Originating from the full contact sport of Vale tudo in Brazil, the UFC was created in the United States in 1993 with minimal rules, and was promoted as a competition to determine the most effective martial art for unarmed combat situations.
It wasn't long before the fighters realized that if they wanted to be competitive among the best, they needed to train in additional disciplines. UFC fighters began to morph into well-rounded, balanced fighters that could fight standing or on the floor. This blend of fighting styles and skills became known as mixed martial arts (MMA).