Exploring the World of Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a popular form of combat sport that combines elements from various martial arts disciplines. Learn about the more than 170 types of MMA styles from around the world.

Exploring the World of Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a popular form of combat sport that combines elements from various martial arts disciplines. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, with more and more people taking up the sport. But how many different types of MMA are there?The answer is more than 170. While some, such as karate, jiu-jitsu and taekwondo, are well-known, there are many others that are less popular or even rare.

Martial arts come from all over the world, with many originating in China, Japan and Korea. In fact, there are more than 190 different martial arts styles in existence. When it comes to a particular martial art, there can be numerous styles within it. For example, karate has Goju Ryu, Shotokan, Kenpo and more. This means that the number of martial arts styles is constantly growing as professionals develop new ones. You may be able to name five to ten martial arts off the top of your head, but few people could name all 180 without help.

Even Jackie Chan, who is well-versed in various Chinese martial arts, does not have a black belt in any of them. One unique style is kino mutai, which allows practitioners to bite, pinch and gouge their opponents' eyes. This style was recently featured in the movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), which showcased Chinese martial arts and culture. Another interesting style is Yaw Yan kickboxing from the Philippines. It incorporates some grip elements while teaching practitioners how to defend against weapons. Many traditional martial arts can be classified as folk wrestling (see separate article), although sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between a folk wrestling style and a modern combat sport once it has been regulated. It's important to practice your techniques regularly if you want to become proficient in any martial art.

We recommend finding a partner at least once a week so you can practice what you've learned in real combat situations. Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is derived from Japanese jujitsu but is a completely different martial art that focuses on ground grappling and submission holds. Jujutsu (jujitsu, jiu-jitsu) is one of the oldest Japanese martial arts and includes throwing, holding and joint locking techniques. So which martial art will you choose? We personally enjoyed karate, shin kicks and wrestling. Yongmudo is a Korean martial art that combines elements from judo, ssireum and taekwondo to create an effective combat system. Muay Thai has its roots in traditional 13th century martial arts but has evolved into its modern form over the past few decades. Laamb is a Senegalese martial art that is classified as an MMA style due to its combination of fist fighting techniques.

Kinomichi was developed by a French martial artist who was studying Aikido and adapted its techniques to create this new style. Indian martial arts usually involve weapons or wrestling techniques. Wudangquan originates from the Wudang Mountains in China and mainly consists of boxing-like martial arts.