Akshay Kumar in the Martialyogarts

A long road traveled; from a waiter in Bangkok, to one of the most successful actors in

Bollywood, Akshay Kumar has come a long way. As an instructor in martial artist, Rajiv Bhatia always dreamt of making it big in that field but when a student suggested that with his good looks and a good built, he should take up modelling, the anonymous Rajiv Bhatia began his journey as Akshay Kumar who then slowly but surely worked his way up to becoming one of the most talented stars of the industry. Stunned at the pay package and his success as a model, Akshay took the next obvious step, and entered into films. However unlike most of the other stars in his time, Akshay neither had star parents, nor a godfather to launch him. Although his first few films were unsuccessful at the box office, they helped Akshay get noticed for his dancing abilities and his dare-devilish stunts. His first true hit film was 'Khiladi' and although it was a success, the top banners continued to be elusive until 'Yeh Dillagi' which not only got him recognition but marked his position as a top league actor. Though 'Jai Kishen' and 'Main Khiladi Tu Anari' were quite successful at the box office, it was 'Mohra' and 'Sabse Bada Khiladi' that it catapulted Akshay to fame and established his position as one of the top most heroes of the industry. With a series of 'Khiladi' movies including the "Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi', Akshay became the quintessential "action hero'. But with 'Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi', 'Dil To Pagal Hai' and 'Aflatoon', he attempted new genres in order to change his stereotypical image, and he was quite successful at it. Another attempt at a new role with 'Ajnabee', where he played the villain, was again well portrayed and well received by audiences and critics alike. 'Dhadkan', where he starred opposite Shilpa Shetty reaffirmed the fact that aside from being an action hero, Akshay Kumar was also the perfect romantic lead. In the same year came another memorable performance with the film "Hera Pheri' which brought to the forefront his strength in comedy and superb timing as he held his ground with the seasoned Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty. Akshay Kumar continued to improve with every film, from "Khakee, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi', "Aitraaz, Waqt', 'Awara Pagaal Deewana', "Garam Masala' to the recently released "Phir Hera Phiri' proved that Akshay was a sure-fire hit at the box-office as well. Today he is one of the most sought after actors who commands a strong box-office opening. His forthcoming films include Jaaneman, Saamna, London Namaste and Welcome.

Akshay Kumar in Wing Chun

WING CHUN

Wing Chun, meaning "Eternal Spring", is a Chinese martial art that specializes in close-range combat. It is a southern style of Chinese kung-fu, the most influential Chinese martial art in modern times. Wing chun emphasizes self-defense reduced to its most rudimentary level, which includes simultaneous attack and defense with multiple straight-line strikes at extremely close range.

Wing Chun aims to deflect rather than to meet force in combat. It uses a "centerline" theory that is based around attacking vital targets along a central line of the body. Two weapons are taught, the dragon pole and butterfly knives. Every punch, strike, and kick in the system is designed to serve as a defense. Every block, deflection, and evasion is also designed to double as an attack. Rapid hand techniques combined with low kicks fit aggressive and constant forward pressure. Partner exercises called Chi Sao allow two partners to practice various arm exercises together for better reflexes and response to attacks. Students are also taught to control, or "trapping," an opponent's limbs whenever possible.

Wing Chun was developed when several grandmasters of the Shaolin temple systemized specific parts of the Chinese martial arts. Their effort was intended to form a martial art that was practical and faster to learn than the other styles in order to defend themselves from the professional soldiers of the Manchu Dynasty who were highly skilled in martial arts and the fighting tactics of the Shaolin Temple. Whenever they were sent into an area of Shaolin activity to enforce the Manchu will, they quickly put a halt to the rebellious monks.

The Shaolin monks realized that they could not rapidly train a young rebel to match the fighting skills of the Manchu soldiers. The temple elders met and developed a martial art which required a much shorter period of time to learn. They renamed the martial arts hall where they trained as Wing Chun Hall, or Forever Springtime Hall, which expressed their hopes for a renaissance in Shaolin martial arts instruction as well as for a more effective weapon in their struggle against the Manchus.

However, before the new fighting art could be completely developed, a Shaolin traitor tipped off the government. Manchu soldiers destroyed the temple and most of the residents. The few survivors fled throughout China including a nun named Ng Mui who had been one of the temple elders. She hid herself at a nunnery and spent her time there finalizing the movements of the new fighting art. She decided to call the art "wing chun" after the training hall in which she and the other elders had convened and trained.

