In the last couple of years no sport in the world has undergone more radical change than mixed martial arts (MMA).

Think about it, Mixed Martial Arts is barely over a decade old in terms of being a worldwide recognized sport.  So, it is extremely young with limitless potential for dominating the sports world.

When you examine the sport from the first major event in 1993 until today, you find the metamorphosis from the original bare-knuckled, no-holds-barred, tournament-style events is due to the addition of new rules and equipment along with the adoption of a single-fight-in-one-night format, weight classes, rounds, and now the team concept of the now extinct International Fight League (IFL). I would say that an even more powerful cause of the evolution of MMA is its athletes. Not to put down the fighters of the past, but today’s MMA competitor not only has a radically different body, but fights extremely different.

Okay this may not actually be Bruce Lee film footage but it is still impressive and fun to watch. Bruce Lee is still such a huge star When we just mention Bruce Lee’s name we get a spike in traffic. He is the man that started MMA and getting people to realize that one martial arts was not the solution but by blending them together you could become a much better fighter.

Bruce Lee became a huge star in the world due to the few movie rolls he starred in. Lee started in Wing Chun, but he later rejected this and other well-defined martial art styles and taught techniques and movements from several different martial arts he called it Jeet Kune Do (JKD) which mean the way of the intercepting fist.

Martial arts have become an increasingly essential part of the fabric of modern, urban society in many corners of North, Central, and South America. This has been encouraged by the demands of live TV broadcasts that have turned some arts into sports watched by millions—for example, the spectacular mixed-martial-arts competitions of the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Movies, too, have popularized other arts among younger generations eager to learn self-defense techniques or to imitate their screen heroes.

The early martial arts of the Americas emerged among the communities of African slaves who brought their fighting and dancing skills to Brazil and the Caribbean. They created martial arts such as Capoeira , which involves a multitude of powerful punches, kicks, and head butts. Capoeira was outlawed, but the slaves continued to practice their art under the guise of music and dance performances—the blows were disguised among hypnotic dance movements. Slave communities also created mani stick fighting in Cuba and calinda in the Caribbean and New Orleans, and these were also fought with a musical accompaniment, often at festivals and carnivals. The no-holds-barred wrestling matches of Brazilian Vale Tudo and Brazilian jujutsu (see Jiu Jitsu Gi) are forerunners of mixed martial arts, which saw a huge surge in popularity in the early 1990s. All these systems have left an indelible imprint on the martial-arts landscape in the Americas.

Many of the weapons used by the ninja were derived from their need for stealth and speed. Although they did use traditional

Ninja Weapons

weapons, such as swords and daggers, the ninja also employed an arsenal of other devices designed to stun, delay, distract, and—of course—to kill their enemies. They were masters in the use of gunpowder, which they utilized to create smoke screens, burning projectiles, and even landmines. Many of their weapons had multiple uses and were easily concealed. For example, the throwing star also known as the “shuriken” (small, handheld blades) were usually thrown at the enemy to cause minor injuries and create a distraction, but they could also be used in the hand, to gouge and slash.