What is Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and How Did the UFC Come to Be?

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, commonly referred to as UFC, is the premier mixed martial arts organization. Fight fans have taken to this form of combat sports in recent years and expanded its reach beyond US borders to encompass other parts of the world. Former champions Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier as well as current stars Khabib Nurmagomedov and Israel Adesanya all compete for UFC. But what exactly is MMA, and how did the UFC come about?

The UFC features an innovative competition format. Fighters are divided into teams and assigned coaches who help guide them throughout the season as they engage in fights against one another. At the conclusion of each episode, those with the most points win their fight and advance to round two of tournament. At that point, one fighter from each team advances further – eventually becoming known as The Ultimate Fighter who earns an exclusive contract to compete in UFC.

Since 2005 when The Ultimate Fighter first premiered, its show has seen many influential fighters emerge including current UFC stars such as Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey. Furthermore, The Ultimate Fighter helped popularise MMA into mainstream society while having a dramatic influence on its development. While several changes to its format have occurred over time, its core remains constant.

UFC also hosts several special events known as “Fight Nights,” televised on network television and featuring lower-ranked fighters on its roster. While these cards don’t typically offer as exciting matchups as an pay per view event, fans still may experience exciting matches between certain fighters on these cards.

Fight Nights offer fans a chance to witness some of the next big stars of MMA. With fighters hailing from across the globe and developing into accomplished professionals, it is always exciting watching Fight Nights unfold.

Max Holloway made an impressive comeback at UFC 300 by defeating Justin Gaethje in a lightweight fight – his first contest since losing the featherweight crown to Khabib Nurmagomedov last October.

On top of that, Alex Pereira successfully defended his light heavyweight title against Jamahal Hill while China’s Zhang Weili secured her women’s strawweight championship by outlasting Yan Xiaonan over five rounds in an exciting five-round battle. We caught up with some of these athletes after the fight card concluded to gain insight into what had transpired on it.