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This Mixed Martial Arts FAQ was created to be a general reference for the supporters of Mixed Martial Arts. My main reason for undertaking this task was because of the lack of a central source of information that contains facts and sources that support MMA and Vale Tudo fighting. Most of the information found within this document comes from various e-mail sources, MMA forums as well as prominent figures within the MMA community. It will continue to grow as time goes on and will hopefully be used as a tool to help legalize MMA events and make the public aware of this sport.
The second but equally important reason that I undertook this project was to eliminate some of the myths and misconceptions that people have about Mixed Martial Arts. Mixed Martial Arts is very different from traditional martial arts of today. Mixed Martial Arts is in essence - real fighting. Sparring against people bigger than you is common and real strikes are often used in training. MMA may seem extreme but the whole point of learning is that you don't get hurt when it really matters.
Although Mixed Martial Arts is considered an extreme sport, it is really safer than most other sports that are considered safe. All of the injuries in Mixed Martial Arts combined do not add up to the number of serious or fatal injuries in other sports such as football, soccer, tennis or even bowling. Boxing is a more well accepted sport and hundreds of times more dangerous because of repetive strikes allowed to the head. Yet people like boxing more because it's more socially acceptable. It's considered barbaric for two professional martial artists to fight each other, but it's okay for two boxers to pound each other in the head for 12 rounds.
The MMA movement believes the world unscrupulous teachers that provide a false sense of security in so many Americans today. Late night infomercials show us that we can learn kickboxing and self-defense by buying their workout video. Nothing is further from the truth and these companies that sell this false security have no idea of their responsibilities to the consumer. Some people unknowingly buy into these deceptions and end up severely injured when they attempt to defend themselves from an attacker.
So what kind of art do we suggest that people train in? Obviously, some arts are more favored by Mixed Martial Artists than others. Our main concern is not in what art you train in, but that you test yourself in real situations. Regardless of what you practice, you'll never know if it will work for you until you put yourself in a realistic situation by participating in medium to hard sparring. That is the essence of what Mixed Martial Arts aims to do. The reality in the streets is that you don't know who's going to try to hurt you and if somebody is out to hurt you, it's not going to be some guy that's half your size that is going to go down willingly. If you're not in a school where you are sparring under realistic situations then I suggest you find a better school.
Those who practice Mixed Martial Arts have an awakening experience when they realize that most "practice" techniques don't work in the real world. By creating this FAQ, I am hoping to inform those that have an interest in this type of fighting arts as to what MMA really is and what it is NOT.
Last but not least, MMA fighters have a certain brotherhood and sense of community that you cannot find in any other sport. To have lunch with Michael Jordan would be impossible for the average fan of basketball. Yet the average MMA fan or student has probably met and/or had lunch with numerous "famous" martial artists. The stars of MMA are down to earth and meeting somebody famous is as easy as walking into their academy and just saying hello. I've never met a famous artist who was not courteous, cool and just a great person in general. I've met, interviewed, chatted with and drank beers with famous fighters simply by being associated with other fighters. If you ask other students or fans of MMA, they will tell you the same thing. Being involved in Mixed Martial Arts has been one of the most exciting and most rewarding things in my life and I am not alone.

[1-2]: List of Terms

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The following is a dictionary style list of terms and acronyms that are commonly used in mixed martial arts. You can refer to this list if you come across something in this document that does not make sense to you. Keep in mind that there are thousands of terms used in MMA and these are simply the most commonly used.

