United States Mixed Martial Arts (USMMA) training center offers free workshop and hands-on demonstrations

t is the fastest growing sport since NASCAR and giving professional boxing a run for its money, but what exactly is Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)? Some say that it is the sheer violence and ferocity that surrounds the sport of MMA that has spurred controversy as well as impressive TV ratings.

USMMA, located at 316 Hartford Avenue in Bellingham, is hosting an open house and workshop, “What is an Ultimate Fighter?”, to introduce and demonstrate the sport of Mixed Martial Arts on Saturday, September 20, 2008 from 10AM – 1PM, at its Bellingham training and yoga center. As the fastest growing sport, especially among young people, there is much to be learned about MMA such as the athleticism involved and the real fighters and their stories.

Critics, including prominent politicians and concerned parents, have called for a ban on the sport. Presidential hopeful John McCain refers to it as “Human Cockfighting”. As many as 35 states have hosted sanctioned MMA events proving that there is no questioning the sports popularity.

SpikeTV was the first cable television network to showcase the sport with “The Ultimate Fighter,” reality series. Fans of the sport can easily tune in at almost any time and view a fight and it is taking off like wildfire outselling pay-per-view sales of boxing matches 10 to 1.

“It’s not just one of those cult sports anymore. It’s really become mainstream,” said Tom Hafers, CEO of the United States Mixed Martial Arts (USMMA) program, in Bellingham, MA. “We are passionate about Mixed Martial Arts and are excited to share it with everyone interested in its explosive growth,” he said.

USMMA is home to International Ultimate Fighting Champions including co-owner Jorge Rivera, also known as “El Conquistador”, and several other emerging MMA stars like Mike Campbell. Campbell was recently chosen for the reality show “TapouT” on SpikeTV.

Just what is this sport all about? The goal of the workshop hosted by Hafers and Rivera, is to introduce Mixed Martial Arts with a brief presentation and hands-on demonstration. In addition to demonstrations, attendees will have the honor of meeting Ultimate Fighting Champions. They will answer questions for anyone wanting to learn about MMA or their fighting experiences. Light refreshments will also be provided.

The event, located at the state-of-the-art padded training center, will focus on the various mixed martial arts programs including:

• Mixed Martial Arts: Mixed Martial Arts is a compilation of combat skills involving Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Thai Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, Judo and Boxing, in what is quickly evolving into one of the most popular sports in the world.
• Thai Boxing: Thai Boxing, the national sport of Thailand, is a martial art that involves striking with the hands, feet, elbows and knees. Known as the “Art of the Eight Limbs,” Thai Boxing equips practitioners with the ability to execute strikes from eight different points, giving them a greater arsenal of defense techniques in contrast to boxing and kickboxing. The sport is widely practiced throughout Southeast Asia and is quickly gaining popularity in the United States.
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, known as BJJ, is a martial art rooted in ground fighting and submission wrestling. First developed in Brazil by the world-renown Gracie family, BJJ promotes the belief that a weaker individual using proper leverage and technique can successfully defend his or herself from a larger, stronger opponent.
• Boxing: Boxing is often called the Western martial art, but it is more accurately identified as a martial sport. It probably originated in ancient Greece or Rome, as there is evidence that the Greek pankratium (also spelled pankration) competitions included a boxing­like event. The pugilistic sport then spread to most every Western country, and in the early 20th century it became a popular spectator sport. Boxing techniques have played an important role in the development of modern kickboxing, since they are often judged as being more effective than the hand techniques of the Asian martial arts. The techniques are now being added to the curriculum at many schools that teach eclectic martial arts.
• Judo: Judo was intended to be a martial sport derived from jujutsu. Created by Jigoro Kano in the 1880s, it enjoyed much popularity as its practitioners routinely defeated students of other martial arts. Kano created the Kodokan Judo Institute in 1882 as the governing body for the sport. Later, it was adopted into the curriculum of Japanese public schools. Judo became an Olympic sport in 1964, when the Games were held in Tokyo. Judo training emphasizes throwing an opponent to the ground by grasping his body or uniform. Once down, a variety of chokes and joint locks may be used to effect a submission. Two important parts of judo training- character development and morality-make judo a preferred martial art for children to practice.
• Wrestling: Wrestling is a combative sport that probably originated in ancient Greece and Rome. It is practiced in various forms in most cultures of the world (sumo in Japan, ssirum in Korea, khok in Armenia, Sambo in Russia, etc.). It formed the basis for the Japanese martial sport of shoot fighting, and many of its techniques are similar to those of judo.

The United States Mixed Martial Arts Training Center, located on Hartford Avenue in Bellingham, focuses on elevating the physical and spiritual well being of students through Mixed Martial Arts and Yoga. This is accomplished through a four-pronged approach to reality self-defense training centered in total body wellness.

The state of the art, 4 thousand-square foot training facility is complete with a 2 thousand-square foot padded MMA training floor equipped with heavy bags and conditioning equipment, a 15 hundred-square foot yoga studio, locker rooms, showers and a juice bar. To contact USMMA, call 508-966-5006 or visit their website at www.usmma.org.