For those who are only casual MMA fans, it's probable that you are more familiar with UFC than any other MMA group. But there are quite a few other organizations out there promoting MMA bouts, and a few actually are a bit older than UFC. So while UFC might be dominant, there's still a lot more to MMA than just one single organization. Consider the following examples.
Shooto, which is based in Japan, predates the UFC by several years. This organization focuses mainly on shoot wrestling, which includes elements of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling as well as karate, kickboxing, Judo, Muay Thai and even Sambo making it a true mixed martial art. Shoot was founded in 1985 and while not immensely popular in the United States, there are competitions throughout the Pacific Rim, Europe and South America.
Another well known Japanese MMA organization is Pancrase, as this group was founded the same year as UFC albeit a few months earlier. The group is named after what was probably the world's first MMA-type sport, Pankration, which was part of the first Olympic Games, more than 2,000 years ago. Pancrase allows both women and men to fight and among the former King of Pancrase title holders, you will find famous MMA names such as Nate Marquardt, Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock and Bas Rutten. Josh Barnett is the current Openweight champion of Pancrase.
While primarily a venue for more up-and-coming fighters, King of the Cage is an MMA group that has been part of the action since 1999. Jason Miller is a notable proponent of this organization, and this controversial MMA fighter was the host of "Bully Beatdown," which featured a variety of fighters on the KOTC roster. Joe Camacho, a popular MMA and BJJ fighter who recently died of a heart attack, was another notable KOTC fighter, winning the Junior Welterweight division title in 2008.
Like King of the Cage, Bellator doesn't feature a huge roster of big MMA names, but since its inception in 2008, it has featured such names as Cole Konrad, Pat Curran and Alexander Shlemenko, all three of which have earned championship titles. Tito Ortiz is another notable Bellator fighter, although he has yet to fight a Bellator bout. He is, however, in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Invicta Fighting Championships is the latest addition to the MMA circuit, and this organization is dedicated solely to women's MMA. Invicta's top star is Cristiane Justino, who is ranked as the No. 2 female MMA in the world. Other solid members of the Invicta FC team include Marloes Coenan and Lauren Murphy. Founded just a few years ago, Invicta has gotten off to a somewhat shaky start, including a breakup of the founding partnership and having Dana White poach some of the organization's best fighters by luring them over to UFC.
Shooto, which is based in Japan, predates the UFC by several years. This organization focuses mainly on shoot wrestling, which includes elements of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling as well as karate, kickboxing, Judo, Muay Thai and even Sambo making it a true mixed martial art. Shoot was founded in 1985 and while not immensely popular in the United States, there are competitions throughout the Pacific Rim, Europe and South America.
Another well known Japanese MMA organization is Pancrase, as this group was founded the same year as UFC albeit a few months earlier. The group is named after what was probably the world's first MMA-type sport, Pankration, which was part of the first Olympic Games, more than 2,000 years ago. Pancrase allows both women and men to fight and among the former King of Pancrase title holders, you will find famous MMA names such as Nate Marquardt, Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock and Bas Rutten. Josh Barnett is the current Openweight champion of Pancrase.
While primarily a venue for more up-and-coming fighters, King of the Cage is an MMA group that has been part of the action since 1999. Jason Miller is a notable proponent of this organization, and this controversial MMA fighter was the host of "Bully Beatdown," which featured a variety of fighters on the KOTC roster. Joe Camacho, a popular MMA and BJJ fighter who recently died of a heart attack, was another notable KOTC fighter, winning the Junior Welterweight division title in 2008.
Like King of the Cage, Bellator doesn't feature a huge roster of big MMA names, but since its inception in 2008, it has featured such names as Cole Konrad, Pat Curran and Alexander Shlemenko, all three of which have earned championship titles. Tito Ortiz is another notable Bellator fighter, although he has yet to fight a Bellator bout. He is, however, in the UFC Hall of Fame.
Invicta Fighting Championships is the latest addition to the MMA circuit, and this organization is dedicated solely to women's MMA. Invicta's top star is Cristiane Justino, who is ranked as the No. 2 female MMA in the world. Other solid members of the Invicta FC team include Marloes Coenan and Lauren Murphy. Founded just a few years ago, Invicta has gotten off to a somewhat shaky start, including a breakup of the founding partnership and having Dana White poach some of the organization's best fighters by luring them over to UFC.
About the Author:
Rod Bourgoine enjoys blogging about mixed martial arts advantages. For more information about an MMA gym in San Diego or to find San Diego jiu jitsu classes, check out The Arena MMA website now.
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