Early Orgins
In Ancient Greece, the earliest form of MMA was in a sport named Pankration, which allowed for a combination of striking and grappling.
The Beginnings of MMA
1972 ,Japan
A Mix of Subcultures
The two styles of grappling that became the staple of mixed martial arts are Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Japanese shoot wrestling. Fighters traveled around the world to learn both styles of grappling.
1880s- Early 1900s
The first modern form of MMA took place in Japan, the Pacific Rim, and Europe when wrestlers represented different styles of martial arts competed.
First Major Encounter
Muhammad Ali and Antonio Inoki fought for 15 rounds for a draw because they refused to conform to one fighting style.