MMA - Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, is a sport in which a wide range of fighting systems is permitted. The rules let a fighter use wrestling techniques, boxing and more, both standing and on the ground.

The sport originated in Vale Tudo bouts — Portuguese for "anything goes" — an unarmed combat sport with no time or weight limits that existed in Brazil from the 1920s onwards.

In the early 1980s the Brazilian Gracie family, who developed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, brought the sport to the United States, and MMA grew out of it.

In 1993 the sport broke into public awareness when the first Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament was held. The tournament was open to athletes from across the whole spectrum of martial arts, competing against each other with very few restrictions, in order to establish who was the best fighter and which was the best system.

The sport has come a long way since. Today there are many leagues around the world and it is one of the fastest-growing sports there is. It is no longer a case of system against system: MMA fighters now train specifically for MMA, with separate — and combined — sessions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling and Muay Thai, in order to become complete fighters.

MMA classes at the academy suit everyone, beginners and advanced, and this is not a fight club. Anyone who wants to train for enjoyment will find classes they enjoy. Anyone who wants to compete professionally gets separate support.

Classes are taught in Hebrew, but our instructors speak fluent English and a large part of our members are English speakers.