Mixed martial arts events have greatly risen in popularity over the last several years but where did it come from? Well in many ways what led to the rise of M.M.A. was the rise and the development of Brazilian jiu jitsu. Both sports currently exist as standalone activities but it is undeniable that they share a common history.
1) Rio De Janiero
Rio de Janiero is the home of Brazilian jiu jitsu. It is there in the academies of the Gracie family that sport that we now enjoy today was forged. B.J.J. techniques originally came from Japanese jiu jitsu but it was the Gracie family that took these techniques and made them into what we see today. The late Helio Gracie is credited with taking these movements and perfecting them in such a way that they would allow a smaller weaker person to overcome a larger more athletically gifted opponent.
2) Vale Tudo
Vale Tudo is Portuguese for anything goes and that how early M.M.A. events were structured. The events we see on television today are well structured and have strictly regulated rules that are enforced to protect combatants. In these early events there were few rules. Combatants could knee grounded opponents, strike to the back of the head and even head butt. Many of the events were centered around free style fighters and Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioners competing to for the right to say that theirs was the superior fighting art.
3)Royce Gracie
Royce Grace, one of sons of Helio Grace is the man who made Brazilian jiu jitsu a house hold name in the United States. This is because during U.F.C. one, Royce, a thin 176 pound young man, was able to win this tournament using the skills he had learned from his father and brothers. The martial arts community was stunned to see this small framed man defeat much larger opponents and in such a devastating manner.
4) Modern M.M.A.
The preceding points are some of the events that led to what is now modern mixed martial arts. It is no longer possible to master just one element of the fighting arts like the Brazilian jiu jitsu fighters of the last century did and be successful. It is undoubtedly though that without B.J.J. the sport would not exist in its current condition. This is because the M.M.A. fighter of today have taken the fundamentals that were demonstrated by the most dominant competitors of the previous century, such as Royce, and built on them.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Gonzalez
1) Rio De Janiero
Rio de Janiero is the home of Brazilian jiu jitsu. It is there in the academies of the Gracie family that sport that we now enjoy today was forged. B.J.J. techniques originally came from Japanese jiu jitsu but it was the Gracie family that took these techniques and made them into what we see today. The late Helio Gracie is credited with taking these movements and perfecting them in such a way that they would allow a smaller weaker person to overcome a larger more athletically gifted opponent.
2) Vale Tudo
Vale Tudo is Portuguese for anything goes and that how early M.M.A. events were structured. The events we see on television today are well structured and have strictly regulated rules that are enforced to protect combatants. In these early events there were few rules. Combatants could knee grounded opponents, strike to the back of the head and even head butt. Many of the events were centered around free style fighters and Brazilian jiu jitsu practitioners competing to for the right to say that theirs was the superior fighting art.
3)Royce Gracie
Royce Grace, one of sons of Helio Grace is the man who made Brazilian jiu jitsu a house hold name in the United States. This is because during U.F.C. one, Royce, a thin 176 pound young man, was able to win this tournament using the skills he had learned from his father and brothers. The martial arts community was stunned to see this small framed man defeat much larger opponents and in such a devastating manner.
4) Modern M.M.A.
The preceding points are some of the events that led to what is now modern mixed martial arts. It is no longer possible to master just one element of the fighting arts like the Brazilian jiu jitsu fighters of the last century did and be successful. It is undoubtedly though that without B.J.J. the sport would not exist in its current condition. This is because the M.M.A. fighter of today have taken the fundamentals that were demonstrated by the most dominant competitors of the previous century, such as Royce, and built on them.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Gonzalez