Mixed Martial Arts or MMA as it is also known is a combat sport that mixes techniques from different martial arts.
Mixed martial arts didn't become an official sport until the Ultimate Fighting Championship was established in the US in 1992.
There are basically three stages during a mixed martial arts fight:
Stand-up fighting, clinch fighting, and ground fighting.
Stand-up fighting includes techniques such as kicking, punching, kneeing, and elbowing the opponent, while ground fighting involves holding the opponent down through the use of grappling holds. Clinch fighting means holding the opponent, either to prevent strikes or to get the dominant position while on the ground.
There are different ways to victory in mixed martial arts:
Knockout (KO), technical Knockout (TKO), doctor stoppage, and submission, in which a fighter voluntarily admits defeat. Referees can also stop a fight if they believe one of the fighters has sustained significant injury, or numerous fouls or warnings, for any illegal strikes.
