A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a

contact sport A contact sport is any sport where physical contact between competitors, or their environment, is an integral part of the game. For example, gridiron football. Contact may come about as the result of intentional or incidental actions by the playe ...

that usually involves one-on-one

combat Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...

. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold, disabling the opponent (''knockout'', KO), or attacking the opponent in a specific or designated technique. Combat sports share a long history with the

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defence; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; ...

. Some combat sports (and their national origin) include

boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

(Greek-British), Brazilian jiu-jitsu (Japanese-Brazilian),

catch wrestling Catch wrestling (also known as catch-as-catch-can) is an English wrestling style where wrestlers aim to win by Pin (sport wrestling), pinning or Submission (combat sports), submitting their opponent using any legal holds or techniques. It emph ...

(British-American),

jujutsu Jujutsu ( , or ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu (both ), is a Japanese martial art and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponent ...

(Japanese),

judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyc ...

(Japanese),

freestyle wrestling Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling. It is one of two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games, along with Greco-Roman wrestling, Greco-Roman. scholastic wrestling, High school wrestling and men's collegiate wrestling in the U ...

(British-American),

Greco-Roman wrestling Greco-Roman (American English), Graeco-Roman (British English), or classic wrestling (Euro-English) is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been i ...

(French),

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...

(Chinese-Okinawan-Japanese),

kickboxing Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid Martial arts, martial art and Boxing (disambiguation), boxing type based on punch (combat), punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, norma ...

(numerous origins, mainly Southeast Asian),

Lethwei Lethwei (; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) or Burmese boxing is a Full contact fighting, full contact combat sport originating from Myanmar and is considered as one of the most brutal martial arts in the world.} * * * * * * Lethwe ...

(Burmese),

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

(numerous origins),

Muay Thai Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinch fighting, cl ...

(Thai), sambo (Soviet/Russian), sanda (Chinese),

savate Savate (), also known as French Boxing (French language, French: ''Boxe Française'') or French Foot Fighting, is a French hybrid martial art and full-contact combat sport that combines principles of boxing, western boxing with a wide variety ...

(French),

taekwondo Taekwondo (; ; ) is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving primarily kicking techniques and punching. "Taekwondo" can be translated as ''tae'' ("strike with foot"), ''kwon'' ("strike with hand"), and ''do'' ("the art or way"). In ad ...

(Korean),

Vale Tudo Vale Tudo or vale-tudo (; ), also known as No Holds Barred (NHB) in the United States, is an unarmed, full-contact combat sport with relatively few Regulation of sport, rules. It became popular in Brazil during the 20th century and would eventua ...

(Brazilian),

pankration Pankration (; ) was an unarmed combat sport introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques but also others, such as kicking, holds, joint locks, and chokes on the ground, making it s ...

(Ancient Greek),

luta livre Luta Livre (, lit. ''freestyle fighting'' or ''wrestling''), known in Brazil as Luta Livre Brasileira (lit. ''Brazilian freestyle fighting'') or Luta Livre Submission, and also Brazilian Submission Wrestling, is a Brazilian martial arts and comb ...

(Brazilian), and

folk wrestling A folk wrestling style is any traditional style of wrestling, which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most cultures have developed regional forms of grappling. Europe Britain Traditionally wrestling has two main centres in Great ...

(various).

History

Traditional styles of wrestling exist in most cultures;

wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...

can be considered a

cultural universal A cultural universal (also called an anthropological universal or human universal) is an element, pattern, trait, or institution that is common to all known human cultures worldwide. Taken together, the whole body of cultural universals is known ...

Boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

contests date back to ancient

Sumer Sumer () is the earliest known civilization, located in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (now south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. ...

in the 3rd millennium BCE and

ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

''circa'' 1350 BCE. The

ancient Olympic Games The ancient Olympic Games (, ''ta Olympia''.), or the ancient Olympics, were a series of Athletics (sport), athletic competitions among representatives of polis, city-states and one of the Panhellenic Games of ancient Greece. They were held at ...

included several combat-related sports: armored foot races, boxing, wrestling, and

, which was introduced in the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

of 648 BCE. In

ancient China The history of China spans several millennia across a wide geographical area. Each region now considered part of the Chinese world has experienced periods of unity, fracture, prosperity, and strife. Chinese civilization first emerged in the Y ...

, combat sport appeared in the form of

lei tai The ''lei tai'' is an elevated fighting arena, without railings, where often fatal weapons and bare-knuckle martial arts tournaments were once held. "Sanctioned" matches were presided over by a referee on the platform and judges on the sides. ...

. It was a no-holds barred combat sport that combined boxing and wrestling. There is evidence of similar combat sports in ancient Egypt,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Through the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

and

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

, the

tournament A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses: # One or more competitions held at a single venue and concen ...

was popular. Tournaments were competitions that featured several mock combat events, with

jousting Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French , ultim ...

as a main event. While the tournament was popular among

aristocrats Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense economic, political, and social influence. In Western Christian co ...

, combat sports were practiced by all levels of society. The German school of late medieval martial arts distinguished sportive combat (''schimpf'') from serious combat (''ernst''). In the

German Renaissance The German Renaissance, part of the Northern Renaissance, was a cultural and artistic movement that spread among German thinkers in the 15th and 16th centuries, which developed from the Italian Renaissance. Many areas of the arts and sciences ...

, sportive combat competitions were known as Fechtschulen, corresponding to the

Prize Playing A Prize Playing was a test of martial skill popular in Renaissance England with the London-based Corporation of Masters of the Noble Science of Defence. It involved several dozen bouts against continually refreshing opponents, with little or no ...

Tudor England Tudor most commonly refers to: * House of Tudor, Welsh and English royal house of Welsh origins ** Tudor period, a historical era in England and Wales coinciding with the rule of the Tudor dynasty Tudor may also refer to: Architecture * Tudor a ...

. Out of these Prize Playing events developed the English

(or ''prizefighting'') of the 18th century, which evolved into modern boxing with the introduction of the

Marquess of Queensberry rules The Marquess of Queensberry Rules, also known as Queensberry Rules, are a set of generally accepted rules governing the sport of boxing. Drafted in London in 1865 and published in 1867, they were so named because the 9th Marquess of Queensberry ...

in 1867.