Ng Mui taught the new art to a young girl nearby. Shortly before Ng Mui's death, she named her student Yim Wing Chun since the girl had been entrusted with the art's future. For the next 200 years, wing chun remained a private kung-fu system, taught only to family and friends, until 1952 in Hong Kong when grandmaster Yip Man first offered commercial instruction.

90% of the Wing Chun schools in the world today can be traced to the teachings of Yip Man and his students.

Akshay Kumar in Vale Tudo

VALE TUDO Vale tudo, Portuguese for "anything goes," or literally "everything is allowed," describes a Brazilian martial arts discipline. With competitions in unarmed combat having minimal rules, it is sometimes considered a combat sport. It is also taught as a means of self defence and a way of entering the ring in Full Contact. Great emphasis is placed on physical training and technique. Vale Tudo takes the most effective combat techniques from styles such as Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Sambo,Wrestling and Western Boxing. The term vale tudo was first associated with booth fighting done in Brazilian circuses during the 1920's. However, this term did not enter popular use until 1959-1960, when it was used to describe the style-versus-style bouts featured in a Rio television show called Heróis do Ringue (Ring-Heroes). The matchmakers and hosts of the show included members of the Gracie family, and the participants were all legitimate practitioners of their respective styles. After 1960, vale tudo would remain an underground sub-culture, with most of the fights taking place in martial arts dojos or small gymnasiums. Rorion Gracie of the famous Gracie family would eventually emigrate to the United States and introduce vale tudo to a new market when he helped to found the UFC in 1993. The enormous success of the UFC created a vale tudo explosion around the world, specifically in Japan, as well as a resurgence and newfound popularity back in Brazil. The state of Sao Paulo prohibited vale tudo fights from being a sanctioned sport. As promotions went into decline, they have not promoted a show since 2002. However, vale tudo events still take place in great number around Brazil. Newer promotions that have gained athletic sanctioning in the United States give rise to critics who have argued that vale tudo shows should all adopt the much safer mixed martial arts rules. However, supporters of vale tudo counter that the sanctioned mixed martial arts style that developed in the United States are now too vastly different from true vale tudo. They further suggest that it should be treated as an entirely different sport, just as kickboxing, which is sanctioned in United States due to its safer rules and is considered different from Muay Thai, for example.

Akshay Kumar in Tang Soo Do

TANG SOO DO

Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art promoted by Hwang Kee that has roots in various styles of martial arts. However, the term Tang Soo Do has evolved in the western world to currently describe a form of Karate that is distinctly Korean, but is different than both Taekwondo and Soo Bahk Do.

"The way of the Chinese hand" is relatively modern and a composite style, being 60 percent Soo Bahk Do, 30 percent northern Chinese, and 10 percent southern Chinese. Tang Soo Do is both a hard and soft style, deriving its hardness in part from Soo Bahk and its soft flowing movements from the northern Chinese systems.

Prior to the unification of the initial schools (or kwans) of Tang Soo Do in Korea under the Korea Taekwondo Association, the arts were known as Tang Soo Do, Kong Soo Do, or Kwon Bup. Despite the effort, the kwans continued to teach their individual styles and stopped using the various names when they unified under the name Taekwondo (and temporarily Tae Soo Do).

The Moo Duk Kwan, being loyal to Kee, pulled out of the unification and remained independent, continuing to use the name 'Tang Soo Do'. Some Moo Duk Kwan members followed Hwang's senior student, Chong Soo Hong, to become members of a unified Taekwondo.

The late Hwang Kee officially changed the name of the art of the Moo Duk Kwan style to Soo Bahk Do as early as 1957, shortly after his discovery of Korea's indigenous open hand fighting style of Subak. This change was officially registered, and the Moo Duk Kwan refiled with the Korean Ministry of Education on June 30, 1960. The organization was officially reincorporated as the "Korean Soo Bahk Do Association, Moo Duk Kwan."

Tang Soo Do incorporates many fluid "soft" movements reminiscent of certain traditional Chinese martial arts and kicking techniques rooted in Korean taekkyeon. Other modern Tang Soo Do systems teach what is essentially Korean Karate in an early organized form. The World Tang Soo Do Association and the International Tang Soo Do federation, for instance, teach systems of Tang Soo Do that existed before the Taekwondo "merger" and before the development of modern Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan. These versions of Tang Soo Do are heavily influenced by Korean culture and also appear related to Okinawan Karate.