Achilles Lock - A type of foot lock that applies pressure on the heel or more specifically, the achilles tendon.
Armbar - A type of arm lock that is meant to hyperextend the arm at the elbow joint.
Armlock - A generic term that applies to any type of submission hold to the arm.
Blackout - Passing out from the application of a choke hold. This is a rare and non-dangerous condition that only happens when one fighter does not submit or tap out in time.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu - A martial art that is derived from traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu but was refined by the Gracie family in Brazil. This art focuses on groundfighting and less on standing up. It can be thought of as wrestling with submission holds.
Catchwrestling - A type of wrestling that incorporates several submission holds that can be applied from virtually any position.
Choke - The act of applying pressure against the carotid artery in the neck which will restrict bloodflow to the brain and eventually lead to a person passing out.
Choked Out - See Blackout.
Clinch - When two fighters are facing each other and have their arms and upper body locked in a close quarters position. It is difficult to strike an opponent from the clinch because strikes do not have much room to land.
Compression Lock - A type of submission hold where a muscle or bone is compressed using your limb as a lever to apply pressure.
Crosstraining - To train in multiple martial arts.
Double Leg - A type of takedown that is executed by lifting both of the opponents legs off the ground and driving him forward, up and to the ground. Also see Takedowns.
Fish-hooking - To stick a finger in an opponents mouth or ears and pull back as if your finger was a fish hook. An illegal move in all MMA events.
Gracie - The surname of a famous family in Brazil that developed the art of Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. To find out more about the history of the Gracies, you can point your browser to http://www.bjj.org
Gracie, Royce - A famous undefeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu stylist who changed the face of martial arts forever by winning 5 Ultimate Fighting Championships and defeating other martial artists of different styles. Royce has since been defeated by 2 opponents but his appearance in the UFC opened many eyes and he will always be remembered because of this.
Grappling - Another term for wrestling. Although it is often used to specifically describe a martial art that focuses primarily on groundfighting - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for example.
Headbutt - To forcefully hit somebody with the top of your head. An illegal move in any MMA event but is sometimes allowed in Vale Tudo events.
Heelhook - A footlock that is applied to the base of the heel and twists the knee at the joint.
Kneebar - A type of leglock that is meant to hyperextend the leg at the knee joint.
K.O. - An acronym for Knocked Out. A fighter may get hit so hard that he actually passes out hence the term, knocked out.
Leglock - Any type of submission hold attacking the leg.
Mixed Martial Arts - Combining the techniques of at least 2 martial arts to produce a single effective fighting art. It is common to train in one stand-up martial art and one grappling art.
MMA - An acronym for Mixed Martial Arts(see mixed martial arts).
Muay Thai - A type of kickboxing developed in Thailand that uses hands, feet, elbows and knees to strike the opponent. Muay Thai differs from traditional kickboxing in that it allows elbows and knees as striking tools.
NHB - An acronym for No Holds Barred fighting(see no holds barred).
No Holds Barred - A descriptive word of a type of mixed martial art event that allows striking(punching and kicking). This term was used to describe some of the first MMA events ever to take place. However, the sport has evolved and there are now many rules which make the sport safer. Hence, this term is outdated and no longer used by most fans of MMA.
Rear Naked Choke - A choke applied while positioned behind an opponent that constricts blood flow to the brain by applying pressure to the carotid neck artery. A rear naked choke is often inescapable. Fans of fake wrestling know this hold as a "sleeper" hold, although the Rear Naked Choke is the real thing.
Reversal - The act of reversing an opponent from a superior position to an inferior position and vice versa.
Shooto - A Japanese based MMA organization/event seldom seen outside of Japan.
Shootfighting - A copyrighted term used to describe a type of fighting that is in essence, the same as shootwrestling. See Shootwrestling.
Shootwrestling - A type of wrestling that incorporates submission holds. Made popular in Japan.
Single Leg - A type of takedown in which you attack a single leg of an opponent, causing them to lose balance and fall down. Also see Takedowns and Double Leg.
Small Joint Manipulation - A type of submission hold which consists of twisting or hyperextending a small joint such as a finger or toe. This type of manipulation is illegal in all MMA competitions.
Striking - To hit an opponent with your hand/fist, foot/leg, elbow or knee.
Submission Hold - A choke, joint lock, compression or other maneuver of the body that produces pain, discomfort or the threat of bodily harm.
Takedown - The act of taking an opponent down to the ground by tackling or knocking the opponent off balance, usually by lifting an opponents leg off the ground. Takedowns are often separated into two kinds - single leg and double leg.
Tournament - A MMA competition where one fighter must go through several winners of previous fights in order to win the entire tournament. One fighter is eliminated in each fight and the winner then must face another winner of another fight.
UFC - See Ultimate Fighting Championships.
Ultimate Fighting Championships - The first American MMA or "No Holds Barred" competition that was originally developed by Rorion Gracie. The UFC now has many rules which protect the fighters and is no longer considered a "no holds barred" competition.
Vale Tudo - A Portuguese term that translates to "Anything Goes." The term comes from a type of no rules fighting that originated in Brazil. Vale Tudo is often used to describe a type of MMA event that allows striking. Vale Tudo was also the reason why we have Mixed Martial Arts today.