Amateur boxing Amateur boxing is the variant of boxing practiced in clubs and associations around the world, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as at the varsity sports, collegiate level. Amateur boxing bouts comprise three ...

has been part of the modern Olympic Games since their introduction in 1904.

Professional boxing Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

became popular in the United States in the 1920s and experienced a "golden age" after World War II.

Professional wrestling Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

was once competitive

, a legitimate combat sport in the late 19th and early 20th century, however it has since evolved into athletic theater. The creation of Brazilian jiu-Jitsu is attributed to the Gracie family of Brazil in 1925 after Asian martial arts were introduced to Brazil. Vale-tudo, wrestling,

kickboxing and luta livre gained popularity. Modern Muay Thai was developed in the 1920s to 1930s. Sambo was introduced in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. Modern

Taekwondo Taekwondo (; ; ) is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving primarily kicking techniques and punching. "Taekwondo" can be translated as ''tae'' ("strike with foot"), ''kwon'' ("strike with hand"), and ''do'' ("the art or way"). In ad ...

also emerged after the

Japanese occupation of Korea From 1910 to 1945, Korea was ruled by the Empire of Japan under the name Chōsen (), the Japanese reading of "Joseon". Japan first took Korea into its sphere of influence during the late 1800s. Both Korea (Joseon) and Japan had been under polic ...

and became an Olympic sport in 2000.

Sanshou Sanda (), formerly Sanshou (), is the official China, Chinese kickboxing full-contact combat sport. In Chinese language, Chinese Language, "Sanda" originally referred to independent and separate training and combat techniques in contrast to "Ta ...

as part of

modern wushu Wushu () (), or kung fu, is a competitive Chinese martial art. It integrates concepts and forms from various traditional and modern Chinese martial arts, including Shaolin kung fu, tai chi, and ''Wudangquan''. "Wushu" is the Chinese language ...

was developed in the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

since the 1950s.

Kickboxing Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid Martial arts, martial art and Boxing (disambiguation), boxing type based on punch (combat), punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, norma ...

and

full contact karate Full contact karate is any format of karate where competitors spar (also called Kumite) full-contact and allow a knockout as winning criterion. History Full contact karate competition comes in several different formats developed for the art o ...

were developed in the 1960s and became popular in Japan and the West during the 1980s and 1990s. Modern MMA developed out of the interconnected subcultures of

and

shoot wrestling Shoot wrestling is a Japanese hybrid grappling style and combat sport. Shoot wrestling incorporates techniques from various wrestling, submission grappling, kickboxing and karate styles. It was particularly inspired and influenced by catch ...

. It was introduced in Japan in the form of

Shooto is a combat sport and mixed martial arts organization that is governed by the Shooto Association and the International Shooto Commission (ISC). Shooto was originally formed in 1985, first as a particular fighting system and then in 1989 as a ...

in 1985, and in the United States as

Ultimate Fighting Championship The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...

(UFC) in 1993. The

Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts Most rule sets for mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions have evolved since the early days of Vale Tudo. As a result of health, legal, and moral concerns, many different rulesets were created, which give different countries and promotions very dif ...

were introduced in 2000, and the sport experienced peak popularity in the 2000s. During this period, multiple brands and promotions were established. The most well-known promotion for MMA is UFC.

Popularity by gender

Combat sports are generally more popular among men as athletes and spectators. For many years, participation in combat sports was practically exclusive to men;

USA Boxing USA Boxing is the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing. It is overseen by the United States Olympic Committee and World Boxing, which sets its rules. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Boxing is a non-profit organizati ...

had a ban on women's boxing until 1993. A study conducted by Greenwell, Hancock, Simmons, and Thorn in 2015 revealed that combat sports had a largely male audience.

List

Unarmed

Striking

* Boxing and Kickboxing ** Adimurai Kickboxing ** American Boxing ** American Kickboxing **

Amateur Boxing Amateur boxing is the variant of boxing practiced in clubs and associations around the world, at the Olympic Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as at the varsity sports, collegiate level. Amateur boxing bouts comprise three ...

** Armenian Boxing ** Australian Boxing **

Bare-knuckle Boxing Bare-knuckle boxing (also known as bare-knuckle or bare-knuckle fighting) is a full-contact combat sport based on punching without any form of padding on the hands. The sport as it is known today originated in 17th-century England and, although ...

** Bando Kickboxing ** Chivarreto Boxing ** Cuban Boxing ** Dambe Boxing ** Dutch Kickboxing ** Enfusion Kickboxing ** English Boxing ** European Kickboxing ** Filipino Boxing ** Freestyle Kickboxing ** Full Contact Kickboxing ** Glory Kickboxing ** Greek Boxing ** Irish Boxing ** Japanese Boxing **

Japanese Kickboxing Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid martial art and boxing type based on punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouth guards, shorts, and ...

** K-1 Kickboxing ** Kick Light Kickboxing ** Korean Kickboxing ** Light Contact Kickboxing ** Mexican Boxing ** Musangwe Boxing ** New Zealand Kickboxing ** Puerto Rican Boxing ** Roman Boxing **

Russian Boxing Russian boxing () is the traditional bare-knuckle boxing of Rus' and then Russia. Boxers will often train by punching buckets of sand to strengthen bones, and prepare minutes before the fights. History The earliest accounts concerning the sport ...

** Savate Kickboxing ** Semi Contact Kickboxing ** Unified Rules Kickboxing *

Karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ), also , is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tī'' in Okinawan) un ...

** Shorin-ryu ** Goju-ryu **

Shotokan is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi (1868–1957) and his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) Funakoshi (1906–1945). Gichin Funakoshi was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing "karate do" thro ...

Wadō-ryū is one of the four major karate styles and was founded by Hironori Ōtsuka (1892–1982). Ōtsuka was a Menkyo, Menkyo Kaiden licensed Shindō Yōshin-ryū practitioner of Tatsusaburo Nakayama and a student of Yōshin-ryū prior to meeting the O ...