Tang Soo Do continues to expand and flourish under numerous federations and organizations. It can be argued that Tang Soo Do is one of the most widely practiced martial arts in the United States. Yet due to political in-fighting and splintering, Tang Soo Do is not as unified as Tae Kwon Do.

Tang Soo Do's most famous practitioner is Chuck Norris who preferred it during his fighting career. Norris helped to pioneer this art and in the process became one of the world's most famous martial artists.

Akshay Kumar in Tai Chi

TAI CHI CHUAN

Tai chi chuan, "supreme ultimate fist", is a Chinese martial art often practiced for health reasons. often referred to simply as "tai chi", it is a northern style of Chinese kung-fu, it cultivates chi as the power and force behind the techniques it employs. Tai chi is characterized by a series of long flowing movements and forms performed in an almost slow yet methodical manner.

Tai chi chuan is generally classified as a form of traditional Chinese martial arts of the Neijia (soft or internal) branch. It is considered a soft style martial art — an art applied with internal power — to distinguish its theory and application from that of the hard martial art styles.

Since the first widespread promotion of tai chi's health benefits in the early 20th century, it has developed a worldwide following among people with little or no interest in martial training for its benefit to health. Most westerners who practice tai chi have considered its martial aspects as minor in comparison with its beneficial effects on health and spirit.

However, tai chi possesses a large array of strikes, pushes, blocks, kicks, evasive techniques and circular throws, locks, and twists. When applied as such, it proves to be a powerful form of self-defense.

Tai chi training first and foremost involves learning solo routines, known as forms. While the image of tai chi chuan in popular culture is typified by exceedingly slow movement, many tai chi styles (including the three most popular, Yang, Wu and Chen) have secondary forms of a faster pace. Some traditional schools of tai chi teach partner exercises known as pushing hands, and martial applications of the postures of the form.

Today, tai chi has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of tai chi trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu/Hao, Wu and Sun, each named after the Chinese family from which it originated.

Tai chi classes have become popular everywhere as a low stress training, especially for seniors. As a result of this popularity, there has been some divergence between those who say they practice tai chi primarily for self-defense, those who practice it for its aesthetic appeal, and those who are more interested in its benefits to physical and mental health.

Akshay Kumar in Taekwondo

TAE KWON DO

Tae Kwon Do, also commonly spelled taekwondo, is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way," "method," or "art." Thus, "tae kwon do" may be loosely translated as "the way of the foot and fist" or "the way of kicking and punching." It incorporates the abrupt linear movements of karate and the flowing, circular patterns of kung fu with Korean kicking techniques.

Formally, there are two main styles of tae kwon do. One comes from the Kukkiwon, which is governed by the World Taekwondo Federation. The other comes from the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF). There is also a more recent form called Songham Taekwondo or the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) and other variations of it such as STF (Songham Taekwondo Federation) and WTTU (World Traditional Taekwondo Union).

Traditional tae kwon do typically refers to the martial art as it was established in the 1950s and 1960s by Gneral Choi Hong Hi. Considered the father of tae kwon do, Choi's traditional tae kwon do includes names and symbolism of the traditional patterns often referring to elements of Korean history. Sport tae kwon do has evolved in the decades since then and has a somewhat different focus, especially in terms of its emphasis on speed and competition, such as in Olympic sparring. Whereas traditional tae kwon do tends to emphasize power and self-defense. The two are not mutually exclusive, and the distinctions between them are often blurred.

Although there are technical differences between the two main styles and among the various organizations, tae kwon do generally emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, utilizing the leg's greater reach and power as compared to the arm. The greatest difference between various styles, is generally accepted to be the differing styles and rules of sport and competition. Tae kwon do training generally includes a system of blocks, kicks, punches, and open-handed strikes and may also include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks. Some tae kwon do instructors also incorporate the use of pressure points as well as grabbing self-defense techniques borrowed from other martial arts, such as Hapkido and Judo.