Chapter [2]: Mixed Martial Arts

[2-1] What is MMA?

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Mixed Martial Arts is a general term that is used to describe the mixing or combining of martial arts styles to form a single effective fighting art. Methods of fighting are usually combined using one stand-up fighting art, and one ground fighting art. However, there are no set rules as to which arts can be mixed as that all depends on the individual martial artist and what type of fighting he prefers.

[2-2] What is the Purpose of Practicing Two or More Arts?

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A Martial Artist who is very well trained in stand-up striking may lack ground grappling skills. He may train in another art such as Wrestling or Jiu-Jitsu to improve his ability to fight with somebody on the ground. Crosstraining in this manner is simply a way to insure that you are prepared in either situation.
Many people say that you should master one art before taking on another. The problem with this is that you often become proficient in one area of expertise, such as kicking, and ignore other aspects of fighting. If you're a master at kicking but get put in a position where you cannot kick, what then? What's your backup plan if you end up on the floor with some guy pounding on your face? Many martial artists and fighters in general are stubborn. They think, "I just won't let myself get taken down to the floor," or they say, "One punch is all I need to knock a man out." Many martial artists have said that and most of the ones who say that end up on the floor with some guy stomping on his head. Art Jimmerson once said, "I have the most dangerous hands and all I need is one good shot." Moments later, he was tapping the mat when Royce Gracie dismantled his game plan by taking him to the floor. Relying on one good punch is not only stupid, it's dangerous for you.
While most single martial arts tend to focus on certain areas of defense, and lack in others, Mixed Martial Arts offers the practitioner a much wider arsenal of tools for defense. In addition to self-defense, it is also practiced for sport and competition purposes. Several students of MMA compete in tournaments and other events and MMA is by nature, a competition sport, very similar to boxing or wrestling, but more like a combination of the two. Some MMA events and tournaments do not allow striking, while others allow striking with strict rules. In some of the competitive events where striking is involved, a fighter may be defeated by knockout. However, the usual method used to defeat an opponent is the application of a "submission hold." A submission hold is a choke, joint lock or manipulation of a limb or other body part that causes uncomfortable pain upon an opponent, causing him to submit. Submitting by definition, is simply to give up. By submitting, an opponent must usually tap on the mat a few times to indicate that he does not wish to continue the match. The fight can also be stopped by a doctor, referee or the fighters corner, which is similar to that of a boxing match.
Another reason that many practice Mixed Martial Arts is simply to be a good fighter. In a confrontation it feels good knowing that if it came down to a real fight, you'd be prepared to handle the situation. Since Mixed Martial Arts trains in reality based situations, it prepares the student for a real fight on the streets. Of course, in knowing how to fight, you also develop a sort of mental confidence when faced with tough situations. Knowing how to fight means you don't have to fight. Most experienced fighters never get into a single fight outside of the ring and some fighters don't look like they can fight. Which is why I always warn people against challenging somebody you don't know. If you don't know your enemy, you should be ready for a big surprise.

[2-3] Differences Between MMA and Traditional Martial Arts.

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Mixed Martial Arts and Traditional Martial Arts both are very similar but differ by teaching and learning methods.

[2-3] Traditional Martial Arts

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Traditional Martial Arts such as Karate or Kung Fu are usually taught in certain ways that restrict the student from learning how to use their skills in real life scenarios. A lot of schools practice methods by using partners that do not resist. They are trained to When they are finally faced with a person that does. Bear in mind this was not always the case. Throughout history traditional martial arts have been effective in real life training, using hard training principles for success, yet there has been a trend as of late that steers from this, due mainly to commercialization of many arts.

[2-3] Differences Between MMA and Traditional Martial Arts.

