On the day before UFC 100 takes place, let us remember and celebrate how we got here.  Without the Gracies, the UFC, or PRIDE, the global expansion of Mixed Martial Arts would have never reached the mass appeal, geographical territories, and success that MMA has today.

It's time for a history lesson everyone.  Lets start by talking about a word most MMA fans should know, and that is Pankration.

In 648 B.C.E., the Greeks introduced the sport of pankration into the Olympic Games. The word pankration is a combination of two Greek words, pan, meaning "all," and kratos, meaning "powers." This is an accurate depiction of the sport itself, as it was a potent mixture of Hellenic boxing and wrestling. The sport only truly had two rules: no biting and no eye gouging, though even these techniques were allowed by the Spartans. The bouts could end only when one competitor was knocked unconscious, or submitted to his opponent by raising his hand. Often times, these matches would last for hours, and sometimes ended with the death of one, or even both competitors. The sport became the most popular event in the Olympic Games, and across the Hellenic world.

The matches took place in an arena, or "ring" which was a square approximately 12 to 14 feet across, which the Greeks hoped would encourage close-quarter combat. The matches also featured a referee armed with a rod or switch he used to enforce the rules, which were often broken by opponents that were overmatched. Common techniques included punches, joint locks, choke holds, elbow and knee strikes, and kicks. Kicks to the legs, groin and stomach were quite commonly used. Standing strikes such as these were common, though the overwhelming majority of pankration bouts were settled on the ground, where submission holds and strikes were both accepted practices. Pankratiasts were renowned for their grappling skills, and would employ a variety of grappling techniques, such as takedowns, chokes and joint locks, often to great effect. Strangulation was the most common cause of death in pankration matches.

Ancient Greek pankratiasts became heroes, and the subject of numerous myths and legends. These include the legends of Arrichion, Dioxxipus, Polydamos and even Hercules was believed to be a pankratiast. Alexander the Great sought out pankratiasts as soldiers because of their legendary skills at unarmed combat. When he invaded India in 326 B.C.E., he had a great number of pankratiasts serving with him. This is believed to be the beginning of Asian martial arts, as most Asian martial arts trace their history to India at around this time. Pankration is the first recorded form of what would later come to be known as mixed martial arts, and is the closest any society has come to allowing a truly no-holds-barred unarmed combat sport.

Here are some images for all of those who believe that GnP was created by Hammer House or the kick to the liver was mastered by Bas.

More after the jump.

The Rebirth Of MMA In Brazil

We now go the second rebirth of what we know as Mixed Martial Arts today, and that is Brazil

Following the decline of pankration in Greece, which coincided with the rise of the Roman Empire, mixed martial arts fell by the wayside in favor of other combat sports. Sports such as wrestling and boxing became the dominant forms of combat sport in the West, while traditional martial arts swelled in popularity in Asia. This remained the case for centuries until 1925 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when the sport of mixed martial arts experienced a revival from a peculiar source.

In order to fully understand the reemergence of mixed martial arts, it is necessary to take a brief look at the history of the Gracie family of Brazil. In 1801, George Gracie immigrated to Brazil from Scotland, and settled in the Para province of northeastern Brazil. His family grew and flourished, and in the early 1900s, a Japanese man named Mitsuyo Maeda immigrated to the same area. The Japanese government had plans to establish a colony in the area, and Maeda was a representative of the Japanese government. He quickly became close friends with Gastão Gracie, a political figure in the area, and grandson of George Gracie. Gastão used his power and influence to assist Maeda and his agenda of establishing a Japanese colony.

In addition to Maeda’s political prowess and skills, he was also famous in Japan for another reason: Maeda had been a renowned champion of the Japanese martial art of judo. Maeda, or Count Koma, as he was known in Japan, offered to teach Gastão’s son the art of Judo. Maeda trained Gustão’s son, Carlos, in judo from the time Carlos was 15 until he was 21, when Maeda returned to Japan. With Maeda gone, Carlos began to teach his brothers, Helio, Jorge, Osvaldo and Gastão, Jr. the art as Maeda taught it to him. The Gracie brothers were not bound by the tradition that Japanese practitioners of the art so rigidly upheld, rather the brothers began to adapt the art to suit themselves, and to make it more practical. It was in 1925 that Carlos took his brother Helio, who was 11 years younger than Carlos, to Rio de Janeiro, where they opened a jiu-jitsu academy.

After perfecting their craft, the Gracies started to create a plan to take over the world by challenging the world.  Funny how this was probably the first ever modern marketing scheme to take over different regions and countries and secure future generations of Gracies with well paying jobs and respect world wide.  This marketing scheme eventually led to what we call today the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships).