Kicking is heavily stressed as one of the primary characteristics of tae kwon do. Tae kwon do kicking techniques are divided into direct and circular attacks. It is also famous for its devastating flying kicks. Most commonly, kicks are delivered from the back stance with the body’s weight distributed mostly on the back leg. Unlike Okinawan and Japanese karate systems, tae kwon do advocates a broader array of kicks, many of which are aimed at head level, considered relatively rare in other martial arts.

In 1955, General Choi submitted the name tae kwon do to a conference of chung do kwan masters to unite the fighting styles art under one name. The name was accepted and was officially recognized as the national martial art of Korea. He later moved to Montreal and emphasized tae kwon do for the self defense aspects.

However, another fraction of tae kwon do practitioners organized the World Taekwondo Federation in 1973 and focused on the sport aspect of the art.

Today, tae kwon do is the world's most popular martial art, in terms of the number of practitioners, an also an Olympic sport. It is also used by the South Korean military as part of its training.

Akshay Kumar in Sumo

SUMO

Sumo, as a martial art, dates back to the early 8th century in Japan where it was originally part of religious ceremonies. It was was then later introduced to ceremonies held by the Imperial Court.

Sumo is a competitive contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. Two competitors push and pull each other within a circle of 4.5 meters in diameter. The first person to leave the ring or touch the ground with any part of the body except the sole of the feet, loses the bout.

The Japanese consider sumo a modern Japanese martial art even though the sport has a history spanning many centuries. The sumo tradition is very ancient and includes many of those ritual elements

Historically, it is of note that Jujutsu is actually an offshoot of Sumo wrestling.

Originally, Sumo contained elements of boxing and wrestling. Rules were gradually introduced over time which transformed it to resemble the Sumo wrestling that we know today.

It is practiced professionally in Japan as a sport. A sumo wrestler leads a highly regimented way of life. Professional sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal "sumo training stables" known in Japanese as heya where all aspects of their daily lives from meals to manner of dress are dictated by strict tradition.

Sumo is now the national sport of Japan and immensely popular. It is also unique to Japan but but wrestlers of other nationalities also may participate. Sumo wrestlers enjoy a very high regard in the Japanese society.

Akshay Kumar in Savate

SAVATE

Savate, also known as boxe française, French boxing, French Kickboxing or French Footfighting, is a French style of foot and fist fighting. This French martial art uses the hands and feet as weapons combining elements of western boxing with graceful kicking techniques. Only foot kicks are allowed unlike systems such as Muay Thai, which allow the use of the knees or shins.

Savate is a French word for "old shoe". Savate is perhaps the only style of kickboxing in which the fighters habitually wear shoes.

Systematized in post-Napoleonic France, savate is the only martial arts native to Europe that still exists in both sport and combative forms.

The precise origin of the art is unknown. Though, it is known that 17th-century sailors of Marseilles were required to practice stretch-kicks to keep them in condition for ocean voyages. Sailors called this form of foot-fighting "chausson," or "slipper," in reference to the felt slippers they wore when practicing the kicks.

Later, Napoleon's soldiers developed an unofficial punishment for regimental misfits. A group of soldiers would hold an offender in place while another kicked him severely in the buttocks. The punishment was called "la savate."

By the beginning of the 19th century, the fighters of Paris brawled with their feet rather than their fists. Their kick-fighting was popularly called savate.

Eventually, Michael Casseuse sought out the better street fighters and observed and categorized their techniques. The result was a refined fighting system. His offensive techniques emphasized front, side, and round kicks to the knee, shin, or instep. The hands were held low and open to defend against groin attacks. Palm heel strikes were used to attack the face, nose and eyes. In addition, as a result of encounters with chausson street fighters, savate came to include both mid-level and high-level kicks, in addition to Casseuse's low kicks.

Later, Charles Lecour, one of Casseuse's best students, studied bare-knuckle boxing from one of England's most respected teachers. He later synthesized English boxing and Casseuse's savate to create "la boxe Francaise," or "French boxing." Lecour also introduced the use of boxing gloves for training, which minimized accidents and increased the art's popularity.

Akshay Kumar in Sambo

SAMBO

Sambo is a relatively modern martial art, combat sport, and self-defense system developed in the Soviet Union as a style of wrestling that originated in the 1930's. Recognized as an official sport by the USSR All-Union Sports Committee in 1938, it contains techniques from judo/jujitsu and more than 20 styles of folk wrestling popular throughout the various republics of the Soviet Union at the time.