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[2-4] A Brief History of MMA.

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Although the roots of Martial Arts and No Holds Barred fighting can be traced back thousands of years, the modern incarnation of the Mixed Martial Artist and NHB in America and most of the world began with the inception of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. The Ultimate Fighting Championships began on November 12, 1993 and showcased a tournament of martial artists from all styles and disciplines. One of the main disciplines, a style called Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was made very popular by the entrance of a man named Royce Gracie. Royce Gracie defeated many opponents of all styles in the first few UFC's and made his art of BJJ recognized by many martial artists around the world. The art of BJJ focused mainly on ground fighting techniques and most martial arts did not have strong knowledge of fighting on the ground. It was Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, along with Royce Gracies superior knowledge of it for his time, that caused a major change in the Martial Arts field. Many people realized that a stand-up striker could be easily defeated if he were taken to the ground. This caused a surge of people dropping traditional stand-up arts such as Karate and Kung-Fu in place of ground grappling arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Wrestling. However, after a few years, it was realized that a very powerful striker could defeat a person that was only knowledgable in ground fighting. This began the era of crosstraining in 2 or more arts, thus a fighter would be prepared to fight both standing up and on the ground.

[2-5] Structure of an MMA event

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A standard event will usually involve several bouts from different fighters. There are two basic formats - Single Fight and Tournament. A single fight is just that, one bout between two fighters. The winner of that fight does not need to face any other opponents. A tournament format is when multiple fighters must defeat one opponent to advance to the next round. In the next round, a fighter must then face another opponent, and so on. A tournament format usually does not exceed more than 16 fighters. Thus, the winner of the event would have had to defeat 3 opponents.
The amount of rounds in a fight, as well as the time limit within a round, vary from event to event. In a standard type match, a fight may have 2-3 10 minute rounds. There are also some events which may have a single round, and still others which may have unlimited rounds, although it is uncommon to have unlimited rounds.
There are several ways to win an event, however the winner of an event really depends upon the rules of the fight. Some events allow striking, others do not. Some allow striking only while standing, but not on the ground. Some basic ways to win are -

By Submission(opponent taps out due to pain or threat of pain or injury)
By Referee Stoppage(referee determines that other fighter cannot intelligently defend himself or continue)
By Knockout(even if opponent is knocked out for just a second)
Corner Throws In Towel(fighters corner believes that fighter cannot continue)

[2-6] Rules & Regulations

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This section contains a list of common rules as they apply to MMA competitions in general. These rules are usually universal and also apply to NHB and Vale Tudo style events. The rules are there for the safety of the fighter that is competing in the event.

No Biting
No Eye-Gouging
No Head Butting
No Fish-Hooking
No Kicking while opponent is down
No Strikes allowed to the neck or back of the head.
No attacks to the spine

Chapter [3]: NHB and Vale Tudo

[3-1] Description of NHB(No Holds Barred) and Vale Tudo

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Mixed Martial Arts is a general term that can describe any event or style that combines martial arts. However, the terms NHB(No Holds Barred) and Vale Tudo mostly apply to a type of training, fighting or event in which there is striking allowed and there are less rules than in standard MMA. No Holds Barred is simply a term referring to no rules or "holds" being illegal. "Vale Tudo" on the other hand is a portuguese term that originated from Brazil that translated to English means, "Anything Goes." The two terms are often used interchangably when describing a particular event or competition. Although these terms may seem to indicate a barbaric sport in which there are no rules, this is very far from the truth. In actuality, there are several rules that govern over most, if not all, NHB and Vale-Tudo style events. A good way to distinguish these events from one another is by seeing if the event or training involves striking. If the event involves striking, then it may very well be referred to as an MMA event, however, it may be more specifically described as an NHB or Vale Tudo event.

[3-2] History of NHB and Vale Tudo

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Most Vale Tudo/NHB style events originated in Brazil and were taking place long before we had this type of fighting in America. This type of reality fighting was very well known for its' lack of many rules. You could say that this type of fighting was dangerous in its' time. Vale Tudo type matches have since found their way into the U.S.A. however, the Vale Tudo that is practiced in the United States can be thought of as a watered-down version of the Brazilians interpretation of the sport. Modern Vale Tudo is not as brutal as it once was, and several rules now exist to protect fighters from injury. Some of these rules that apply to modern Vale Tudo are listed in the section titled "Rules".