Kyokushin is a style of karate originating in Japan. It is a full-contact style of stand-up fighting and is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline, and hard training. Kyokushin Kaikan is the martial arts organization founded in 1964 ...

** Yoshukai ** Bōgutsuki ** Shito-ryu ** Chito-ryu **

Isshin-ryū is a style of Okinawan karate created by Tatsuo Shimabuku (島袋龍夫) in approximately 1947/1948 (and named its present name on January 15, 1956). Isshin-Ryū karate is largely a synthesis of Shorin-ryū karate, Gojū-ryū karate, and k ...

** Uechi-ryu **

Ryūei-ryū is an Okinawan style of karate. It was originally a family style of the Nakaima family of Naha and is now one of the internationally recognized Okinawan Karate styles. It is practiced in the United States, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Europe, ...

Shōrei-ryū is a style of Okinawan karate and is one of the two oldest karate styles, alongside Shōrin-ryū. It was developed at the end of the 19th century by Higaonna Kanryō in Naha, Okinawa, Japan. Etymology ''Shōrei-ryū'' means "the style of inspi ...

** Shohei-ryu **

Tōon-ryū is a style of Okinawan Karate founded by Kyoda Juhatsu. entered the dojo of Higaonna Kanryō in 1902 and continued studying with him until Kanryō's death in 1915. One month after Kyoda started, Miyagi Chōjun (founder of Gōjū-ryū) entere ...

** Kenyu-ryu ** Tokitsu-Ryu ** Kuma-ryu ** Washin-ryu ** Shōrinji-ryū ** Yoseikan-ryu ** Shidōkan-ryu ** Matsubayashi **

Seidokaikan is a traditional full contact karate derived from Kyokushin by Kazuyoshi Ishii. Seidokaikan organized the first professional full contact karate tournament named the Karate World Cup. The Karate World Cup had special extension rounds; if the ju ...

** Shōrinkan ** Kyudōkan ** Genseiryu ** Shukokai ** Shudokan ** Bōgutsuki ** Fudokan **

Budokan The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. The Budokan was a popular venue for Japanese professional wres ...

Seido Juku (SEIDO), is the organized crime division of Mexico's Office of the Attorney General. In October 2012, the organization changed its name from SIEDO to SEIDO. History and Organization SEIDO was formed in the wake of a 2003 scandal that found agent ...

** Sankukai ** Meibukan ** Gohakukai ** Koei Kan *

Wushu Wushu may refer to: Martial arts * Chinese martial arts, the various martial arts of China * Wushu (sport) Wushu () (), or kung fu, is a competitive Chinese martial art. It integrates concepts and forms from various traditional and modern ...

** Lung Ying ** Hóu Quán ** Zhōujiāquán ** Bàoquán ** Shéquán ** Zuiquan ** Bajiquan ** Zi Ran Men **

Bak Mei Bak Mei () is said to have been one of the legendary Five Elders—survivors of the destruction of the Shaolin Monastery by the Qing dynasty (1644–1912)—who, according to some accounts, betrayed Shaolin to the imperial government. He ...

Emeiquan Emeiquan ( Chinese: 峨嵋拳; pinyin: Éméi quán) is a group of Chinese martial arts from Mount Emei in Sichuan Province, one of the major "Martial Mountains". It is known for its swiftness and flexibility. Emeiquan encompasses a wide range ...

** Mizongyi ** Mian Quan ** Ditangquan ** Chuōjiǎo ** Heihuquan **

Changquan Changquan () () refers to a family of external (as opposed to internal) martial arts (kung fu) styles from northern China. The forms of the Long Fist style emphasize fully extended kicks and striking techniques, and by appearance would be consi ...

** Nanquan **

Yiquan ''Yiquan'', also known as ''dachengquan'', is a Chinese martial art founded by the ''xingyiquan'' master Wang Xiangzhai. ''Yì'' (意) means Intent (but not intention), ''quán'' (拳) means boxing. History Having studied ''xingyiquan'' w ...

** Hung Fut **

Duan Quan Duanquan, also known as short-range boxing, is a form of kung fu practiced primarily in the Hebei province of China. It is a short-range style created specifically for combat. The founder of this art is unknown except that it evolved more than fo ...

** Choy Gar ** Li Gar **

Mok Gar Mok Gar () is one of the five major family styles of Southern Chinese martial arts. It was developed by a Shaolin monk named Monk Mok Ta Shi () as an inheritance of the Southern Shaolin Fist in Guangdong province in China. It gained fame thre ...

Fut Gar Fut Ga Kuen or Buddhist Family Fist is a relatively modern Southern Shaolin style of Kung Fu devised primarily from the combination of Hung Ga Kuen 洪家 and Choy Gar 蔡家 Kuen. The style utilizes mostly punches, palm strikes and low kicks ...

** Chow Gar **

Hung Ga Hung Ga Kuen (Cantonese) or Hongjiaquan (Mandarin) ( zh, 洪家拳, link=no, meaning "fist of the Hung family") - alternatively shortened as either Hung Ga () or Hung Kuen () - is an ancient southern Chinese martial art, which roots lie in th ...

* Taekwondo and Tang Soo Do ** Traditional Taekwondo **

World Taekwondo World Taekwondo, formerly the World Taekwondo Federation, is an international federation governing the sport of Taekwondo and Para Taekwondo. WT is a member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF). The World Taekwo ...

** ITF taekwondo ** STF Taekwondo ** ATA Taekwondo ** Rhee Taekwondo ** Kukkiwon Taekwondo ** Extreme Taekwondo **

Tang Soo Do Tang Soo Do (; ) is a Korean martial arts, Korean martial art based on karate which can include fighting principles from taekkyeon, subak, as well as northern Chinese martial arts. From its beginnings in 1944 to today, Tang Soo Do is used by ...

** Kong Soo Do **

Chung Do Kwan Chung Do Kwan, created by Won Kuk Lee in 1944, is one of the first of nine schools or '' kwan'' teaching Tang Soo Do. Later, the school began to teach what came to be known as taekwondo. This style of Tang Soo Do is known for its overall pow ...