The word "Самбо" (Sambo) means "self-defense without weapons" in Russian. Initially created as a means of unarmed crowd control, Sambo was also used by domestic police and soldiers for training in hand-to-hand combat.

Sambo has its roots in Japanese judo and traditional folk styles of wrestling techniques from elements of several martial arts including Greco-Roman wrestling, Armenian jacket-throwing; Turkish kuresh wresting, “kokh,” the national wrestling of Armenia.

Sambo wrestlers differ from judo in that they compete in shoes, with trunks or singlets instead of barefoot and in pants. The kurtka is a jacket with longer sleeves than a judo gi. The belt is worn through loops that keep it in place, since the belt can be grabbed in sambo.

The founders of Sambo were Vasili Oshchepkov and Viktor Spiridonov. They independently developed two different styles, both with the same name. Spiridonov's style was a soft, aikido-like system developed after he was maimed during World War I. Anatoly Kharlampiev, a student of Victor Spiridonov, is often officially recognized as the founder of Sport Sambo.

The most famous practioner in modern times is MMA star Fedor Emelianenko.

Akshay Kumar in Pankration

PANKRATION

Pankration is one of the oldest martial arts and combative sports on record. Pankration, sometimes spelled pancration, or pancratium or even pankratium, was a combination of earlier forms of boxing and wrestling practiced by the Greeks. Some historians trace its origin to the Indian vairamushti system. In Greek mythology it was said that the heroes Heracles and Theseus invented pankration as a result of using both wrestling and boxing in their confrontations with opponents. Theseus was said to have utilized his extraordinary pankration skills to defeat the dreaded Minotaur in the Labyrinth.

Introduced to the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and founded as a blend of boxing and wrestling, the term comes from an Ancient Greek word literally meaning "all powers". It is also used to describe the sport's contemporary variations. Some consider it as the first all-encompassing fighting system in human history. It is also arguable that pankration competitions in antiquity were the closest an athletic event has come to outright, no-rules, empty hand combat. The object was to force an opponent to acknowledge defeat, and to this end almost any means might be applied. Though rules were enforced by officials with a switch or stout rod. As in Greek boxing, there were no rules against hitting a man when down. More often than not, the contest was decided on the ground, even though, when both fighters were down, hitting was usually ineffective. Biting and gouging were prohibited. Kicking was an essential part of pankration.

Facing one another, opponents tried to bring one another violently to the ground by grappling, hitting, kicking, leg-sweeping, choking, or joint-locking. Hands were bare and generally held open, although the clenched fist was used for hitting. The feet were also bare.

The decisive struggle on the ground was said to be as long and as complicated as it is in modern wrestling. It was to this aspect of pankration that Plato objected, saying it "did not teach men to keep their feet."

In the palaestra, the Greek wrestling school, pankration was given a separate training room, known as the Korykeion.

Up to today, pankration has not yet been recognized as an event in the modern Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) does not include pankration in its list of "recognized sports". Moreover, the IOC does not include in the list of the Association of the IOC Recognized International Sports Federations any international pankration federation. Inclusion in the latter list would be a first step toward including pankration in the modern Olympic program of events.

Pankration has seen an extraordinary revival in recent decades, especially since the explosive growth of interest in MMA, which closely resembles pankration competitions.

Akshay Kumar in Ninjutsu

NINJUTSU

Ninjutsu is the martial art, strategy, and tactics of unconventional warfare and guerrilla warfare as well as the art of espionage purportedly practiced by the shinobi (commonly known outside of Japan as ninja).

Developed by groups from the Iga Province and Kōka, Shiga of Japan, practitioners who mastered the art were the commandos and secret agents of their time having been seen as assassins, scouts, and spies. They are mainly noted for their use of stealth and deception. They have been associated in the public imagination with activities that are considered criminal by modern standards.

Ninjutsu was developed as a collection of fundamental survivalist techniques in the warring state of feudal Japan. The ninja used their art to ensure their survival in a time of violent political turmoil. Ninjutsu included methods of gathering information, and techniques of non-detection, avoidance, and misdirection. Ninjutsu can also involve training in disguise, escape, concealment, archery, medicine, explosives, and poisons.

