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  The rivalry between theKodokan school ofjudo and the Totsuka school ofYoshin-ryujujutsu happened in the 1880s during theMeiji Era in Japan. Consisting of several challenges and tournaments, its result saw the decline of the traditional jujutsu schools and the rise of judo as an institutionalized martial art. Although surrounded in controversy and legend because of inconsistent sources, it has been considered a vital part of the history of judo. (Full article...)
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  Thetonfa (Okinawan:トンファーtonfā,Chinese:柺;pinyin:guǎi lit.old man's staff /"crutch", also spelled astongfa ortuifa, also known asT-baton) is a melee weapon with its origins inthe armed component ofOkinawan martial arts where it is known as thetunkua. It consists of a stick with a perpendicular handle attached a third of the way down the length of the stick, and is about 15–20 inches (380–510 mm) long. It was traditionally made fromred orwhite oak, and wielded in pairs. The tonfa is believed to have originated in either China,Okinawa orSoutheast Asia, where it is used in the respective fighting styles. (Full article...)
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  A sumo match(tori-kumi) betweenyokozunaAsashōryū (left) andkomusubiKotoshōgiku in January 2008

  Sumo (Japanese:相撲,Hepburn:sumō;Japanese pronunciation:[ˈsɯmoː],lit. 'striking one another') is a form of competitivefull-contactwrestling where arikishi (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 throwing, shoving or pushing him down).
  
  Sumo originated inJapan, the only country where it is practised professionally and where it is considered thenational sport. It is considered agendai budō, which refers to modernJapanese martial arts, but the sport has a history spanning many centuries. Many ancient traditions have been preserved in sumo, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, fromShinto. (Full article...)
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  Lethwei (Burmese:လက်ဝှေ့;IPA:[lɛʔ.ʍḛ]) orBurmese boxing is afull contact combat sport originating fromMyanmar and is considered one of the most brutal martial arts in the world. Lethwei fighters use stand-up striking techniques such as kicks, knees, elbows and punches, and the use ofheadbutts is also permitted. Fighters compete bareknuckle, wrapping their hands with only tape and gauze. Disallowed in most combat sports, headbutts are important weapons in a Lethwei fighter's arsenal, giving Lethwei its name of the "Art of nine limbs". In traditional rules, each corner is allowed one two-minute timeout per fight to revive a KO’d fighter. This, combined with its bareknuckle nature, gave Lethwei a reputation for being one of the bloodiest and most violent martial arts. Although popular throughout Myanmar, Lethwei has been primarily and historically associated with theKaren people of theKayin State; the vast majority of competitive Lethwei fighters are ethnolinguistically ofKaren descent. (Full article...)
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  Historical European martial arts (HEMA) aremartial 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 martial arts ofclassical antiquity (such asGreek wrestling orgladiatorial combat), most of the surviving dedicated technical treatises ormartial arts manuals date to thelate medieval period and theearly modern period. For this reason, the focus of HEMA isde facto on the period of the half-millennium of ca. 1300 to 1800, with aGerman,Italian, andSpanish school flowering in the Late Middle Ages and theRenaissance (14th to 16th centuries), followed byFrench,English, andScottish schools of fencing in the modern period (17th and 18th centuries). (Full article...)
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  Ashuriken (Japanese:手裏剣;lit. 'hand-hidden blade') is a Japaneseconcealed weapon used bysamurai orninja or inmartial arts as a hiddendagger ormetsubushi to distract or misdirect. (Full article...)
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  Togakure-ryū (戸隠流) is a historical tradition ofninjutsu known as the "School of the Hidden Door", allegedly founded during theOho period (1161–1162) byDaisuke Nishina (仁科大助) (a.k.a. DaisukeTogakure (戸隠大助)), who learned his original fighting techniques from aChinese monk named Kain Dōshi. However, the history and early lineage of Togakure-ryū may be impossible to verify due to the antiquity of the time period and its claimed historicity has been disputed by Watatani Kiyoshi, writer for theBugei Ryūha Daijiten. After Togakure, the title of Sōke (head of school) was recorded byToda Shinryuken Masamitsu to have been passed down through other practitioners that kept the style secret from the outside world.
  
  Toshitsugu Takamatsu is the recorded 33rdSōke of this school. According toBujinkan sources he became well known throughout China and Japan for his martial arts prowess and his knowledge from studyingninjutsu that he then imparted on various Chinese nobles. Takamatsu passed the title of Sōke toMasaaki Hatsumi, the recorded 34th Sōke; it was Hatsumi who largely brought the style to public attention, and subsequently resulted in wide-scale media and public attention given to ninja andninjutsu in the Western world. Hatsumi recently passed on the school to Takumi Tsutsui. (Full article...)
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  Iaidō (居合道), abbreviatediai (居合), is aJapanese martial art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawingthe sword and responding to sudden attacks.
  