Chapter [4]: Composition of Mixed Martial Arts

MMA is essentially the combining of martial arts to form a single effective fighting style. This section contains a short list of some of those styles. Please note that these arts are arranged in no particular order and the combination of arts is not limited to any specific combinations. There are some arts that are more popular than others and among the top 3 most popular would be Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai Kickboxing and Wrestling. The styles and a brief definition of the art are provided below.

[4-1] Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

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Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a groundfighting martial art that was originally derived from traditional Jiu-Jitsu and/or Judo. Its' origins begin with the Gracie family in Brazil, and was developed and refined by the Gracie family throughout many years. Although mainly a grappling art, it does incorporate some stand-up techniques as well as takedowns, throws and kicks. It is one of the most widely practiced arts because of its' large arsenal of "submission" holds and because of its' effectiveness in real life fighting. Despite the many submission holds, emphasis in training is placed more on holding a good position, rather than submitting an opponent. This is opposite of shoot or catchwrestling which focus more on submitting an opponent rather than maintaining a good position. Strong points are in grappling and submitting your opponent.

[4-2] Wrestling

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Although wrestling is not always categorized or associated with Martial Arts, it is still a grappling art of choice for many mixed martial artists. The reason that wrestling is important is because it gives a person a strong knowledge of groundfighting and the base and balance that is necessary to become a good fighter. Wrestling is also practiced and endorsed within the public school systems, therfore wrestling skills are very easily attained at a young age, as well as into college and beyond. Strong points are in grappling only, no submissions.

[4-3] Muay Thai Kickboxing

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Muay Thai is a very powerful striking art that has a strong focus on punches, kicks, elbows and knees. It is sometimes called the "science of 8 limbs" by those who practice it. This type of kickboxing originated in Thailand and has a very strong fan base in that country, similar to what boxing is to the U.S. Many MMA practioners choose Muay Thai as their stand-up art of choice because of its' effectiveness in the clinch. Please note that there is a difference between Muay Thai Kickboxing and American Kickboxing. American Kickboxing does not often practice elbows and fighting in the clinch which is very important. Strong points are striking using all available limbs.

[4-4] Judo

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Judo is a sister art to Jiu-Jitsu in that they share much of the same history, background and techniques. However, Judo has been refined over the years to be less dangerous and more sportive. In addition to this, Judo covers a wider base of techniques, and does not place a strong emphasis on groundfighting, therefore there are not many people who train in Judo strictly for the grappling knowledge. Judo has a strong reputation for its' powerful throwing techniques and many martial artists choose to train in Judo specifically to learn these throws and takedowns. Strong points in a wide range of grappling and submissions.

[4-5] Boxing

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Although western boxing is not considered a martial art, it still has its' place in the MMA field simply because it teaches striking strategy. In addition to punching, boxing also has a very good selection of defensive techniques that assist many fighters in preventing them from getting hit. There are many MMA fighters who train in boxing.

[4-6] Submission Wrestling

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Submission Wrestling is a hybrid style that combines elements of wrestling with submission holds associated with Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. Submission Wrestling can also be called by different names such as Submission Fighting, Shootwrestling and other names. Emphasis in submission wrestling is placed on submitting your opponent, rather than maintaining a good position. Compare that to Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu where a superior position is preferred to giving up a good position just to get a submission.

[4-7] Other Martial Arts

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There are many other styles and arts which can be trained in and Mixed Martial arts does not demand that you follow any particular rule when choosing an art to train in. However, the martial arts listed above have demonstrated an effectiveness that cannot be duplicated using other strategies to combine arts. The list below is a partial list of some of the other arts sometimes incorporated in crosstraining, though not always as effective as the above arts.