As Carlos and brother Helio continued to advance and perfect their art in their new academy, Carlos concocted a brilliant marketing scheme to draw attention to the fledgling academy. He issued what is now famously known as the "Gracie Challenge." As he explained, "I had to do something to shock the people." He began the "Gracie Challenge" by taking out an advertisement in several Rio newspapers. The advertisement, which included a picture of the slight Carlos Gracie, information on the academy, and stated "If you want a broken arm, or rib, contact Carlos Gracie at this number." This effectively began the revival of professional mixed martial arts in the Western world, as Carlos, and later his younger brother Helio, followed by the sons of both men, would take on all comers in vale-tudo matches. These matches closely resembled the pankration matches of Ancient Greece, and were participated in by representatives of area karate schools, professional boxers, capoeira champions, and various others that sought to prove that they were better than the Gracies.

As word of these matches spread through Rio de Janeiro, the public craved these matches. As a result, these matches began to be held in Brazil’s large soccer stadiums, and attracted record crowds. The first of these professional fights was between Brazilian Lightweight Boxing Champion, Antonio Portugal and Carlos’ younger, smaller, and much frailer brother Helio. Helio won the match in less than 30 seconds, effectively elevating himself to the status of Brazilian hero. At the time, Brazil had no international sports heroes, and Helio filled that void for the Brazilians.

As word of these matches spread to Japan, the great martial arts champions of Japan sought to participate in this new form of competition against the Gracies, who the Japanese thought were defiling their traditional arts. Japanese champions flocked to Rio de Janeiro to do battle with Helio Gracie, who was always out weighed by his opponents, often by more than 100 pounds. He defeated many great Japanese fighters, and in a trip to the United States, Helio defeated the World Freestyle Wrestling Champion, American super heavyweight Fred Ebert. One-hundred-thirty-five pound Helio continued to defend the Gracie name and their martial art, often against opponents weighing as much as 300 pounds, from 1935 until 1951, fighting over 1000 fights, until Carlos’ son, Carlson, and later Helio’s sons Rolls, Rickson and Rorion took over the roll of family champion in upholding the "Gracie Challenge."

First, the Gracies started to take over Brazil, and they did so by challenging all the best fighters contryside.  Helio (left) here defeats a capoeira stylist.

Then, when the word got out to the rest of the world, Japan responded and sent their best Martial Artist to battle Helio and the Gracie family.  Helio started to defeat all challengers. Here is a fight against Kato, one of Japans top Judokas by using the guard.

Eventually, a local Brazilian group decided to bring in the best Japanese fighter in the world to face Helio, and that was one of the best Judokas to EVER exist, Masahiko Kimura.

The first ever MMA blockbuster fight was set, and Helio Gracie would take on Masahiko Kimura in Brazil. In the picture below whe have Helio, Kimura and Carlos. Below is a picture of their fight.

In 1952, at the gym next to the largest soccer stadium in Rio, the fight began. The rules were based on using judo gi's (No strikes). Invincible Helio was 45 years old, 63 kilos. Kimura at 93 kilos.  Kimura, with his powerful physique, easily threw Helio. Kimura quickly commenced with the ground game (newaza). Kimura and Helio rolled on the ground as Kimura jockeyed for position and a submission.  Helio did his best to defend against the onslaught from one of Judo's greatest fighters. Kimura tried different submissions to force Helio's submission. Helio refused to submit and fought to escape Kimura's punishing attacks. Helio struggled valiantly against his larger opponent as Kimura tried different submissions. For the first 2 minutes, it was a tie, but Helio was constantly on the losing end. After 15 minutes, Helio conceded defeat. The first defeat in Helio's life was handed to him by Kimura. The decisive arm lock technique used by Kimura was named the "Kimura Lock" and even now known to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu players, to praise Kimura's ability. It's been said that after the fight, Kimura invited Helio to visit the Kodokan in Japan. Helio declined. Even to this day, Helio speaks of great admiration of Kimura and appear proud to have faced one of Japan's greatest Judokas, Masahiko Kimura.

MMA Intrigue In Japan Starts To Build Thanks To Inoki

Before the Rickson vs Takada mega fight in Japan took place, Antonio Inoki versus Muhammad Ali did wonders in Japan to create what we know now as Japanese MMA.  Here is their match, if you have not yet seen this, take a look. An MMA classic, and still until this vary day people argue whether the fight was worked or not.