  Iaido consists of four main components: the smooth, controlled movements of drawing thesword from itsscabbard (orsaya), striking or cutting an opponent, shaking blood from the blade, and replacing the sword in the scabbard. While beginning practitioners of iaido may start learning with a wooden sword (bokutō 木刀) depending on the teaching style of a particular instructor, most of the practitioners use a blunt-edged sword called aniaitō ormogitō. Few, more experienced, iaido practitioners use a sharp-edged sword (shinken). (Full article...)
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  Megumi Fujii (left) vs. Cody Welchlin (right)

  
  Whilemixed martial arts is primarily a male dominated sport, it does have female athletes. For instance, Female competition in Japan includes promotions such asDEEP Jewels. Now defunct promotions that featured female fighters wereValkyrie, andSmackgirl. Professional mixed martial arts organizations in theUnited States that invite women to compete are industry leaderUltimate Fighting Championship, the all femaleInvicta Fighting Championships,Resurrection Fighting Alliance,Bellator Fighting Championships, andLegacy Fighting Championship. Now defunct promotions that featured female fighters wereStrikeforce andEliteXC.
  There has been a growing awareness of women in mixed martial arts due to popular female fighters and personalities such asAmanda Nunes,Megumi Fujii,Gina Carano,Ronda Rousey,Miesha Tate,Holly Holm,Alexa Grasso, andJoanna Jędrzejczyk and among others. Carano became known as "the face of women's MMA" after appearing in a number ofEliteXC events. This was furthered by her appearances on MGM Television's 2008 revival of their game showAmerican Gladiators.
  
  The UFC's decision to allow female fighters in the organization, to promote the dominant fighter Ronda Rousey, is often cited as the reason women's mixed martial arts became known to the general public. Rousey won theBest Fighter ESPY Award at the 2015ESPN ESPY awards, beating out noted fighters such asFloyd Mayweather Jr., and becoming the first UFC and MMA fighter to win the award. (Full article...)
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  Aretiarius (pluralretiarii; literally, "net-man" inLatin) was aRoman gladiator who fought with equipment styled on that of a fisherman: aweighted net (rete (3rd decl.), hence the name), a three-pointedtrident (fuscina ortridens), and adagger (pugio). Theretiarius was lightly armoured, wearing an arm guard (manica) and a shoulder guard (galerus). Typically, his clothing consisted only of a loincloth (subligaculum) held in place by a wide belt, or of a shorttunic with light padding. He wore no head protection or footwear.
  
  Theretiarius was routinely pitted against a heavily armedsecutor. The net-fighter made up for his lack of protective gear by using his speed and agility to avoid his opponent's attacks and waiting for the opportunity to strike. He first tried to throw his net over his rival. If this succeeded, he attacked with his trident while his adversary was entangled. Another tactic was to ensnare his enemy's weapon in the net and pull it out of his grasp, leaving the opponent defenceless. Should the net miss or thesecutor grab hold of it, theretiarius likely discarded the weapon, although he might try to collect it back for a second cast. Usually, theretiarius had to rely on his trident and dagger to finish the fight. The trident, as tall as a human being, permitted the gladiator to jab quickly, keep his distance, and easily cause bleeding. It was not a strong weapon, usually inflicting non-fatal wounds so that the fight could be prolonged for the sake of entertainment. The dagger was theretiarius's final backup should the trident be lost. It was reserved for when close combat or a straight wrestling match had to settle the bout. In some battles, a singleretiarius faced twosecutores simultaneously. For these situations, the lightly armoured gladiator was placed on a raised platform and given a supply of stones with which to repel his pursuers. (Full article...)

