Ultimate Fighting
overview
- General Information
- Mandatory Equipment
- The Octagon – The Cage
- History
- Weight divisions
- Points system
- Ending a fight
- Current Champions
General Information
Ultimate Fighting is defined as mixed martial arts competition between high level professional fighters coming from disciplines like Boxing, Kickboxing, Karate, Wrestling or Jiu-jitsu. It started as a championship to find the world’s best martial arts style. The Ultimate Fighting Championships® (UFC®) formed as an US-organization, that introduced a tournament to find the very best fighter as seen in the Brazilian Vale Tudo.
Mandatory Equipment
Fighters may use 4-6 oz gloves to protect their hands, but they are not allowed to be large enough to improve the striking surface or the weight.
The only uniforms allowed are MMA shorts or kickboxing trunks. No shirts, gis or shoes may be worn.
The UFC gloves, shorts and kickboxing trunks have to be approved by the Commission first.
The Octagon – The Cage
The first eight-sided competition area was established in 1993 and is now known as the UFC OctagonTM. It is a registered trademark of Zuffa, LLC and is the first neutral arena suitable for mixed martial arts.
Safety is guaranteed by the Commission, who approves of ring structures, fences, canvas and the safety paddings and apart from that Zuffa is constantly making major investments to retain the quality.
History
The origins of the Ultimate Fighting Championship can be found in the years 1991 to 1993. Art Davie, a Californian advertising executive and Rorion Gracie from the famous Brazilian Gracie family, which has a long ValeTudo tradition, developed a television franchise concept for a mixed martial art tournament. They were eager to find out what was going to happen, when martial artists from different disciplines like Boxing, Kara-te, Ju-jitsu, Kickboxing or Wrestling start to fight each other.
The first Ultimate Fighting Championship broadcast was carried out at the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado, on the 12th of November 1993. The only way to win was through knock-out, submission or throwing in the towel. Eight participants entered the tournament with prize money worth $ 50.000. There were no weight classes, time limits or judges on that night. All they had were two well-knownVale Tudo referees.
Weight divisions
- Flyweight <125 lbs. / <57 kilograms
- Bantamweight <135 lbs. / <61 kilograms
- Featherweight <145 lbs. / <66 kilograms
- Lightweight <155 lbs. / <70 kilograms
- Welterweight < 170 lbs. / <77 kilograms
- Middleweight < 185 lbs. / <84 kilograms
- Light Heavyweight <205 lbs. / <93 kilograms
- Heavyweight < 265 lbs. / <120 kilograms
- Super Heavyweight >265 lbs. / >120 kilograms
Points system
A ten-point must system has been introduced for UFC fights. The winner of the round receives ten points from every judge, the looser nine or less. If there is a draw, both receive ten points
Ending a fight
- Knockout: A fighter is unable to continue the fight immediately after a legal blow or he is unconscious
- Submission: Either the fighter submits verbally or he taps on the mat/opponent at least three times.
- Technical Knockout: If it is impossible for one fighter to defend himself properly, or the ringside doctor stops the fight due to injury.
- Judges’ decision:
- Unanimous decision: All three judges vote for the same fighter
- Split decision: Two judges votefor one fighter, the third for the other
- Majority decision: Two judges vote for one fighter, the third for a draw
- Unanimous draw: All three judges decide on a draw
- Majority draw: Two judges vote a draw, the third for one fighter
- Split draw: The total points are equal for both fighters
- Disqualification
- Forfeit
- No contest: An unintended foul makes it impossible to continue the fight
Current Champions
Heavyweight : Randy Couture since UFC 68 (March 07)
Light Heavyweight: Quinton Jackson since UFC 71 (May 07)
Middleweight: Anderson Silva since UFC 64 (October 06)
Welterweight : Matt Serra since UFC 69 (April 07)
Lightweight : Sean Sherk since UFC 64 (October 06)
