
Originally Posted by
SleepingTalon
"UFC" yes, but not "MMA". MMA is a new(er) term, but it's not a new sport at all. Pankration, Vale Tudo, etc, had been going on for a VERY long time in other places, like Brazil and Japan. When the US first got exposed to "MMA", it wasn't called MMA. It was called NHB or "No Holds Barred". MMA is a term made up by New Japan Pro Wrestling's Hisashi Shinma in the 70's. The UFC debuted in 1993, and the term "MMA" wasn't even used in the U.S. until years later, when Jeff Blatnick tried to get all the reporters to switch from calling it NHB (figuring that would hurt in getting it sanctioned) to MMA (unaware of it being a pro wrestling term). I always found the last part so ironic, considering that most MMA fans look down on pro wrestling, yet love using the term "MMA" that originally CAME from pro wrestling!