The Differences between UFC and MMA

Meta: Are you a fan of professional fighting or just looking to expand your existing knowledge? Continue reading to find out the differences between UFC and MMA. 
 
If you are a fighting fan, you may be able to differentiate between UFC and MMA. If you have only recently gotten interested in professional fighting, however, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two popular terms. Continue reading to familiarize yourself with the differences between UFC and MMA. 

Definition 
 
When it comes to comparing UFC and MMA, the most obvious difference is their definitions. For example, MMA refers to the sport of mixed martial arts whilst the UFC refers to the organization of the Ultimate Fighting Championship that organizes MMA fights and matches on a regular basis. It was founded in 1993 in Las Vegas and has been headquartered in the city ever since. It schedules over 40 live events annually in some of the planet’s top sporting and entertainment arenas and, as a result, is the largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. In addition, a number of online casinos and sportsbooks now offer UFC odds to allow fans to predict and keep up to date with the action on the go or from the comfort of their own homes. 
 
History 
 
As well as their definition, UFC and MMA also differ when it comes to their history. UFC was only established in the early 1990s as the sport was gaining traction around the world, for example, whilst MMA has been practiced for hundreds, and perhaps even thousands, of years with its origins reportedly traced back to Japan in the mid to late 1800s. As a result, mixed martial arts has been exposed to a growing number of fighting fans around the world who were previously not only unable to engage with or participate in the sport in their home country but more than likely also unaware of its existence until it appeared on their television screens. 
 
Popularity 
 
By analyzing UFC and MMA, there are several key differences between their popularity. For example, MMA has been loved by fighting fans in Japan and Europe for hundreds of years whilst the UFC has only promoted the art of mixed martial arts to the wider world within the past couple of decades. It is worth remembering, however, that whilst there are several differences between them, they are inherently interlinked. The UFC only exists because of MMA but MMA existed long before the establishment of UFC.
 
Sports involved
 
If you are looking to educate yourself on the differences between UFC and MMA, it may be worth knowing that the combinations of sports involved can differ. MMA, in the simplest of terms, is the name given to a hybrid of a wide range of fighting talents including boxing, wrestling, judo, jujitsu, Muay Thai, and even karate. The fundamental goal of UFC, however, is to promote MMA on a wider platform and encourage a greater number of sports fans to experience the sports individually as well as come to realize how powerful they can be when they are combined.
 
Location
 
MMA may be a globally recognized term today, but its origins were limited to Japan before it eventually made its way to Europe. As UFC was only formed in 1993, it has only recently exploded onto the global stage and now boasts fans in hundreds of countries across the globe with the vast majority of the sport’s famous faces hailing from the United States. With the organization’s headquarters located in Las Vegas, this city has also become the unofficial home of the sport in recent years as well as the location of several global matches and tournaments between some of the sport’s top talents. 
 
If you are interested in mixed martial arts, or professional fighting in general, but are struggling to tell the difference between UFC and MMA, it may benefit you to find out how they differ. For example, there are several differences when it comes to the definition, history, popularity, sports involved, and location. By doing your research and finding out as much as you can ahead of time, you can appreciate them as separate entities whilst also appreciating how they influence one another on a global scale.