Soo Bahk Do Soo Bahk Do (수박도) is a martial art founded by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee, and now is taught by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Hyun-chul, Hwang Hyun Chul, known as H.C. Hwang, and instructors who are certified by member organizations of the World Moo Duk ...

Moo Duk Kwan Moo Duk Kwan is the name of a martial art organization founded by Hwang Kee in South Korea in 1945. Licensed Moo Duk Kwan schools teach Soo Bahk Do, formerly Tang Soo Do (and earlier 'Hwa Soo Do'). 'Moo Duk Kwan' translates as "School of Martial ...

Chang Moo Kwan Chang Moo Kwan is a style of Koreans, Korean martial arts that was founded by Yoon Byung-in and Lee Nam Suk. History At the end of World War II, several Kwans were set up to teach martial arts to Korean public. In the late 1950s, spearheaded ...

Jidokwan Jidokwan is one of the original nine schools of the modern Korean martial arts that became Taekwondo and was founded in what is now South Korea at the end of World War II. Its name translates as "School of Wisdom". The Jidokwan in Korea still ...

* Suntukan *

Sikaran Sikaran is a Filipino Martial Art that mostly involves foot fighting. As Sikaran is a general term for ''kicking'' which is also used as the name of the kicking aspects of other Filipino Martial Arts. Although originating independently, this style ...

Capoeira Capoeira () is an Afro-Brazilian martial art and game that includes elements of dance, acrobatics, capoeira music, music, and spirituality. It likely originated from enslaved Mbundu people, of the Kingdom of Ndongo, in present-day Angola. The ...

Engolo N'golo (anglicized as Engolo) is a traditional Bantu martial art and game from Angola, that combines elements of combat and dance, performed in a circle accompanied by music and singing. It is known as the forerunner of capoeira. Engolo has be ...

* Taido

Grappling

Folk wrestling A folk wrestling style is any traditional style of wrestling, which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most cultures have developed regional forms of grappling. Europe Britain Traditionally wrestling has two main centres in Great ...

Alysh Alysh () is a Turkic term for Central Asian folk wrestling or "belt wrestling" regulated by United World Wrestling. Alysh is an upright wrestling style. Competitors wear trousers, jackets and belts, and must hold on to their opponents' belts at ...

** Backhold wrestling ** Barróg ** Bokh ** Buriad bokh ** Bukh noololdoon ** Bultong ** Buno ** Canarian wrestling ** Calegon ** Calegon wrestling ** Chidaoba ** Coreeda ** Collar-and-elbow wrestling **

Cornish wrestling Cornish wrestling () is a form of wrestling that has been established in Cornwall for many centuries and possibly longer. It is similar to the Breton people, Breton Gouren wrestling style. It is colloquially known as "wrasslin’"Phillipps, K C: ...

** Cumberland Wrestling ** Devon wrestling ** Dumog ** Epoo Korio ** Fagatua ** Galhofa ** Gatta Gusthi ** Glima ** Gorës **

Gouren Gouren is a style of folk wrestling which has been established in Brittany for several centuries. It is practiced mainly in Brittany, but also in some neighboring regions, in particular through international meetings organized by the FILC (Fédér ...

** Gushtingiri ** Hokoko ** Huka-huka ** Iranian wrestling ** Jobbarer Boli Khela ** Karakucak ** Kene **

Khuresh Khuresh () is a traditional Tuvan wrestling, in Siberia. The word has cognates with Tuvan's sister Turkic languages, for example Turkish '' güreş'' and Tatar ''köräş'' (all ultimately derived from Old Turkic ''küresh''). See also * Kurash * ...

Khmer traditional wrestling Khmer traditional wrestling ( - ''Baok Cham Bab'') is a folk wrestling style from Cambodia. It has been practiced as far back as the Angkor period and is depicted on the bas-reliefs of certain temples. The earliest form of Khmer traditional wrestl ...

Khridoli Khridoli ( ka, ხრიდოლი) is an eclectic martial art from Georgia. It consists of five components, namely ''khardiorda'' (wrestling), ''krivi'' (boxing), ''p'arikaoba'' (fencing), ''rkena'' (throws and grabs also seen in Sambo and ju ...

** Kazakh wrestling ** Kragkast ** Kene ** Kragkast **

Kurash Köräş (also kuresh, koresh, küreş, güreş and similar variants) refers to a number of folk wrestling styles practiced in Central Asia. Köräş wrestlers (Turkish:Güreş, ''köräşçelär''; , ''küreščiler'') use towels to hold t ...

Lutte Traditionnelle Lutte Traditionnelle (fr. for ''Traditional Wrestling'') is a style of West African folk wrestling, known as Laamb in Senegal and in The Gambia, Evala in Togo, and KoKowa / Kokawa in Hausa people, Hausa areas of Nigeria and Niger, or simply ''L ...

Lancashire wrestling Lancashire wrestling, commonly called Lancashire catch-as-catch-can or Lancashire style, is a folk wrestling style that originated in the historic county of Lancashire in North West England. It became notable as the least restrictive and most ...

** Leonese wrestling ** Malakhra ** Mariwariwosu ** Moana wrestling ** Mukna **

Naban Naban (, ) is a traditional form of grappling from Myanmar. Naban is integrated into other fighting styles instead of existing as a separate martial art.Green, T. (2001). Martial Arts of the World An Encyclopedia (Vol. 1). Originally based on I ...

** Narodno rvanje ** Norfolk wrestling **

Pehlwani Pehlwani, also known as Kushti, is a form of wrestling contested in the Indian subcontinent. It was developed in the Mughal Empire by combining Persian Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals, Koshti pahlevani with influences from native Indian Malla- ...

** Popoko ** Ristynės **

Ringen ''Ringen'' is the German language term for grappling (wrestling). In the context of the German school of historical European martial arts during the Late Middle Ages and the German Renaissance, ''Ringen'' refers to unarmed combat in general, in ...

** Rongomamau ** Sa Strumpa **

Schwingen (from German language, German ' "to swing"), also known as Swiss wrestling (French ') and natively (and colloquially) as ' (Swiss German for "breeches-lifting"), is a style of folk wrestling native to Switzerland, more specifically the Prealps, ...