Skills relating to espionage and assassination were highly useful to warring factions in feudal Japan. Because these activities were seen as dishonorable, Japanese warriors hired people who existed below Japan's social classes to perform these tasks. This form of espionage became known collectively as ninjutsu and the people who specialized in these tasks were called shinobi no mono.

Ninja jūhakkei was often studied along with Bugei Jūhappan, the "18 samurai fighting art skills". Though some are used in the same way by both samurai and ninja, other techniques were used differently by the two groups. These skills have included unarmed combat, sword fighting, stick and staff fighting, and other forms of fighting and tactics.

Ninjutsu training often started in early childhood, as such the ninja was in such superb condition that he could well outperform most opponents. His incredible physical prowess coupled with the many arts of deception mastered earned the ninja a reputation as being able to disappear and appear at will which fostered the “art of invisibility” known to Ninjutsu.

The Tokugawa family’s unification of Japan brought an end to ninja activities, and in the 17th century the practice of ninjutsu was banned. Ninjutsu was so feared by the government that even mentioned of it brought the death penalty.

Today, there are a number of modern schools of martial arts self-identifying as practicing ninjutsu. Neo-ninja is a term that refers to modern martial arts schools which claim to teach elements of the historic ninja of Japan, or base their school's philosophy upon traits attributed to the historic ninja of Japan.

Akshay Kumar in Muay Thai

MUAY THAI

Muay Thai is a form of martial arts practiced in large parts of the world, including Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. The national sport of Thailand, the art of Muay Thai is similar to others in Southeast Asia such as: pradal serey in Cambodia, lethwei in Myanmar, tomoi in Malaysia and Lao boxing in Laos.

Known as "The Art of Eight Limbs", Muay Thai utilizes the hands, shins, elbows, and knees. A practitioner of Muay Thai thus has the ability to execute strikes using eight points of contact.

The art of Thai boxing is a self-defense technique that is as old as Thailand itself. Thai boxing is a branch of knowledge, whose existence dates far back Thai culture.

In 300 B.C., the Thai Mung were invaded and sent fleeing for their lives to the south of Thailand. The vanquished villagers developed a form of self-defense using their feet, knees elbows and fists as a way to defend themselves. This evolved into the art we now know as Muay Thai.

When Burma attempted to conquer Thailand, they were defeated when the Burmese army was driven back at the hands of Thai fighters using Thai boxing, spears, and elephants. For more than 2000 years Thai boxing has played a significant role in the survival of Thailand.

In former times, Thai boxers would bind their hands with hard and abrasive surfaces. The practice was eventually discontinued and then replaced with padded gloves. Kicking rubber plants for conditioning legs and shins has since been replaced by canvas bags but the training remains as rigorous now as it was centuries ago.

Traditional Muay Thai practiced today varies significantly from the ancient art muay boran and uses kicks and punches in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing.

A practitioner of Muay Thai who is not of Thai nationality or race, is known as a Falang Nak Muay (foreign boxer).

Muay Thai has seen a jump in popularity worldwide as it has been recognized as effective in mixed martial arts training and competition. Competitors including Anderson "The Spider" Silva, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, and Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg are some of many fighters who claim Muay Thai as their main fighting style.

The recent films "Ong-Bak" and "The Protector" have demonstrated Muay Thai star Tony Jaa's incredible martial arts abilities.

Akshay Kumar in MMA

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS (MMA)

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full contact combat sport that allows a wide variety of fighting techniques developed from various martial arts traditions and styles.

Modern MMA competition traced its roots from mixed style contests throughout Europe, Japan, and Brazil during the 20th century. However, MMA began its true explosion with international exposure and widespread publicity in 1993, with the formation of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Originally organized with the intention of finding the most effective martial arts for real unarmed combat situations, competitors were pitted against one another with minimal rules for safety. Fighters from various disciplines battled it out in the same ring to the delight of bloodthirsty crowds. Rorion Gracie organized the first fight and designed the trademark arena, the Octagon. Aside from three simple rules—no biting, eye-gouging, or fish-hooking—the UFC prided itself on no-holds-barred fighting, with little regulation.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Royce Gracie won the first UFC tournament, subduing three challengers in a total of just five minutes. A similar type of Vale Tudo event in Japan in 1985 with fighter Rickson Gracie winning the tournament helped continue interest in the sport resulting in the creation of the Pride Fighting Championships.