The Birth Of Modern MMA, Gracies Send Royce and Rickson To Conquer The World

The Gracies knew that if they conquered America and Japan, they would have proven that Gracie Jiu Jitsu was the best self defense tecnique in the world.  They sent Royce Gracie, with his fragile and frail physique, to America to prove that someone who is under sized and over powered can defend themselves.  They claimed no other technique or art could do what Gracie BJJ could.  They knew that if they could prove this in America, Gracie Jiu Jitsu would be a financial success selling video tapes, seminars, and teach classes.  On the other hand, they sent the stronger and imposing fighter in Rickson to take on Japan's best.  This was not done for financial reasons, but for honor for the Gracie name.  They knew for Gracie Jiu Jitsu to be taken seriously as a martial art, it would take someone like Rickson with his physique, size, and ability to beat the best fighters Japan had to offer.  Rickson Gracie took on Japan's most famoust fighter, shoot wrestler, NobuhikoTakada.  This was probably one of the biggest fights in Japan since the classic Muhammad Ali vs Antonio Inoki bout.  Rickson gained his larger than life status in Brazil as he beat one of the best fighters in Brazil at the time, Rei Zulu, at the age of 20.  Rei Zulu was 145-0 when he challenged the Gracie family to determine who the best fighter in Brazil was.

The Gracies Invade the US and Give Birth To The UFC

Rorion Gracie, the true pioneer of MMA in the United States.

In the early 1980s, Helio’s oldest son Rorion, came to the United States to teach Brazilian, or Gracie jiu-jitsu as he preferred to call it, in California. Like his father and uncle before him, he issued the infamous "Gracie Challenge" in his new home, but added a new twist. Rorion offered $100,000 to anyone who could defeat him, or one of his brothers, in a vale-tudo match. These matches again brought Brazilian jiu-jitsu much popularity. As Rorion realized the potential this style of fighting offered to spread his family’s art, he sought to create an organization that would promote this sort of fighting in the United States.

After years of hard work, and promoting his family’s art and his idea for an American vale-tudo league, Rorion Gracie met Art Davie, a salesmen who had first become interested in this style of fighting during a trip he took to Thailand where he witnessed an underground mixed martial arts event. Davie utilized his connections in the television industry to set up a meeting for himself and Rorion Gracie with Bob Meyrowitz, who was president of Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG), a corporation that specialized in putting on live pay-per-view sporting events. Together, the three men established the "Ultimate Fighting Championship," which held its first event in 1993. The first "Ultimate Fighting Championship" (or UFC as it is more commonly known) event sold 86,000 pay-per-view buys, and by the third event, the buy rate was up to 300,000 pay-per-view buys per show. This secured a place for the sport of mixed martial arts in the United States, but this place was not a reputable one.

Gracies Invade Japan and Give Birth To PRIDE

The Gracies then unleashed their most daring venture to prove to the world that Gracie BJJ was the echelon of martial arts technique, and that is by trying to conquer Japan and taking on one of their most famous pro wrestlers, Nobuhiko Takada.  Rickson won the bout by Armbar in the first round, which gave birth to Rickson by Armbar for many years to come by MMA fans.

Pride Fighting Championships was initially conceived in 1997 by Kakutougi Revolution Spirits to match popular Japanese pro-wrestler Nobuhiko Takada with Rickson Gracie, the purported champion of the Gracie family of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners. The event, held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997 attracted 47,000 fans, as well as Japanese mass media attention. The success of the first event enabled its promoters to hold a regular series of mixed martial arts events, and a year later in 1998, promote a rematch between Takada and Gracie.[3] With K-1 enjoying popularity in Japan, Pride began to compete with monthly showings on Fuji Television, as well as pay per view on the newly formed satellite television channel SKY PerfecTV.

UFC Banned and Zuffa Steps Into The Spotlight

As the UFC gained popularity, it also gained massive amounts of criticism.  Senators and politicians started a campaign to ban the UFC.  In 1997, the UFC was dropped by all PPV carriers.  The UFC then continued to host events in other countries and released tapes of their events.  This was known as the "underground" era of MMA in North America.  Zuffa and then stepped in and resurrect the UFC in North America in 2001, when the UFC returned to PPV. 

As the UFC gained popularity, it became a pertinent political topic, as Arizona Senator John McCain launched a campaign against the UFC. As a result, in 1997, pay-per-view carriers dropped the Ultimate Fighting Championship events from their line-ups. This was partially SEG’s fault, as they had marketed the UFC as a blood sport, by drawing attention to the negatives that surrounded the event. SEG’s marketing of the event boasted that it was a "no rules," or "no-holds-barred" fighting event, where anything could happen, even death. This was a successful marketing scheme in the beginning, as it drew attention to the sport from curiosity seekers, but it later backfired politically. As the political uproar began, and Sen. McCain became an outspoken champion of the abolition of the sport, states began to outlaw mixed martial arts competition. This forced the UFC to move its events from state to state, until the pay-per-view providers dropped the events from their services. In the words of UFC ring announcer, Bruce Buffer, this caused the UFC to "basically go underground."

