ancient Greece when the UFC comes into town, but since we are thousands of years ahead, the UFC needs to use their vast resources and platform to make fighting a valiant display of strength through being an organized and fair fighting league and reinstate a feeling of pride in fair fighting within competitors.