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T.P. Grant's MMA Origins
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October 10, 2015
MMA Origins: Revenge of the Striker
In the mid-1990's the prevalent wisdom in MMA was that grapplers ruled the world, bigger was better, and only the toughest survived. But kickboxer Maurice Smith would challenge the way fighters and fans thought about the sport of MMA.
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April 22, 2014
MMA Origins: Extreme Fighting Blazes Trail
Many of the basic rules that form the bedrock of the sport of MMA were pioneered by a short lived promoted in the mid-90's. Despite only holding four events Extreme Fighting had a huge impact on how the sport of MMA developed.
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April 4, 2014
MMA Origins: World Combat Championships
While MMA Origins has focused heavily on the growth of the UFC, there were other American promotions that held "No Holds Barred" events. T.P. Grant takes a look at the World Combat Championships, a short lived experiment with MMA rules.
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December 25, 2013
MMA Origins: Two Year Recap
The MMA Origins series is just over two years old this month, so to catch up and prepare for the next year, here is a quick run down of the series.
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November 13, 2013
MMA Origins: Frank Shamrock Changes the Game
Fighters had been mixing skills of different martial arts for years by the late 90's, but it became clear that how you trained was just as important what you trained. And there was one fighter ready to the next step forward
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November 12, 2013
MMA Origins: UFC 1 (20th Anniversary Edition)
Twenty years ago to this day UFC 1 was held, heralding in a new sport to American audiences. T.P. Grant celebrates this occasion by going back and revamping his UFC 1 addition of the MMA Origins series with more details, stories, and sources!
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June 25, 2013
MMA Origins: UFC Searches for New Stars
The UFC was not yet five years old and already it was fighting for its life. Taken off PPV and struggling to find locations hold live events, the leadership of SEG looked for new stars in a fresh generation of fighters.
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May 27, 2013
MMA Origins: U.S. Military Hand-to-Hand Programs
MMA Origins takes an aside from looking at the history of the sport of mixed martial arts to look at the integration of martial arts in the U.S. military.
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May 2, 2013
MMA Origins: Fighting For Pride
T.P. Grant looks at how a show down between Rickson Gracie and a Japanese pro wrestler lead to the creation of Pride FC.
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March 8, 2013
MMA Origins: Russian Revolution
On this day 96 years ago revolution rocked Russia, an uprising that would change the world and having lasting effects on human history. T.P. Grant marks the anniversary by looking at the long term impact on the sport of Mixed Martial Arts.
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February 10, 2013
MMA Origins: Shooto's Forgotten Champion
Arguably the oldest Mixed Martial Arts promotion, the Japanese wrestling circuit Shooto was also the home of one of the sport's truly well rounded fighters. Erik Paulson would become Shooto's first American champion and one of MMA's forgotten greats.
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December 25, 2012
MMA Origins: One Year Recap
Just over a year ago I started writing the MMA Origins series, so for some holiday reading here is a little summary of what this series has covered during its first year.
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December 22, 2012
MMA Origins: The UFC's Fight for Survival
The UFC's early successes quickly turned sour when enemies of the sport rallied against it and it fell to UFC referee John McCarthy and commentator Jeff Blatnick to keep this young sport from dying on the vine.
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October 22, 2012
MMA Origins: Buckeye Beatdown
In the mid-90's well rounded fighters started to win titles both in the UFC and in Japan, but Ohio State wrestler Mark Coleman reminded everyone how dangerous a specialist could be in this young sport.
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September 17, 2012
MMA Origins: Bas Rutten Reigns in Pancrase
In this installment of MMA Origins, T.P. Grant looks at the evolution of fighters in the mid-90's and the first fighters to find success by using a variety of skill sets, focusing on Bas Rutten's title run in the Japanese Pancrase promotion.
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June 25, 2012
MMA Origins: Muay Thai Emerges
The story of how Vale Tudo shifted from a Gracie Jiu Jitsu-dominated sport to something more well rounded and how Chute Boxe was integral to that.
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June 16, 2012
MMA Origins: The World's Most Dangerous Man
Ken Shamrock "The World's Most Dangerous Man" was once considered the best fighter in the world. After an impressive run in Pancarase, Shamrock returned to the UFC seeking revenge for his loss to Royce Gracie.
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May 2, 2012
MMA Origins: The First King of Pancrase
MMA Origins: The First King of Pancrase, The story of how Ken Shmarock became a legend
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April 8, 2012
MMA Origins: The Gracie Era in the UFC
Enjoy some MMA history for Easter! Take a look at the dominance of Royce Gracie, his toughest fights in the UFC and the only ninja to win a UFC Championship.
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March 26, 2012
MMA Origins: UFC 1
In a ploy to create more awareness of Jiu Jitsu, Rorion Gracie creates the Ultimate Fighting Championship, intended to be a infomercial of jiu jitsu. Inadvertently he and his fellow promoters spark an American interest in MMA that is still growing.
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March 19, 2012
MMA Origins: The Gracie Challenge
A look at the arrival of the Gracies and MMA to the United States in the 1980's
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March 11, 2012
MMA Origins: Brazilian Warfare
A new generation of Gracies come of age in the middle of a full blown war between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Luta Livre
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February 20, 2012
MMA Origins: Birth of Japanese MMA
With the lead up to UFC 144 in Japan, it seems only natural to look at the spark that lead to the MMA explosion on the Japanese isles.
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February 17, 2012
MMA Origins: American Experiments
A quick look at Muhammad Ali's foray into MMA and the first ever MMA match on U.S. soil.
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February 12, 2012
MMA Origins: Catch Wrestling Travels to Japan
Follow the migration of catch wrestling from Europe to Japan, its slow transformation of worked Japanese Pro Wrestling to actual fight sport.