** Southern Mongolian wrestling **

Ssireum ''Ssireum'' (; ) or Korean wrestling is a folk wrestling style and traditional national sport of Korea that began in the fourth century. In the modern form each contestant wears a belt (satba) that wraps around the waist and the thigh. The co ...

Sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by th ...

Tegumi or is a traditional form of wrestling from Okinawa. According to Shōshin Nagamine, in his "Tales of Okinawa's Great Masters", there are no accurate historical documents surrounding the origins of grappling in Okinawa. It seems that ''tegumi' ...

** Tigel ** Trântă ** Taupiga ** Vajra-mushti ** Veibo ** Vật cổ truyền ** Westmorland wrestling * Modern wrestling **

Amateur Wrestling Amateur wrestling is a variant of wrestling practiced at Olympic Games, Olympic, Collegiate wrestling, collegiate, Scholastic wrestling, scholastic, and other levels. There are two international wrestling styles performed at the Olympic Games, fr ...

Arm Wrestling Arm wrestling (also spelled "armwrestling") is a sport in which two participants, facing each other with their bent elbows placed on a flat surface (usually a table) and hands firmly gripped, each attempt to "pin" their opponent's hand by forcing ...

Catch wrestling Catch wrestling (also known as catch-as-catch-can) is an English wrestling style where wrestlers aim to win by Pin (sport wrestling), pinning or Submission (combat sports), submitting their opponent using any legal holds or techniques. It emph ...

Collegiate wrestling Collegiate wrestling, commonly referred to as folkstyle wrestling, is the form of wrestling practiced at the post-secondary level in the United States. This style of wrestling is also practiced at the high school, middle school, and elementary ...

** Combat Wrestling **

Freestyle Wrestling Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling. It is one of two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games, along with Greco-Roman wrestling, Greco-Roman. scholastic wrestling, High school wrestling and men's collegiate wrestling in the U ...

Greek wrestling Greek wrestling (), also known as Ancient Greek wrestling and Pále (πάλη), was the most popular organized sport in Ancient Greece. A point was scored when one player touched the ground with his back, hip or shoulder, or conceding defeat due ...

** Hayastan Wrestling **

Scholastic wrestling Scholastic wrestling, sometimes referred to as folkstyle wrestling and commonly known as simply wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling at the Secondary school, high school and middle school levels in the United States. It has often been label ...

Submission wrestling Submission wrestling, also known as submission grappling, submission fighting, or simply grappling, is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that incorporates elem ...

* Jujutsu and Judo ** Japanese jiu-jitsu ** Sport jujutsu ** International jiu-jitsu ** Gracie ju-jitsu ** Machado ju-jitsu ** Brazilian jiu-jitsu **

10th Planet jiu-jitsu 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu is a non-traditional system of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Brazilian jiu-jitsu developed by Eddie Bravo. It is a no-gi based style so the fighters use Rash_guard#Rash_guards_for_grappling_/_mixed_martial_arts, rash guards as their ...

** Guerrilla jiu-jitsu ** American Jiu-Jitsu ** Hakko-ryu jiu-jitsu ** Gyokushin-ryū Jujutsu ** Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu **

Kodokan Judo is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nippo ...

Kosen Judo is a variation of the Kodokan judo competitive ruleset that was developed and flourished at the () technical colleges in Japan in the first half of the twentieth century. Kosen judo's rules allow for greater emphasis of than typically takes pla ...

** IJF Judo **

Olympic Judo Judo was first included in the Summer Olympic Games at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan. After not being included in 1968, judo has been an Olympic sport in each Olympiad since then. Only male judoka participated until the 1988 Summer Olympics, ...

** Freestyle Judo ** Azerbaijani Judo ** Israeli Judo ** Mongolian Judo ** French Judo ** Georgian Judo ** Russian Judo ** Korean Judo ** Brazilian Judo *

Kung Fu Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...

Chin Na Qin Na () is the set of joint lock techniques used in the Chinese martial arts to control or lock an opponent's joints or muscles/tendons so they cannot move, thus neutralizing the opponent's fighting ability. ''Qin Na Shu'' ( meaning "techniq ...

Shuai Jiao ''Shuai jiao'' () is the term pertaining to the ancient jacket wrestling Wushu (sport), wushu style of Beijing, Tianjin and Baoding of Hebei Province in the North China Plain which was codified by Shan Pu Ying (善撲营 The Battalion of Excel ...

** Die Jiao ** Gi Ge ** Qielixi ** Ndrual Dluad ** Beiga * Sambo ** Sport Sambo ** Freestyle Sambo * Luta Livre Esportiva *

Aikido Aikido ( , , , ) is a gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art which is split into many different styles including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai, and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practic ...

Hybrid

Mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

** Kenko Kempo Karate ** Shidokan Karate ** Tenshinkan Karate ** Tsuroka Karate **

Ashihara kaikan Ashihara kaikan (芦原会館) is a modern full contact karate, full contact street karate developed from Kyokushin karate by Hideyuki Ashihara with influences from various martial arts including Muay Thai, Pankration, and Jujutsu with an empha ...

** Enshin kaikan **

Byakuren Kaikan The ''Byakuren Kaikan'' (Japanese'':'' 白蓮会館 ''-'' literally translated: "''White Lotus Association''") or Byakuren Karate is a full contact karate style founded in 1984 by Sugihara Masayasu (Japanese'':'' 杉原正康). The Byakuren K ...

** Kendokai Kendokan ** Shōrinjiryū Kenkōkan ** Okinawa Seidokan ** Shindo Jinen-ryu ** Shōbayashi Shōrin-ryū ** Wado-ryu ** Shuri-ryu ** Gosoku-ryu ** Sankukai ** Sanshinkai ** Zendokai ** Nanbudo ** Kokondo ** Kansuiryu ** Seigokan * Boxing and Kickboxing ** Ancient Bare-Knuckle Boxing ** Yaw-Yan Kickboxing **

Shoot Boxing , commonly written as Shootboxing, is a combat sport. Shoot boxing is also a stand-up fighting promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. The organization was founded by former kickboxer Caesar Takeshi in 1985. Shootboxing, the combat sport, ...

