If you’re new to the world of mixed martial arts, then it might be confusing at first to understand what exactly “UFC” means.
So what does UFC stand for?
UFC stands for Ultimate Fighting Championship. UFC is just one of many mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions globally but is considered the premier fighting promotion in the USA and worldwide due to its high level of fighters.
Keep on reading to learn some more interesting facts about the UFC name.
Table of Contents
What Does UFC Mean?
UFC means Ultimate Fighting Championship, the premier mixed martial arts promotion and competition in the USA and the world.
This is likely the most common meaning of UFC globally because of the popularity of the sport and this brand. It’s a name synonymous with MMA these days.
How The UFC Name Began
The UFC name was invented by its original creators of the Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) in the early 1990s. It was targeted at an audience that loved popular videogames like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter to bring martial arts to a mainstream view that was never seen before.
It’s believed that the name came from its two original co-founders, Art Davie and Rorion Gracie. Later, more creators came on board as the popularity and potential of the brand developed.
What Kind Of Fighting Is UFC?
The kind of fighting in the UFC is called mixed martial arts, or MMA for short. Like many other mixed martial arts fighting promotions, the UFC adopted the Unified Rules Of Mixed Martial Arts in 2000 to ensure a baseline of rules for the sport.
Mixed martial arts can mean utilizing the skills of almost any type of weaponless combat martial art in the world, as long as it doesn’t go against any of the unified rules.
For example, you can’t hit an opponent on the back of the head in any situation in the UFC or MMA.
Martial arts that can be used in the UFC are:
- Boxing
- Kickboxing
- Karate
- Muay Thai
- Wrestling
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
- Judo
- Sambo or Pankration
Many martial artists that compete in the UFC will often specialize in one or more of these martial arts. Typically a fighter needs to have good proficiency in a striking martial art (punches and kicks) and a grappling martial art (like wrestling on the ground).
A UFC fight can take place on the feet or on the ground and will often switch between the two positions as each fighter takes or loses the advantage. This makes UFC fighting very closely related to actual street fighting, but with specific rules introduced to protect the long-term wellbeing and safety of its fighters.
These unified rules also affect how the UFC is scored.
Latest MMA Shorts from the Hive...Is The UFC Like Boxing?
The UFC is similar to Boxing in that they are both combat sports. The UFC is a mixed martial arts promotion, which means its fighters can use Boxing as one of their fighting styles to win. In the sport of Boxing, only Boxing methods and rules apply.
What Else UFC Could Stand For
Sometimes “UFC” could stand for something else than Ultimate Fighting Championship. Some lesser-known uses are “Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner” in fantasy sports games, or “United Fan Convention”.
What Does UFC Stand For In Texting?
UFC could commonly be used in texting by your boyfriend or friends when they are referring to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the mixed martial arts sports promotion. If they say “I’m watching UFC” then it’s almost definitely the same sport!
That sums up what you need to know about the UFC name, which is:
The “UFC” means Ultimate Fighting Championship, the largest mixed martial arts promotion in the USA and the world. Their pay-per-view buys have increased considerably over recent years, even challenging the viewership of Boxing.
What to read next
So now you’re clear about what the UFC stands for, my next articles can help you learn more about how the UFC started and how to get into watching this sport:
