MMA Wannabes.

**Darkpaladin** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 5:27pm

MMA as "style" has evolved into training in a canon of specific (higher percentage) martial arts. TKD and Aikido isn't MMA, where Boxing and Wrestling would be more reasonable.

However, MMA is more commonly used to refer to sportfighting regardless.

That said, I think saying "I train MMA" is a syntax error. "I train for MMA" would be more appropriate.

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 5:28pm

Originally Posted by Kidspatula

does he actually? Your pointing out that MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts doesn't really show that you have any actual knowledge on the history of the acronym's useage.

Yeah, I'm kind of with Kid here.

I wouldn't call myself a historian, but I've never seen a reference to MMA before someone decided to come up with a more politically correct term to describe NHB fights (and a more accurate one, since there are plenty of "holds barred" in NHB). I'd love to see an article about the use of the word.

Cross training is the term I've always heard for training in two arts, but again, I'm not an expert. Perhaps this is a thread for the Martial Arts History Project?

**CanucKyokushin** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 5:29pm

Are you asking me when did they decide to call it MMA.Well Vale Tudo had existed as far back as the fifties in Brazil.I think later on in the US they had NHB events in places like dive bars for a long time.I think even thought it was called NHB I believe it was usually promoted as a competition of Mix martial arts.

Isn't this one of those what came first the chicken or the egg.

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 5:35pm

I think it's one of things where the definition of MMA may have evolvled. It went from a ruleset that allowed standup and grapplling. The term was probably coined because it would have probably been easier to have sanctioned matches if it was called Mixed Martial Arts than if it was called No Holds Barred. Now people also refer to is as a style, where people train for the MMA ruleset as opposed to crosstraining and doing MMA sparring to bring the multiple styles together.

Edit: I got Ninja'd I think they said it better too.

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 5:43pm

Going strictly on linguistics, I would say that training Aikido and Taekwondo would be MMA training.

It'd just be crap MMA training.

I'm also with Dark Paladin. "I train for mixed martial arts competition" is more gramatically correct, and makes more sense.

Regardless, the common lexicon prevails, and anyone who says they do MMA because they train in Shotokan and Kendo...is just stupid.

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 6:03pm

Originally Posted by Canuckyokushin

Are you asking me when did they decide to call it MMA.Well Vale Tudo had existed as far back as the fifties in Brazil.I think later on in the US they had NHB events in places like dive bars for a long time.I think even thought it was called NHB I believe it was usually promoted as a competition of Mix martial arts.

Isn't this one of those what came first the chicken or the egg.

I'm not talking about the history of MMA style competition, I'm merely referring to the history of the acronym's useage.

edit: since the abuse of the acronym is what we've been laughing about here. "I do MMA, by which I mean I train in shotokan and kendo." = erroneous.

**Askari** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 6:10pm

What about guys who compete in "Mixed Boxe" (that is with boxing gloves on that allows some ground game) and claim to be a bad ass MMA fighter? But have never put on the 4 ouncers?

**TKD Black Belt** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 6:15pm

Originally Posted by devil

Since when does Kendo training fall into the MMA category?

When?!? Well, what about when you're walking to the ring and you are carrying a flag and someone jumps out and tries to steel you mouthguard! You'll find those Kendo lessons come in handy!

TKD

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 6:19pm

Originally Posted by Askari

What about guys who compete in "Mixed Boxe" (that is with boxing gloves on that allows some ground game) and claim to be a bad ass MMA fighter? But have never put on the 4 ouncers?

does that happen? Aren't there like a dozen or so people who do this sport?

**DAYoung** · Posted On: 4/03/2006 6:44pm

I think it's fair to say that anyone now advertising 'MMA' is capitalising on the popularity of the various NHB competitions. Even if the word once meant any crosstraining, the meaning has clearly changed to reflect what you see in UFC, Pride, and so on. In this light, anyone now offering light contact traditional martial arts and Kendo as 'MMA' is probably being at least a little disingenuous.