Savate - A French form of kickboxing that does not use elbows to strike.
Tae Kwon Do - A Korean martial art with strong emphasis on kicks.
Jiu-Jitsu - Traditional Japanese Jiu-jitsu is sometimes a preferred method of training.
Jeet Kune Do - Essentially a striking art, developed by Bruce Lee and ever evolving.
Kung Fu - Chinese martial art
Karate - Japanese martial art, originating from Chinese Kung Fu
Streetfighting - Knowledge of fighting one gains from being in a lot of street fights. Mostly a combination of basic boxing and wrestling.

[4-8] Questionable Martial Arts

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There are many questionable martial arts out there simply because their effectiveness has not been proven. Some martial artists will incorporate certain moves into some type of aerobic training. Cardio Kickboxing is one such "questionable" art. Often the people you are working with will say, "get in shape while you learn martial arts." This is a pretty misleading way of getting people to pay money for their program.
The other problem with these questionable arts is that they give people a false sense of security. They lead people to believe that they can defend themselves realistically. These are the types of questionable types you should keep an eye out for.

[4-9] Street Fighting

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Street fighting is basically the art of those who fight in the streets, in bars, in backyards, etc. Street fighting is an art because a person can learn a lot by getting into these types of realistic fights. As a person gets in more fights, he learns a lot by winning and sometimes even by losing. However, there are serious drawbacks to relying on street fights to make you a better fighter. I don't advise anybody to test themselves by fighting a stranger on the street. There are just too many factors working against you. Does the guy you're fighting have friends or a weapon? Are you fighting someplace where you can be hurt by the environment such as your head hitting the concrete or a bottle getting cracked over your skull? It's really a bad thing for all people involved.
There are big arguments all over the place about what a street fighter is and what makes a street fighter good. To tell you the truth, the area is too gray. There are different types of street fighters. Some guys can really fight, they just have a natural ability. Then there are those that rely on their friends to back them up. There's a few who rely on a "strike first" method where as long as they hit you first and catch you off guard, they can win. Then there's the ones who think they are really good, but in reality, they only win because they pick fights with weak people. Oh almost forgot, there's some that will act like they wanna fight you and then pull out a gun when you get to the parking lot. I have seen a lot of Joe Blows that claim to be great fighters. They constantly talk about all the street fights they've been in, yet when they go through a little bit of light sparring with you, they want to quit after 5 minutes.
Some people like to argue about who could beat who and they'll get into a big fuss over martial artists vs. street fighters. I like to stay out of these arguments and just say that Street Fighting exists. Some people are really good at it and others just think they are. I guess the same thing can be said of martial It all depends on who you meet.

Chapter [5]: Safety and Injury

This section contains safety issues as well as lists of common injuries and a reference of severe injuries and/or death that have been associated with training in MMA or participating in an MMA event.

[5-1] Injuries

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[5-1.1] Hand Injuries

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Injuries to the hand do occur during training and while competing in an MMA style event. In training, it is possible to "jam" a finger against the mat or training partner. This type of injury happens often in all sports activities and occurs when the finger is jammed quickly into its' own socket. The result is usually swelling and pain in the finger that was "jammed." However, this type of injury usually heals very quickly, within a few days or weeks. Often regular training can resume despite the injury.
Fractures to the hand occur when striking is allowed in an MMA event. Hand and wrist fractures do not usually occur during regular sparring or training. However, it is not uncommon for a fighter to strike an opponent in a hard section of the body or head, causing some the bones in the hand to break. The injuries are not usually of a permanent nature and heal normally when placed in a regular cast. There are very rare occasions when a hand has been broken severely enough to require pins to be placed inside the hand for the bone to heal properly. This is very uncommon but important to notate. In most cases, a simple soft or hard cast will keep the hand still enough to enable proper healing.

[5-1.2] Head and Neck Injuries

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The danger of injuries to the head and neck are minimized by strict rules that govern training and MMA events. Strikes to the back of the head and neck are usually forbidden. However, there is the rarity that such an injury may occur from a well placed strike, hard throw, or other such tramautic application of force. There are no documented severe spinal or neck injuries in any MMA event. The only neck injury that stands out occured during UFC 18. One Frank Shamrock executed a body slam on his opponent, Igor Zinoviev in which Igor was knocked out by the slam and the fight stopped. He recovered completely, although he did suffer from a broken collar bone and a micro fracture of his vertebrae. Concussions are also rare among MMA and NHB events. The most common form of neck pain is often simple neck muscle strain which is easily treated by a sports therapist and in no way a life threatening or permanent injury.