The Ultimate Fighting Championship remained a fringe oddity, without pay-per-view coverage, and banned from all but a handful of states for several years, until the franchise was purchased by Zuffa, LLC. Zuffa, a Las Vegas based media and casino management company owned by Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, took over the UFC franchise with the intention of returning it to its former popularity, and eventually gaining the sport mainstream acceptance. The Fertittas and Zuffa president Dana White sought to turn the UFC into a "good, clean sport with actual rules," which would allow the sport to eventually become sanctioned. This would be a huge step for the UFC, as "sanctioning provides a legitimization for the sport," according to Bruce Buffer.

Dana White and the Fertitta’s work came to fruition in 2001, when the UFC returned to pay-per-view, with record buy rates, and record ticket sales at their live events. The new and improved UFC returned with a stricter set of rules, which included rounds, time limits, five weight classes, a list of 31 fouls, and 8 possible ways to win. Also, the UFC fighters were drastically different from those that entered the Octagon in 1993. Current UFC fighters are among the best conditioned athletes in the world. Often, fighters train for more than six hours a day, which is comparable to, and often more than the amount of time boxers and other professional athletes spend in training on a daily basis. Also, fighters work on strength and conditioning, in addition to their striking and grappling skills.

Until this day, it is disputed that the "first smart business move" (also controversial) by Zuffa (since the Fertitta's were part of the NSAC at the time) was to swipe the UFC away from Meyrowitz.  The Fertittas saw the value of the UFC, and Fertitta's vote forced the NSAC to ban the UFC (according to Meyrowitz though this was never proven to be true).   Once  the UFC was banned (not sanctioned), the Fertitta's purchased the UFC from Meyrowitz and started plans to bring back the UFC and make a huge profit off of a $2 million dollar investment.

By the late 1990’s Frank III had expanded Stations and Frank Jr.’s other son, Lorenzo Fertitta, became a member of the board of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. At the time the UFC was owned by Bob Meyrowitz who needed NSCA approval in order to return the UFC to pay-per-view and profitability. Meyrowitz alleges that in 1999 Larenzo was the deciding vote that blocked NSCA approval, dooming the UFC, which forced Meyrowitz to sell the UFC to the Fertittas for $2 million.

Different Philosophies For Different Types Of MMA

So, if you look back in the history of MMA, we can clearly see that the UFC has now evolved into a product that American combat sport enthusiast's can now love, which is a mixture of boxing and pro wretling.  The UFC was able to secure deals with Jakks Pacific, THQ, and run a PPV model, perfectly emulatating the steps that Vince McMahon took to accomplish his success decades before the UFC hit town.  They take the Boxing approach in terms of making MMA seem like a no-joke, everything is on the line, legitimate cut throat sport.  MMA is much more serious in the USA.  It is more like boxing in this regard, where a loss really hurts your career and you have to rebuild and go back to the drawing board. Winning takes the most precedence, no matter how it is accomplished.  This is supported by the "infamous" cut rule by the UFC, where they can renegotiate your contract after a loss, or drop you from the organization altogether after a string of losses. Although recently, it does appear that the UFC is now becoming more friendly to fighters that provide exciting fights and take a chance to finish their opponents, by offering big fight of the night and finishing bonuses.

The Japanese on the other hand, adapted MMA as to what is popular in combat sports in their culture, which is more of a Pro Wrestling larger than life approach, with a touch of Olympic merit.  They value entertainment, what we deem as the "freak" factor, they admire since it is done to prove that a smaller skilled man can defeat the larger more powerful man. Honor is something that must be always in display, whether you won, lost, in the ring or out of the ring.  Winning or losing doesn't matter as much in Japan, where as showing your fighting spirit, skill, and honor is what takes precedence in a fight.  These are the reasons that fighters like Sakuraba, Minowaman, Sudo, Inoki, and Takada gained so much fame.  This is another reason why someone like Akiyama and now Misaki have been chastised and ridiculed for cheating or violating the law.

In terms of similarities, it is interesting to see that the common denominator is Pro Wrestling and seems to be the key for previously modern MMA to explode into the main stream of each country.  It was the bravery and showmanship of fighters like Sakuraba, Inoki, and Takada that elevated MMA in Japan to next media stream.  Brock Lesnar, former Pro Wrestler and WWE champ, is now doing the same for the UFC, and if the history of Martial Arts holds true, MMA fans will be waiting for a smaller skilled man to once again prove that skills can overcome size and strength disadvantages.  If the pattern holds true, it will take another big name pro-wrestler or big name boxing cross-over for MMA in North America to explode into the main stream.  As for Japan, it will most likely rely on a daunting and charismatic gold medalist Judoka Olympian, his success, and the evolution of homegrown MMA fighters.