MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts, that is to say mixed martial arts in the language of Molière.
It is a combat sport that sees two fighters of the same weight class compete in an octagon-shaped cage.
Holds and prohibited moves are relatively limited, to allow the expression of the widest possible range of techniques.
However, precise rules protect the physical integrity of the combatants.
In the amateur circuit, a fight lasts three rounds of three minutes.
In the professional circuit, three rounds of five minutes for a normal fight, and sometimes five rounds of five minutes (for a title at stake, or for the flagship fight of certain events).
Between each round, there is a minute of rest for the fighters to catch their breath.
How is the winner chosen?
The winner is chosen by three possibilities:
The KO (knock-out), or technical KO:
it is when an opponent loses consciousness, or the referee decides to stop the fight, because a fighter is obviously no longer able to defend himself.
A member of a fighter's corner team can also request a stoppage of the fight.
The expression "
throwing in the towel
" comes from English boxing, when a trainer threw the sponge or the towel of his fighter in the ring to signify abandonment.
If he notices an injury but the fighter and his corner want to continue, the referee can ask for the advice of a doctor, who can demand that the fight be stopped.
Submission:
when a fighter has successfully taken a hold, for example a rear choke or an arm lock, his opponent can "
surrender
" by "
tapping
" his opponent with the inside of his hand.
At this signal, the referee stops the fight immediately, before the hold leads to an injury.
At the decision of the referees:
if no fighter has succeeded in knocking out or submitting his opponent before the time limit, then a panel of three judges designates the winner.
Each gives a score in each round: 10 points for the winner (unless he loses a penalty point for an illegal blow), 9 or less for the loser.
There are three levels of appreciation of a fight.
The first stage is the number of significant actions (“
effective stricking, effective grappling
”).
In other words, the difference in impact of one fighter on the other, in proportion to the volume and power of the actions: the immediate damage has more value than the cumulative damage.
In case of equality on this criterion, we then judge on the "
effective aggressiveness
“, that is to say the ability of a fighter to be effective on the offensive.
And if this criterion is also equal to the judges, the last criterion is the "
fighting control area
", that is to say the ability of a fighter to circumscribe his opponent geographically, and to produce an impact on energy, confidence and skill of the opponent.
While these considerations may seem complex, half the fights end in a submission or knockout.
In 2022, out of 436 fights in the UFC, 211 went to the judges' decision.
And "
the overwhelming majority of fights are judged on the first criterion of arbitration
", explains Chris Genachte, trainer, commentator, media figure of French-speaking MMA who enlightened this article with his expertise.
Last important element, these rules make this sport extremely difficult to fix;
and in the rare fights where the decision did not satisfy the public, as in the recent Petr Yan against Sean O'Malley, on October 22, 2022, the decision of the judges proves, once the emotion has passed, quite to legitimate fact.
Finally, there are
specific cases:
a fighter can be disqualified (and therefore see his opponent win) if he commits an illegal and intentional blow, or if he behaves badly with the referee.
Finally, the referee can dismiss the
case
if there is a double knockout;
if the two heads collided for example.
If a case of doping is confirmed, a fight may
subsequently
become dismissed.
Is MMA more dangerous than other combat sports?
It is necessary to differentiate the violent from the spectacular.
MMA is very spectacular, but no more violent than traditional boxing.
The fact that the majority of hits are allowed encourages fighters to hit in different places, which induces less violent damage on each area individually.
Certainly, the small gloves used can more easily reveal lesions likely to bleed.
But in the long run, especially on the brain, MMA seems less dangerous than boxing.
Indeed, during a knockout in boxing, the referee counts to ten to give the boxer the opportunity to return to fight.
Nothing like that in MMA: the fight is stopped immediately and without possible return.
Finally, the appetite of a certain number of fighters for the fight attenuates the number of blows received.
"
The luck of MMA is that it has a bad reputation
", decrypts Chris Genachte.
“
As he has been particularly scrutinized since his debut, he must set an example.
The medical protocols are very strict and the doctors strict.
Consequently, if MMA is obviously more dangerous than a martial art (judo, taekwondo), it is not more dangerous than English boxing or muay-thai.
What are the individual protections worn by the fighters?