[5-1.3] Joint Hyperextension Injuries

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A slightly common injury that often occurs during training or participation in an event, comes from the hyperextension of a joint or limb. This happens usually when a submission hold, such as armlock or kneebar is applied, but the opponent refuses to tap. The arm or leg is rarely broken, although the joint is extended beyond the range of motion. The joint can become inflamed and it will be accompanied by pain in the tendon that controls motion of the joint. The care received depends upon the extent of the injury, and whether or not the injury is in the tendons around the joint, or in the bone itself. Although overextension can be severe and painful, more often than not, it is a relatively mild injury, requiring the same care one would use on a fractured bone.

[5-1.4] Choke Related Injuries

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There have been no injuries associated with the use of chokes in any American MMA/NHB event. Restriction of blood to the brain, which is the main function of applying a choke, has been proven to be safe when applied properly and for the correct amount of time. Martial arts professionals very intricately teach the safety and proper application of chokes through extensive training. There have been documented cases of injury and/or death within the martial arts field in general, however, these cases are very few and were brought about as a result of a lack of understanding of chokes as well as improper training. A detailed case study of death or permanent injury due to airway or carotid artery choke can be found here.

[5-2] Severe Injuries

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Severe injuries within the MMA field are extremely rare due to the strict rules and regulations that are applied to events. The sport of MMA is much safer than other contact sports such as boxing, football and hockey. There has never been an instance of a fighter that was paralyzed, crippled or suffered from brain damage. This is a remarkable record considering the high rate of severe injuries associated with other well accepted contact sports. MMA has had less incidents of injury than even non-contact sports such as tennis, skiing and baseball.
The most severe injury ever recorded stands out only because there are no other injuries on record. In this incident, a fighter by the name of Igor Zinoviev was taken down and bodyslammed against the floor by his opponent, Frank Shamrock. As he hit the floor, he was knocked out immediately. After examination by a doctor, it was determined that he had a broken collarbone and a small fracture in one of his vertebrae. Those injuries have since healed completely and Igor Zinoviev continues to compete in MMA/NHB events.

[5-3] MMA Related Deaths

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Since the inception of modern day MMA/NHB, there has only been one death that was associated with a fighter participating in this type of event. The name of the fighter was Doug Dedge and he was an American who was competing overseas in a Russian event called World Super Challenge. Apparently Doug Dedge finished the event, but died later at the hospital due to severe brain hemorraghing. It is important to bring up the circumstances related to the death of Doug Dedge. He is reported to have had a previous medical condition as he had blacked out several times during training. This condition was overlooked by event officials because of the lack of a qualified Russian sanctioning body that would have protected a fighter in this case had he fought in the U.S.

[5-4] Safety Procedures

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Rules and safety regulations vary from organization to organization. However, it is important to list some of the procedures and precautions taken to insure the health and well-being of the fighters at all times. Here is a list of some general safety regulations that are used by many of these MMA organizations and help to insure the safety of all MMA practioners.

Padded Gloves are often used a means to protect the fighters hands from being damaged while striking.
Striking is almost never allowed to the back of the head, neck or spinal cord area.
There is no standing count when a fighter is knocked out. Once a fighter is unconscious, even if for only a second, the match is stopped immediately. Often times, the fight will be stopped even if the fighter is only in a daze.
Often there are events that do not allow kicking of an opponent while he is down.
The fight can and will be stopped by a doctor or referee if a fighter cannot intelligently or coherently defend himself.
The fighters cornerman can also throw in a towel, causing the fight to stop immediately if it is determined that a fighter cannot continue.
A fighter can tap the mat or his opponent at any time, indicating that he wishes to end the match and stop fighting.
Before a fighter competes, he is given a thorough examination by a professional doctor. The doctor will insure that the fighter is in good health and able to compete in this type of event.
In full contact matches, the fighters are usually tested for communicable diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis.