Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full contact combat sport that uses several varying techniques, including striking with a weapon or body part and grappling. Modern mixed martial arts tournaments started to emerge in 1993 with the growing popularity of shows such as Ultimate Fighting Championship. This, and shows of the like, are based on the concept of pitting fighters with different fighting styles against each other in competition with minimal rules in place. The objective is to determine which system and style would be more effective in a real, unregulated combat situation. Recently, mixed martial arts events have implemented more concrete rules for the safety of the athletes and to promote widespread acceptance of the sport. However, much of the original no-holds-barred concept is still in place. Since then, the sport has sky rocketed in popularity including setting all time Pay-Per-View records. To understand the beginnings of MMA, you must go back to Brazil in the 1900's to the founding of the Gracie family. After being taught Judo by Mitsuyo Maeda, the Gracie family began to teach others. As their teachings began to spread, the founded vale tudo martial arts tournaments in Brazil during the 1920s. Later, mixed martial arts matches were hosted by Antonio Inoki, the famous Japanese pro wrestler, in Japan in the 1970s. This concept of evolving various combat disciplines into one to gain popularity with the emergence of Bruce Lee who was known for mixing various martial art styles. The sport gained world wide exposure when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Royce Gracie dominated the Ultimate Fighting Championship winning 11 matches on top of being the tournament winner of UFC 1, 2 and 4. This sparked a revolution in the martial arts community in the United States. In Japan the now even larger interest in the sport resulted in the creation of the PRIDE Fighting Championships in 1997.