As the sport's popularity grew, politicians condemned it. John McCain called it “human cockfighting”. As a result, later promotions adopted many additional rules in order to promote the sport to more of a mainstream audience for acceptance. In November 2000, the UFC added weight classes and 28 more rules, outlawing head butts, hair pulling, and groin shots.

MMA combines techniques of various other fighting systems, most notably including boxing, jujitsu, wrestling, judo, karate, kickboxing, kung fu, and taekwondo. The rules allow the use of striking and grappling techniques, both while standing and on the ground. Competitions from different backgrounds are able to compete against one another. Prominent MMA contenders include wrestlers, boxers, and black belts in martial arts. Most train in various disciplines for greater success. Notable disciplines for training typically include wrestling and/or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for ground fighting and Muay Thai for striking.

Modern mixed martial arts fighters come from varied backgrounds including Brock Lesnar's amateur and pro wrestling background, Lyoto Machida's karate background, Anderson Silva's Muay Thai expertise, and BJ Penn's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training.

Driven by the phenomenal success of the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) pay-per-view televised contests, MMA is now the fastest-growing sport in the United States. The sport reached a new peak of popularity in December 2006 when Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz broke pay-per-view records with their rematch at UFC 66. The event rivaled the pay-per-view sales of some of the biggest boxing events of all time. According to Sports Illustrated, the UFC scored pay-per-view revenues of $223 million in 2006, compared to $177 million for boxing, and $200 million for WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).

In November 2005, the United States Army also began to sanction mixed martial arts with the first annual Army Combatives Championships held by the U.S. Army Combatives School.

Akshay Kumar in Marine Corps

MARINE CORPS MARTIAL ARTS

The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, MCMAP, is a martial arts combat system developed by the United States Marine Corps in 2000. The motto of the MCMAP is “One Mind, Any Weapon.” It has several nicknames, including semper fu (a play on the Marine Corps motto semper fi and kung fu), MCSlap, MCNinja, and new Bushido.

The Corps had already utilized close quarter combat fighting techniques developed since the bayonet days of the Revolutionary War era. However, they wished to combine existing and new hand-to-hand and close quarters combat techniques with morale and team-building functions and instruction. The Marine Corps calls this way the "Warrior Ethos".

In the early 1990s, the U.S. military, specifically the Marine Corps and the Army, began to concentrate on training its special operations soldiers in techniques that could be used in international peacekeeping missions and other operations other than war where close combat would be necessary but force was not required to be lethal.

A study was order by General James L. Jones, commandant of the Marine Corps, in 2000. The purpose of the study was to find the possibility of having all Marines train in one system such as Aikido or Taekwondo. Jones had seen Korean Marines practicing Taekwondo during the Vietnam War. His idea was a martial arts system that that could be used in any environment, terrain, or situation. He also wanted this system to extend to rigorous physical conditioning, mental discipline, and character-building.

After the study, the MCMAP was then established and headquartered at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia. According to Marine Corps Order 1500.54, which established the MCMAP, the program was “a synergy of mental, character, and physical disciplines with application across the full spectrum of violence.” The first director was Lieutenant Colonel George Bristol who was an experienced fighter with black belts in Judo, Jujitsu, and Karate.

The program trains Marines (and U.S. Navy personnel attached to Marine Units) in unarmed combat, edged weapons, weapons of opportunity, and rifle and bayonet techniques.

Although the system combines aspects of many different martial arts, it focuses less on traditional movements and more on techniques designed to work in actual close-quarter-combat situations. The moves are adjusted necessarily to better suit the fighters depending upon the situation.

MCMAP fighters proceed through a belt system, beginning with tan and advancing through grey, green, brown, and on to six different levels of black.

Akshay Kumar in Kwon Bup

KWON BUP

Kwon Bup, meaning "fist fighting method", is a traditional Korean martial art of empty hand fighting. It is more commonly used as a form of stance and footwork training than as a martial arts program of study.

Dating back to the Shaolin Monastery in China, it was considered as somewhat of a Korean version of Shaolin Kung Fu. Kwon bup was developed based on the methods of the Shaolin Temple and the techniques of Jang Song-kye. These methods emphasized external style techniques including joint locks, jumping attacks, and elaborate footwork and were very elaborate and difficult to master.

