What styles are included in MMA?

[Jet Li Fan]

I understand MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts. If so, what are all the styles that are mixed in there?

[complete]

Just as the word "mixed" suggest, there are a lot of styles practiced by the MMA fighters. Due to Gracie success in early UFC, many of them train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or some type of submission fighting, e.g. Sambo, wrestling. And to have success in highly competitive environment today, you can't be proficient in just one style. You also have to have a very good standup game so many of them train in boxing, kickboxing, Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai, etc.

[oddtodd81]

I know complete pretty much hit it on the head but i got this off the UFC website.. =)

Boxing
The skill or sport of fighting with the fists usually with padded leather gloves. Referred to as the "sweet science," boxers use elaborate foot maneuvers and quick jabs for offense.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
In the mid-1920's, Carlos Gracie opened the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He taught the skills he learned from Japanese Judo master Esai Maeda. The skills were later modified to use less strength and to be more effective against larger opponents. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu's reputation spread due to the success of its practitioners in no holds barred contests.

Freestyle Wrestling
Possibly the world's oldest sport. Contestants struggle hand to hand attempting to throw or take down their opponent without striking blows. Some of the many styles of wrestling are Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and catch as catch can.

Greco-Roman Wrestling
Possibly the worlds oldest sport. Contestants struggle hand to hand attempting to throw or take down their opponent without striking blows. Some of the many styles of wrestling are Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and catch as catch can.

Jiu Jutsu
Ancient Japanese martial art that encompasses throwing, joint locks, striking, and weapons training.

Judo
Sportive Japanese martial art founded in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Derived from Jujutsu, Judo is now an Olympic sport that emphasizes throws. Striking is not allowed in competition Judo.

Karate
Name used to identify many Japanese and Okinawan martial arts. While known for powerful, linear techniques, many Karate styles also incorporate softer, circular techniques. Some of the popular styles of Karate are Kyokushinkai, Shotokan, Goju-Ryu, Shorin-Ryu, and Kenpo which was the first "Americanized" version of Karate.

Kickboxing
Sportive martial art combining boxing punches and martial arts kicks. Many different styles with different rules exist such as Muay Thai, Full Contact Karate, and Asian Rules Fighting.

Kung Fu
Also referred to as Gung Fu, Chinese Boxing, and Wu Shu. There are hundreds of Kung Fu styles. Many are patterned after the movements of animals. Some well known styles of Kung Fu are Wing Chun, Praying Mantis, Pau Kua, Tai-Chi-Ch'uan, and Shuai Chiao.

Tae Kwon Do
One of the most practiced martial arts in the world, Tae Kwon Do is a Korean style known for its flashy kicking techniques.

Wrestling
Possibly the world's oldest sport. Contestants struggle hand to hand attempting to throw or take down their opponent without striking blows. Some of the many styles of wrestling are Freestyle, Greco-Roman, and catch as catch can.

[SuperCrew]

Excellent post, Oddtodd. Good information.

[BlackDragon]

What MMA stives to do is give a person more tools to work with. Say you have a fighter that trained in muay thai, but that is all he know. He's an excellent fighter (standing up), but then he gets into a scuffle with a Brazilian jujitsu guy who is excellent at what he does, but that all he has knowledge of. Then it is most likely that as long as the fight remains standing, the muay thai guy would win, but when the brazilian jujitsu guys take him to the ground, then it's most likely that its pretty much over there. However if one had an indepth knowledge of both fighting styles, this would greatly change the outcome for the other. The object is to blend two or more styles together to make a fighter rounded to be more likely to succeed in any given situation.

Mixed martial arts can contain any two or more styles, usually a striking style mixed with a grappling style is used like muay thai & brazilan jujitsu, or karate & jujitsu, or boxing & wrestling, or tae kwan do & judo, and/or even more on top of that. There is no limit.

However, I wouldn't think it's good to mix more than 3 styles at the same time. I think it's learned better when it's at the minimum of two or three, and especially if they are styles that requires more training and free sparing over forms. Like muay thai and brazilian jujitsu.

[Jet Li Fan]

You have to give a lot of credit to these MMA fighters. Most people don't have the displine, desire, time, etc. to even learn one style, let alone several styles.