Ultimate fighting, or MMA (mixed martial arts), is one of the worlds fastest growing sports. Millions of fans from all countries have become avid spectators of this relatively new sporting event. MMA competitions pit the greatest fighters in the world in a ring or cage to decide who is the best of the best. To the uneducated fan, ultimate fighting may appear as a brutal, bloody street-fight. In reality, MMA fighters are some of the most highly skilled and greatest athletes on the planet. I, personally, have been a fan of MMA for a long time. Fortunately, I have also been a student. My training has not only given me a great appreciation for the sport, it has also allowed me to become informed. Granted, the sport is not for the faint of heart. But is it really that dangerous?

Since MMA's first highly publicized event, Ultimate Fighting Championship 1, in 1992, the sport has evolved into a safer and more technical event. MMA competitions throughout the 90s were highly controversial, and rightfully so. The events were basically no holds barred, bare knuckle cage fights. As ultimate fighting continued into the new millennium, however, new rules were enforced on MMA events. Near the turn of the century the sport was dangerous, risky, and dying. But instead of killing the sport, the new rules and regulations breathed life back into MMA. The new, safer rules made the sport more appealing to fans, sponsors, and most importantly, the athletic commission. Here are just some of the rules that now sanction MMA events in the United States:

-Mandatory protective equipment including gloves (4 to 6 oz.), mouthpiece, groin protector
-Three 5 minute rounds (5 rounds for title bouts)
-Illegal strikes include: Strikes to the groin, spine, back of the neck, and kidneys. Kneeing or stomping the head of a downed opponent

The use of brutal elbows, knees, and slams is what seems to alarm people most about MMA's safety issues. While the gloves are smaller and the strikes can be more brutal, MMA events rarely have life-threatening injuries. In MMA, fights are relatively short and referees are required to stop a match if a contestant submits or can no longer defend themselves intelligently. These rules reduce the risk of competitors sustaining serious injury. Most of the serious injuries in boxing, which has had numerous deaths, happen as a result of taking punishment for long periods of time. As I noted earlier, MMA matches are three 5 minute rounds. Boxing matches can have

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