** Pradal Serey Kickboxing ** Lethwei Boxing ** Musti-yuddha Kickboxing ** Moraingy Boxing ** Draka Kickboxing ** Xtreme Gladiator **

Muay Lao Muay Lao (, lit. "Lao boxing") is a combat sport from Laos based on ancient Lao martial arts. It incorporates punches, kicks, elbow, and knee strikes. It can be traced back to the 15th century when it was used for military combat during the Lan ...

** Muay Boran ** Muay Korat ** Muay Lopburi ** Muay Thasao **

Muay Chaiya Muay Chaiya is a style of traditional Thai boxing, founded about over 200 years ago. The founder was believed to be an army leader of the Rattanakosin Kingdom in the age of King Rama V. He taught Muay Chaiya to the governor, his son, and to regu ...

* Jujutsu and Judo ** Japanese jujutsu ** Combat jiu-jitsu ** German Ju-Jitsu **

Atemi Ju-Jitsu Atemi Ju-Jitsu, in Japanese: Atemi (当て身) Jujutsu (柔術), also called Pariset Ju-Jitsu, was established in France in the 1940s by the late Judo and Ju-Jitsu practitioner Bernard Pariset to revive and preserve old martial techniques inher ...

** Danzan-ryu Ju-Jitsu **

Hokutoryu Ju-Jutsu Hokutoryu Ju-Jutsu is a Finnish style of the Japanese martial art jujutsu developed in 1977 by Auvo Niiniketo. The name of the style is Japanese and literally translates as ''Big Dipper-style'', though is more commonly translated as ''North Sta ...

** Small Circle JuJitsu ** Budoshin Ju-Jitsu **

Dait%C5%8D-ry%C5%AB Aiki-j%C5%ABjutsu , originally called , is a Japanese martial art that first became widely known in the early 20th century under the headmastership of Takeda Sōkaku. Takeda had extensive training in several martial arts (including Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ry� ...

** Kyushin-ryū Ju-Jitsu ** Kito-ryu Ju-Jitsu ** Fudo-ryu Ju-Jitsu ** Kick Jiu Jitsu **

Taijutsu is a Japanese martial art blanket term for any combat skill, technique, or system of martial art using body movements that are described as an empty-hand combat skill or system. Taijutsu is a synonym for jujutsu (method of close combat either u ...

** Atemi Judo *

** Real Aikido ** Shodokan Aikido **

Yoshinkan Yoshinkan (養神館 ''Yōshinkan'' lit. "Hall of Spirit Cultivation") Aikido is a style of aikido that developed after World War II in the Yoshinkan Dojo of Gozo Shioda (1915–1994). Yoshinkan Aikido is often called the "hard" style of aikido b ...

** Renshinkai **

Aikikai The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu (the family heir of the founder of Aikido). It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation ...

Ki Aikido or is a Japanese gendai budo (contemporary martial art). It is one of the arts derived from the original Aikido, appearing after the founder's death in 1969. Ki Aikido started in 1971 with the creation of the Ki No Kenkyūkai (known in English a ...

Hapkido Hapkido ( , , ), also spelled ''hap ki do'' or ''hapki-do'' is a Korean martial art. It is a hybrid form of self-defense that employs joint locks, grappling, chokeholds, throwing techniques, kicks, punches, and other striking attacks. ...

Combat Hapkido Combat Hapkido (known in Korean language, Korean as Chon-Tu Kwan Hapkido 전투관 합기도) is an eclectic modern Hapkido system founded by John Pellegrini in 1990. Taking the next step in 1992 Pellegrini formed the International Combat Hapkid ...

** Sin Moo Hapkido **

Hankido Hankido () is a new martial art style developed by Myung Jae-nam using circular flowing movements owing to Myung Jae-nam's background in traditional Korean dance. Etymology The name hankido is a mix of the name ''Hanguk'' (the Korean name for ...

** Kuk Sool Won ** Hapki yusul * Modern Wrestling ** Combat Submission Wrestling **

Shoot Wrestling Shoot wrestling is a Japanese hybrid grappling style and combat sport. Shoot wrestling incorporates techniques from various wrestling, submission grappling, kickboxing and karate styles. It was particularly inspired and influenced by catch ...

Shootfighting Shootfighting is a martial art and combat sport, with competitions governed by the International Shootfighting Association (ISFA). It incorporates techniques from a multitude of traditional martial arts, the most principal of these being wrestlin ...

** Sanda Sanshou ** Nan Pai Tanglang ** Tánglángquán ** Pe̍h-ho̍h-kûn ** Huaquan **

Yuejiaquan Yuejiaquan (岳家拳, literally ''Yue Family Fist'', alternately ''Yue Ch'uan'') is a style of Chinese martial arts attributed to Yue Fei, a noted general and patriot from the Song dynasty. History and philosophy Legend claims Yue taught the ...

Wing Chun Wing Chun (Cantonese) or Yong Chun (Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin) (, lit. "singing spring") is a concept-based martial art, a form of Nanquan (martial art), Southern Chinese kung fu, and a close-quarters system of self-defense. It is a martial ...

Fu Jow Pai Fu Jow Pai (, Tiger Claw Style), originally named Hark Fu Moon (, Black Tiger System) is a Chinese martial art that originated in the Hoy Hong Temple of Guangdong, China, during the Qing dynasty. The system "was modeled after the demeanor and f ...

Choy Li Fut Choy Lee Fut is a Chinese martial art and Chinese martial arts, wushu style, founded in 1836 by Chan Heung (陳享). Choy Li Fut was named to honor the Buddhist monk Choy Fook (蔡褔, Cai Fu) who taught him Choi ga, Choy Gar, and Li Yau-san ...

Eagle Claw Eagle Claw (; pinyin: yīng zhǎo pài; ''eagle claw school'') is a style of Chinese martial arts known for its gripping techniques, system of joint locks, takedowns, and pressure point strikes, which is representative of Chinese grappling ...