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  Image 1Fol. 4v of the I.33 (fromHistory of martial arts)
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  Image 2GAMMA medallists on the podium at the 2023 African Games (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 3Gina Carano applying a ground-and-pound on her opponent (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 4Bruce Lee is known for practicing many martial arts styles, including Karate, having trained withChuck Norris for many years. (fromKarate)
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  Image 5Panel by Alfredo Storni featuring capoeirista Ciríaco defeating jujitsu fighter Sada Miyako with a rabo de arraia kick,O Malho, 1909. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 6Jigoro Kano, founder of judo (fromJudo)
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  Image 7International judo camp inArtjärvi,Orimattila,Finland (fromJudo)
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  Image 8AChinese martial artist preparing to throw his opponent during alei tai contest inancient China (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 9Kung fu sword (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 10An octagon cage used by the UFC (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 11jūdō (柔道, "Judo"), written inkanji (fromJudo)
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  Image 12Karate movements inLappeenranta (fromKarate)
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  Image 13A ring used byPRIDE (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 14Karate training in front ofShuri Castle inNaha (1938) (fromKarate)
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  Image 15Yoshihiko Yoshimatsu attempting to throwToshiro Daigo with anuchi mata in the final of the 1951All-Japan Judo Championships (fromJudo)
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  Image 16Jigoro Kano andYamashita Yoshitsugu performingKoshiki-no-kata (fromJudo)
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  Image 17Karate inNaha before the war (before 1946) (fromKarate)
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  Image 18Mural at Shaolin temple from 1830's depicting forearm strikes and reverse kicks (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 19Pankratiast in fighting stance, Ancient Greek red-figure amphora, 440 BC. (fromHistory of martial arts)
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  Image 20A "soccer kick", movement where the fighter kicks the head of a downed opponent. While common invale tudo, early MMA and Japanese promotions, the soccer kick has been banned from theUnified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 21Depiction of fighting monks demonstrating their skills to visiting dignitaries (early 19th-century mural in theShaolin Monastery). (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 22Japanese judokaTakamasa Anai Vs French judokaThierry Fabre during the2010 World Judo Championships held in Tokyo (fromJudo)
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  Image 23Eisho-ji temple, Tokyo (fromJudo)
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  Image 24Martial arts fan (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 25Kung fu in Iran (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 26Two judoka wearing judogi (fromJudo)
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  Image 27Gichin Funakoshi (fromKarate)
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  Image 28Throw during competition, leads to an ippon (fromJudo)
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  Image 29MMA gloves. They are fingerless gloves which allow both striking and grappling to occur. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 30The Pancrastinae: a statue portraying thepancratium, an event which took place in the RomanColosseum. Even as late as theEarly Middle Ages, statues were put up in Rome and other cities to honor remarkable pankratiasts. This statue, now part of theUffizi collection, is a Roman copy of a lost Greek original, circa 3rd century BC. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 31TheYang style oftai chi being practiced onthe Bund inShanghai (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 32Bōgutsuki, a form of full-contact karate fought witharmour, one of the competition formats for kumite (fromKarate)
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  Image 33Bruce Lee popularized the concept of mixed martial arts via hishybrid philosophy ofJeet Kune Do during the late 1960s to early 1970s. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 34Ancient Greek pankratiasts fighting. This drawing is an early 20th century copy of a scene from aPanathenaic amphora. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 35Karatekas at adojo with different colored belts (fromKarate)
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  Image 36Fighter performs atakedown on his opponent. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 37Groundfighting in MMA. Differently from othergrappling-based martial arts, you are allowed to strike your opponent when fighting on the ground. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 38Modern forms are used in the sport ofwushu, as seen in this staff routine (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 39Two Brazilian fighters in aSanda/Sanshou match. Sanda is a modernized form of Kung Fu and one of the two disciplines ofSport Wushu (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 40A ring-side doctor attends to a fighter following a loss. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 41Chōki Motobu in Naihanchi-dachi, one of the basic karate stances (fromKarate)
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  Image 42Bronze medal match at the2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (fromKarate)
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  Image 43Olympic Judo pictogram (fromJudo)
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  Image 44Yuki Nakai fightsUFC 1 finalistGerard Gordeau atVale Tudo Japan 1995. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 45King Shō Shin (fromKarate)
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  Image 46Harai goshi (払腰; sweeping hip), akoshi-waza (fromJudo)
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  Image 47Masahiko Kimura vs. Hélio Gracie, a 1951 bout between Japanesejudo fighterMasahiko Kimura andBrazilian jiu jitsu founderHélio Gracie in Brazil, was an early high-profile mixed martial arts bout. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 48The judogi is made from a heavy weave to withstand the stress of throwing and grappling. (fromJudo)
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  Image 49Karatekas wearing different colored belts (fromKarate)
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  Image 50Masters of karate in Tokyo (c. 1930s), from left to right,Kanken Toyama,Hironori Otsuka, Takeshi Shimoda,Gichin Funakoshi,Chōki Motobu,Kenwa Mabuni, Genwa Nakasone, andShinken Taira (fromKarate)
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  Image 51UFC 74;Clay Guida vs.Marcus Aurelio (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 52Juji gatame (十字固; cross lock)(armbar), akansetsu-waza (fromJudo)
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  Image 53Judo (1935) (fromJudo)
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  Image 54MMA fighter attempts aTriangle-Armbar submission on his opponent. (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 55All-Japan Judo Championships, 2007 men's final (fromJudo)
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  Image 56Ancient Chinese weapons (fromChinese martial arts)
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  Image 57Megumi Fujii (left) facingCody Welchlin (right) (fromMixed martial arts)
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  Image 58Two children training injudo techniques (fromJudo)

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