Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as we know it today began to take shape in the early 1990s with the launch of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the United States. However, its roots trace back much further—to ancient combat sports like Pankration in Greece and hybrid martial arts competitions in Brazil and Japan. Early MMA events were style-vs-style matchups, but the sport quickly evolved as fighters began cross-training in multiple disciplines. Today, MMA is a global phenomenon, combining the most effective techniques from striking and grappling arts into one unified combat sport.