The earliest written reference to Kwon Bup is found in the Muye Dobo Tongji, which has extensive documentation on the techniques and history. According to the text, kwon bup was taught as an introduction to the martial arts. It was taught to the ancient Korean military as a method of self defense and as a preparatory course to weapons and sword training. Soldiers learned kwon bup prior to learning more complex weapons arts in order to master footwork and body control. It was also taught as a method of personal self-defense for Chosun warriors.

Kwon Bup was divided into two disciplines, internal and external. The internal, Naega Kwon Bup, included techniques utilizing vital death point attacks that were handed down in secret. The external, Waega, possessed techniques including joint locks and jumping attacks that were combined with elaborate footwork. 

Jang Song-kye favored naega with an emphasis on self-defense. His philosophy dictated that one could only utilize these skills when unavoidable or in hopeless situations. Because of these secret techniques, the internal style was believed to be superior to the external style in self-defense.

An early master of naega style kwon bup, Wang Jung-nam, devised 35 training methods and 18 types of footwork. He classified them into yukro (six paths) and ship dankum (ten levels). The yukro methods were used to develop bone strength and inflict immediate damage while the ship dankum methods were intended to induce a delayed reaction. Many of these methods have been preserved in the Muye Dobo Tongji.

Kwon Bup was theorized to not be adequate for large scale combat but rather as an excellent way for beginners to start martial arts training.

Akshay Kumar in Kung-Fu

KUNG FU Kung Fu, "work" or "skill", is a broad term that is used to describe all martial arts of Chinese origin. It is sometimes referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu. Kung fu consists of a number of fighting styles that can be classified according to common themes that are identified as "families" or "schools" of martial arts. The themes of each are physical exercises that mimic movements from animals or a history and training method that gather inspiration from various Chinese philosophies, myths, and legends. Each fighting style offers a different approach to self-defense, health, and self-cultivation from a Chinese perspective. Kung Fu is one of the oldest martial arts has been a tremendous influence to other martial arts styles such as certain styles of karate and taekwondo. The origin of martial arts in China has been traced back to around 500 A.D., when Buddhist monks began practicing qigong, or energy cultivation techniques. Historically, the Shaolin monastery housed many fugitives from justice, and many warriors turned monk. This rooted kung fu in the Shaolin Temple in Northern China. There were five different Shaolin temples in five districts. Thus, five distinct styles of Shaolin Kung Fu developed. Though, kung fu did not start at the Shaolin temple but rather began to flourish under Shaolin’s influence. Kung-Fu became eventually categorized into Northern and Southern styles. In the south, Cantonese people pronounce Kung Fu as gung-fu. There are hundreds of fighting styles indigenous to China, but all the styles have common traits. In the north where people were accustomed to walking and riding horses over great distances, strong legs gradually are the main weapons of attack and defense. Hand movement was restricted by thick robes and the mountainous terrain enforced the development of strong legs. Stylish and acrobatic, the northern styles are noted for their graceful, ballet-like movements. These movements provide the martial basis for many of the Peking Operas. Northern style stances are mostly very wide and open. Arms and legs are often full extended for defending and attacking with emphasis on fast jumps, turns, and kicks, and sweeping movements. Animals in this area which influenced the northern style include the white crane, the praying mantis, and the horse. In the south where the terrain of marshlands is cross cut by a huge network of waterways, rowing and poling was the primary means of travel. Subsequently, they developed great arm strength and used the fist as their primary weapon. Most southern styles have maintained a low and solid stance for balance. One of the most noticeable aspects of a southern attack is the principle simultaneous attack and defense showering opponents with blows, never allowing any limb to be grabbed, nor attempting to throw an opponent. Animals that influenced the southern style of attacks include the tiger, leopard, eagle, and monkey are all sources of inspiration. A kung fu fighter uses motions of attacking (yang) and yielding (yin) to overpower an opponent. In non-combative practice, this equilibrium of hard and soft, aggressive and passive, allows the chi to flow correctly throughout the body and encourage strength, flexibility, stamina, relaxation, and the release of nervous energy. Almost all fighting is done at close quarters where snap punches, elbow jabs, and open-handed cuts are combined with blocks to form single movements of devastating speed and power. Movies launched the popularity of kung fu with stars notably including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and Jet Li. Additionally, David Carridine's "Kung Fu" television series introduced both the philosophy and art to an even greater audience in American homes in the 70's.