* Taekwondo and Taekkyon **

Taekkyon Taekkyon (; ), also spelled Taekkyeon, Taekgyeon, or Taekyun, is a traditional Korean martial art. It is characterized by fluid, dynamic foot movement called ''pumbalki'', or "stepping-on-triangles". Taekkyon includes hands and feet techniques to ...

** GTF Taekwondo ** Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo **

American Tang Soo Do American Tang Soo Do is a hybrid martial art brought to the US by Shin Jae Chul who was sent to Springfield, NJ by Hwang Kee in the mid-60’s. Tang Soo Do combined the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do ( Moo Duk Kwan) with Japanese styles of ...

** Choi Kwang Do ** Hup Kwon Do ** Han Moo Do ** Han Mu Do ** Teuk Gong Moo Sool **

Yongmudo Yongmudo, Yongmoodo or Yong Moo Do () is a modern Hybrid martial arts, hybrid Korean martial arts, Korean martial art which combines different techniques from taekwondo, hapkido, judo, and ssireum as well as boxing and wrestling. History Yo ...

* Kempo ** Kosho Shorei-Ryū Kenpo **

Nippon Kempo is a Japanese martial art founded and created by Muneomi Sawayama in 1932. Ivica was a judoka who had studied under Kenwa Mabuni, a karateka who would establish the Shitō school of Karate. There are multiple schools and groups based on the N ...

** American Kenpo **

Shorinji Kempo is a Japanese martial arts, Japanese martial art. The name ''Shōrinji Kempo'' is the On'yomi, Japanese reading of ''Shàolínsì Quánfǎ''. It was established in 1947 by orn a Japanese martial artist and former military intelligence ...

** Okinawan Kempo **

Kara-Ho Kempo Kara-Ho Kempo (the unity of spirit, mind, soul and body, fist law) is a Martial arts, martial art created in the 1930s by the late William Kwai Sun Chow of Hawaii (July 3, 1914 - September 21, 1987). The system can best be described as a serie ...

** Shaolin Kempo ** Ryūkyū Kempo ** Ryū-te *

** Pi'i tauva ** Inbuan **

Malla-yuddha Malla-yuddha (Sanskrit: मल्लयुद्ध, ) is the traditional form of combat-wrestling originating in the Indian subcontinent. It is closely related to Southeast Asian wrestling styles such as naban and is one of the two ancestors o ...

** Senegalese wrestling * Sambo **

Combat sambo Sambo is a combat sport, and a recognized style of amateur wrestling governed by the UWW in the World Wrestling Championships along with Greco-Roman wrestling and freestyle wrestling. Practiced worldwide, sambo is a martial art with Soviet o ...

** Full Contact Fighting Sambo ** Army Hand-To-Hand Combat *

Pankration Pankration (; ) was an unarmed combat sport introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques but also others, such as kicking, holds, joint locks, and chokes on the ground, making it s ...

** Modern Pankration ** Ancient Pankration * Gaidojutsu * GongKwon Yusul *

Kajukenbo Kajukenbo ( Japanese: カジュケンボ) is a hybrid martial art from Hawaii. It was developed in the late 1940s and founded in 1947 in the Palama Settlement on Oahu, Territory of Hawaii. Kajukenbo training incorporates a blend of striking, ...

Vale tudo Vale Tudo or vale-tudo (; ), also known as No Holds Barred (NHB) in the United States, is an unarmed, full-contact combat sport with relatively few Regulation of sport, rules. It became popular in Brazil during the 20th century and would eventua ...

Luta Livre Luta Livre (, lit. ''freestyle fighting'' or ''wrestling''), known in Brazil as Luta Livre Brasileira (lit. ''Brazilian freestyle fighting'') or Luta Livre Submission, and also Brazilian Submission Wrestling, is a Brazilian martial arts and comb ...

* Kudo * Combat Hopak *

Angampora Angampora is a Sinhalese martial art that combines combat techniques, self-defense, combat sport, sport, exercise, and meditation. A key component of angampora is the namesake ''angam'', which incorporates hand-to-hand fighting, and ''illangam'', ...

Armed

*Bladed weapons **

Academic fencing Academic fencing () or is the traditional kind of fencing practiced by some student corporations () in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia, and, to a minor extent, in Belgium, Lithuania, and Poland. It is a traditional, strictly re ...

** Fechtschule **

Fencing Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...

Historical European martial arts Historical European martial arts (HEMA) are martial arts of European origin, particularly using arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms. While there is limited surviving documentation of the mar ...

** Historical medieval battles **

Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords ( shinai) as well as protective armor ( bōgu). It began as samurai warriors' customary swordsmanship ex ...

Stick-fighting Stick-fighting, stickfighting, or stick fighting, is a variety of martial arts which use blunt, hand-held "sticks" for fighting, most typically a simple, non-lethal, wooden staff or baton. Schools of stick-fighting exist for a variety of weapon ...

** Bâton français **

Quarterstaff A quarterstaff (plural quarterstaffs or quarterstaves), also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European polearm, which was especially prominent in England during the Early Modern period. The term is generally accepted to refer to a s ...

** Singlestick *

Hastilude Hastilude is a generic term used in the Middle Ages to refer to many kinds of martial games. The word comes from the Latin ''hastiludium'', literally "lance game". By the 14th century, the term usually excluded tournaments and was used to des ...

Arnis Arnis, also known as kali or eskrima/escrima, is the national martial art of the Philippines. These three terms are, sometimes, interchangeable in referring to traditional martial arts of the Philippines (" Filipino Martial Arts", or FMA), wh ...

Competitive jousting Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French , ultimat ...

Shooting sports Shooting sports is a group of competitive sport, competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms (firearms and airg ...

Airsoft Airsoft, also known as survival game () in Japan where it was popular, is a team sport, team-based shooting sport, shooting game in which participants eliminate opposing players out of play by shooting them with airsoft pellets, spherical plast ...

Paintball Paintball is a competitive sport, competitive team sport, team shooting sport in which players eliminate opponents from play by hitting them with spherical dye-filled gelatin capsules called Paintball equipment#Paintballs, paintballs that b ...