At the professional level, fighters wear a mouthguard, a shell for men or a chest protector for women, as well as lightly padded gloves to protect themselves during the boxing phases ("
stricking
"), but allowing everything to even to use his hands during the
grappling
phases .
At the amateur level, fighters must additionally wear a helmet and shin guards.
What shots are prohibited?
Illegal blows can have two consequences: loss of arbitration points, if the gravity is relative or the blow was committed unintentionally;
or simply lose the fight on disqualification.
Here are the most important;
blows to the nape, neck, spine, genitals.
Pushing your fingers into an eye or any hole, throwing the opponent on the head, biting, kicking an opponent on the ground (the definition of the ground varies depending on the country), headbutting, twist a finger...
These rules slightly taint the original purity of the discipline but are an intelligent compromise to preserve the physical integrity of the fighters.
What is the purpose of the cage?
The cage was an element that contributed to the bad reputation of this sport, described as a monstrosity for gladiators.
Opponents of its legalization played on it, but also promoters, for marketing reasons.
Beyond the clichés, the interest is purely practical: “
The cage ensures that the fighters stay safe in the combat zone.
In a ring there is a risk during the wrestling and throwing phases, being thrown over the ropes
” explains Chris Genachte.
The case has already been seen in Thai boxing for example.
Also, fighters feel safer in a cage than in a ring.
How was MMA born?
MMA has two parents.
The first is freestyle wrestling
stricto sensu.
That
is to say different traditions - which come from all over the world - of combat without rules, with in particular the Brazilian Vale tudo, the brancaille in France, the pancrace, or the Free-fight among the Anglos -Saxons.
The other parent is more eventful, it was the desire that appeared at the end of the twentieth century in a triumphant globalization, to compare the different combat sports: who between a judoka, a boxer, a karateka or a sumo would win?
This is the theme of UFC 1 which took place on November 12, 1993 in Denver, Colorado.
That night was won by a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner named Royce Gracie, who won all of his fights by submission.
How is this sport structured?
MMA has two speeds: an amateur circuit, managed by a world federation (IMMAF, International MMA Federation) and local federations (the French federation is legally hosted by the boxing federation for the moment).
This circuit is booming and high-level national championships are organized.
Then there are professional organizations that pay their fighters.
The best known is the UFC, then there are Bellator, KSW (Poland), Brave CF (Middle East), Cage warrior (United Kingdom), or Ares (France).
Note that there are sometimes small differences in rules between each organization, and according to local national laws.
Sometimes fighters move from one organization to another.
How do you win a belt?
There is no point system like in a football or rugby league.
It is generally the organization which sovereignly chooses to give such or such of its deserving fighters the opportunity to go and fight to win a belt.
If this system may seem arbitrary, it allows "
matchmakers
" to create rivalries and stories.
This system meets with little opposition among combatants.
Is the success of this sport sustainable?
"
MMA could succeed where other sports have failed, because its promoters have understood that beyond the discipline it was necessary to offer entertainment
", analyzes Guillaume Duseaux, journalist at
La
sueur , the first French-language web media on the mma.
“
The UFC, the world's leading organization, offers sportingly interesting fights and tells stories around the journey of its fighters.
"
It's a telegenic sport
," agrees Chris Genachte.
Moreover, in MMA, defeat is much less taboo than in boxing, where to be able to fight for a belt, it is important to be “
undefeated
”.
Therefore, the promoters and "
matchmakers
“, can take more risk and avoid the easy or uninteresting fights that undermine contemporary English boxing.
Observers are confident that MMA will soon become an Olympic sport.
Presumably in Los Angeles in 2028. The organizations and in particular the UFC strongly support the IMMAF for this purpose.
Weight classes
Flyweights, from 52 to 57kg
Bantamweights, from 57 to 61kg
Featherweight, from 61 to 66kg
Light weights, from 66 to 70kg
Welterweight, 70 to 77kg
Average weights, from 77 to 84kg
Mid-heavyweights, from 84 to 93 kg
heavy weights, from 93 to 120kg
A "
super heavyweight
" weight class with no maximum weight briefly existed.
The two most followed weight categories are the Heavyweights, because of their above average strength: and the Lightweights, because they correspond to the height of the average human, which makes the level extremely high compared to other categories.