A simple guide to the difference between these fighting styles
The UFC and the WWE are two of the most watched fighting leagues in America. While the two leagues overlap greatly, there is a serious divide between the fanbases. With one group claiming that the other isn’t a real sport.
Today, we are going to take a deep dive into both fighting styles. Look at their history and how the two are similar.
What is MMA?
MMA stands for Mixed Martial Arts.
MMA is based on wrestling matches that used to happen in the original ancient Greek Olympics. After the invention of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the sport that we know as MMA was born.
MMA allows fighters to use a combination of fighting styles to defeat their opponents. These fighting styles are mostly martial arts, but other fighting sports like Boxing and Wrestling play a big role in the sport.
The biggest MMA competition is the UFC. The UFC was launched in 1992 and is to MMA what the WWE is to professional wrestling. Many people enjoy betting on MMA.
What is WWE?
WWE stands for Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment.
The WWE is a company that runs the biggest wrestling competitions in the world. The WWE launched in 1953, with the aim to bring the wrestling world of South America to the American people.
Most notably, the wrestling put on by the WWE is all scripted. Some of the fighting is choreographed, depending on the experience of the two (or more) wrestlers in the ring.
The wrestlers all have a contract with the WWE who choose their personas, outfits, and fighting styles. Most wrestlers stay with the company throughout their careers. In the last decade, many fighters have left the UFC and have joined the WWE. A lot of female fighters in particular.
While the fighters know what is going to happen, the fighting they do on stage is real. Although they are not really trying to hurt each other. Some fighters choose to let their opponents actually hit them to make the matches look more real.
The WWE puts on at least two nights of fighting a week and has many annual events – like Summer Slam and the Royal Rumble.
The WWE has spawned a series of films, documentaries, reality TV shows, video games, mobile games, and much more.
How are they different? How are they similar?
The main difference between the WWE and MMA is that the WWE is scripted.
The fighting is technically real, but the wrestlers know who is meant to win, who is meant to lose, and how the fight is going to end. Deviating from the plan can result in expulsion from the WWE. The major benefit of this is that the career of a WWE fighter is much longer than the average MMA fighter.
MMA fights are not scripted, and the fighters are really trying to hurt each other. While this can add a lot more excitement to the fights, it can take a real toll on the fighters’ bodies.
Both fighting styles draw their key moves from martial arts and Graeco-Roman wrestling. You will notice kicks and flips from fighting styles like Kickboxing in both sports. You will also notice that both sports use the same victory systems. Fights can be won by knockout or submission in both the WWE and MMA.
There is also a lot of money in WWE and MMA. The WWE holds many more fights – they have fights on at least 2 nights a week and have huge events throughout the year. MMA events are a lot rarer but draw millions of people to watch each fight.