Techniques

The techniques used can be categorized into three domains: striking,

grappling Grappling is a fighting technique based on throws, trips, sweeps, clinch fighting, ground fighting and submission holds. Grappling contests often involve takedowns and ground control, and may end when a contestant concedes defeat. Shou ...

, and weapon usage, with some

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

rule-sets combining striking and grappling. In combat sports the use of these various techniques are highly regulated to minimize permanent or severe physical damage to each participant though means of organized officiating by a single or multiple referees that can distribute penalties or interrupt the actions of the competitors during the competition. In weapon based sports, the weapons used are made to be non-lethal by means of modifying the striking portions of the weapon and requiring participants to wear protective clothing/armor.

Olympics

(1904–2024): Boxing has been staged at every summer Olympic games since 1904 except Stockholm in 1912 due to Swedish law. *

Judo is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, combat sport, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyc ...

(1964, 1972–2024): Judo was not included in the 1968 Mexico City summer Olympics. Women's judo was added to the Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona. *

(1988 Seoul Games as demonstration sport, 2000–2024): Became an official medal sport at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. * Wrestling

Greco-Roman The Greco-Roman world , also Greco-Roman civilization, Greco-Roman culture or Greco-Latin culture (spelled Græco-Roman or Graeco-Roman in British English), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and co ...

(1908–2024): The first form of wrestling to be held at the Olympic Games. At the Olympics, this is a men-only event. * Wrestling Freestyle (1920–2024): Was modified at the 2000 Sydney Games and reduced the amount of weight categories provided. Freestyle wrestling has separate woman and men events. *

and singlestick are two other forms of combat sports that have been included in the Olympics. These combat sports were introduced to the Olympic Games in the early 1900s however singlestick was only represented at the 1904 Olympic games and pankration whilst lasting four centuries in Ancient Greek Olympia's, was not included at all after 1900. *

(1896–2024): Competitive fencing is one of the five activities which have been featured in every modern Olympic Games, the other four being athletics, cycling, swimming, and gymnastics. *

Olympic dueling Pistol dueling was a sport at the 1906 Intercalated Games and 1908 Summer Olympics, 1908 Olympics. History In the 1906 Intercalated Games, competitors fired duelling pistols at plaster dummies from distances of and . In 1908, pistol dueling wa ...

(1906–1908):

Demonstration sport A demonstration sport, or exhibition sport, is a sport which is played to promote it, rather than as part of standard medal competition. This occurs commonly during the Olympic Games but may also occur at other sporting events. Demonstration sport ...

at the 1906 Olympics and

1908 Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were originally schedu ...

. *

(2020): Karate made its Olympic debut for

Tokyo 2020 The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...

under new IOC rules.

Protective gear and clothing

In combat sports, victory is obtained from blows, punches or attacks to the head to a point of physical injury that the opponent is unable to continue. Different forms of combat sport have different rules and regulations into the equipment competitors have to wear. In Amateur boxing seen at the Olympics, competitors are permitted to wear head guards and correctly weighted padded gloves, mouth guards are optional and the canvas floor protection from a hard fall. In sports such as Taekwondo, competitors are permitted to wear a trunk protector, head guard, gloves, groin guard and shin and forearm pads. Professional boxing and MMA are two of the most dangerous combat sports in the world due to the lack of protective gear worn (compared to the protected fists). Competitors in these two sports have the option to wear a mouthguard and must wear suitable gloves. The lack of protective clothing makes competitors vulnerable to concussions and further traumatic head injuries. A scientific experiment, conducted in 2015 by Dr Andrew McIntosh of ACRISP at the Federation University of Australia, tested the impact of seven different head guards in combat sport. The results of the experiment revealed the benefits of the combination of a glove and headguard in maximising the impact energy attenuation. A study conducted by Lystad showed that combat sports with little to no protective gear such as MMA or boxing has an injury incidence rate range of 85.1–280.7 per 1000 athletes in comparison to another striking combat sport like Taekwondo which has a large amount of protective gear such as pads, headgear, mouth guard and gloves, has an injury incidence rate range of 19.1–138.8 per 1000 athletes. This means that injury rates are drastically lowered when protective gear is used. Gear includes: * Gloves *

Headgear Headgear, headwear, or headdress is any element of clothing which is worn on one's Human head, head, including hats, helmets, turbans and many other types. Headgear is worn for many purposes, including protective clothing, protection against t ...

Mouthguard A mouthguard is a protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, arches, lips and gums. An effective mouthguard is like a crash helmet for teeth and jaws. It also prevents the jaws c ...

Shin guards A shin guard or shin pad is a piece of equipment worn on the front of an athlete's shin to protect it from injury. These are commonly used in sports including association football, baseball, ice hockey, field hockey, lacrosse, cricket and moun ...

* Arm guards * Groin guard * Trunk guard * Wraps (material wrapped around the hand and wrist (and/or foot and ankle) that provides added alignment, support and protection)

Fighting area

* Mat :*circular layout or rectangular layout * Ring :*with ropes around the fighting area ::*boxing ring ::*wrestling ring :*without ropes around the fighting area ::*pit: A circle 27 feet in diameter, of which the inner 24 feet is colored blue. The next 3 feet is yellow, which is the caution area. When the fighter gets to the yellow area, he know they are getting close to stepping out-of-bounds. The last edge of the ring is the red zone, which features a 30-degree upward angle. When a fighter steps on the red area, they are stepping up slightly, letting them know they are out-of-bounds. ::*sumo ring (

dohyō A ''dohyō'' (, ) is the space in which a sumo wrestling bout occurs. A typical ''dohyō'' is a circle made of partially buried rice- straw bales 4.55 meters in diameter. In official professional tournaments ('' honbasho''), it is mounted on a sq ...

), sand ring * Fenced area (generically referred to as a "cage") ** Can be round or have at least six sides. The fenced area is generally called a cage or more precisely, depending on the shape, a hexagon (if it has 6 sides) or an octagon (if it has 8 sides). ** Some replace the metal fencing with a net.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Combat Sport Sports by type Individual sports Combat