The beginnings of mixed martial arts (MMA) in mainstream was on November 12, 1993 with the UFC 1 – the day fighting changed forever. On the surface, it was a series of controversial match ups featuring no-holds barred sparring between two fighters with no rules and no referees. To this day, the stigma of those early fight still exists, regardless of the evolution of the sport or even popularity of it globally. Which, arguably, has always existed whether it was formalized as MMA or UFC or any other name that might exist for the sport.

The earliest form of mixed martial arts is found in ancient Greece. In 648BCE Pankration was it at The Olympic Games. The martial training of Greek armies was the most popular event at the ancient Olympics. Audiences loved the brutal combat that combined wrestling, boxing and street fighting in matches with very few rules – two rules infact – no biting and no eye gouging. Fighters could kick an opponent when they were down, and the match wouldn’t end unless a participant acknowledged defeat or was rendered unconscious.

By modern sensibilities this sounds similar to MMA, it was a sport that featured wrestling, striking and ground fighting, and like the sport today, it was controversial and subsequently banned, along with the Olympic Games, by Roman conqueror Theodosius I in 393 CE.

That wasn’t it, there was always a version of mixed martial arts. Romans had gladiators who fought in type vs. type combat – similar to UFC 1. Except for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu vs Sumo, it was sword vs. trident. Gladiator fights were promoted, just like MMA and people would flood in to watch theatrical exhibition that has an element of showmanship to it.

The point that I’m making here is that mixed martial arts didn’t just appear in 1993. It never went away, it just evolved. Even though there are a myriad of styles that mix martial arts like Savate in France, Bartitsu in England, Vale Tudo in Brazil, and the list goes on, but in terms of the beginnings of mixed martial arts as we know it, there are major contributing factors to the rise in popularity.

Without the legacy of the Gracies, bringing their style of Brazilian Jiu jitsu to America, and their willingness to combat anyone of any fighting style to try and prove it’s effectiveness – we would never have had UFC 1. Without Bruce Lee, popularizing martial arts in film there may never have been audiences raised to love martial arts. Without video games like Mortal Kombat, the inspiration for UFC 1 would never have happened.Without Jim Arvanitis, a Greek-American from New England who made it his life’s mission to revive pankration, the MMA may never have formalized as a modified version of pankration. And, of course, without Dana White, the former president of the UFC, and the creation of the reality series on Fox Television, all of that foundational work, would have been completely overlooked by the mainstream.

The beginnings of mixed martial arts is a combination of history, timing and influence of pop culture that lead to it developing into the world’s third most popular sport. And it’s also the topic of our episode “The Art of the Fight” featuring MMA Champion and UFC Fighter, Elias Theodorou. We talk about the experience of the sport, the beginnings and even explore how the perceptions of the sport between me and Chrissy differ.

Tune in!

• By marie
• In alt.pop.zine, Season 1