Brief History of MMA
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has been around in some capacity for thousands of years, with early forms of combat sports existing as far back as Ancient China and Greece.
The more modern form of MMA originated in the 1900s, and UFC came to exist starting in 1993. Since then, the sport has continued to grow and evolve, as top-tier MMA promotions went from being part of a niche sport to flag bearers for one of the most popular sports in the world.
Main MMA Events Each Year
The biggest MMA events each year tend to come from UFC, as UFC is the biggest MMA promotion on the planet today.
UFC betting comprises the majority of MMA betting, though there are occasionally significant events in promotions such as Bellator, ONE, and other promotions as well. There are two main classifications of UFC events: smaller Fight Night cards and higher profile pay-per-view events.
Pay-per-view events typically feature championship bouts more often than Fight Night cards and more regularly feature the bigger names in the sport.
Fight Night cards often carry their own compelling fights and star power, but the pay-per-view cards are where the biggest fights take place.
But there are plenty of chances to find value in the UFC odds for both of these types of events.
MMA Betting Strategy
When it comes to MMA betting strategy, the most important thing a bettor can do is to watch previous fights from each fighter. Before placing any bets, it is imperative to understand how each fighter operates in the octagon and what their strengths and weaknesses are.
Doing that can shed light on where a fighter might succeed or fall short in their next fight based on the tendencies of their next opponent.
Another important piece of UFC betting strategy that can also be used in other forms of MMA betting is to maximize profitability by going after prop bets.
Prop bets offer action on hyper-specific components of each fight, far beyond simply betting on which fighter is going to win.
As a result, bettors can get more profitable odds by being courageous enough to attack the prop markets.
MMA Prop Bets
Prop bets are becoming an increasingly popular form of UFC betting and betting in other MMA promotions. They carry slightly more risk than simply betting on which fighter will win on the moneyline.
However, the specificity of these bets has the potential to make them much more profitable when done correctly.
For example, bettors can wager on the method of victory in a fight rather than who will have their hand raised at the end of a fight.
Bettors can wager on a fighter to win by knockout, submission, or decision, at more favorable prices than the moneyline.
While prop bets are not always the best choice, they are certainly worth looking at ahead of each fight.
Important MMA Championships
The most significant championships in MMA come from UFC, where the level of competition is thought to be the highest. Each weight class has its own championship in each promotion, from heavyweight to lighter weight classes, with promotions like Bellator and ONE having less prestigious titles than UFC.
But to the fighters that hold these titles in each promotion, they are the culmination of years of hard work to outperform the competition in their weight class.
Important MMA Fighters
Among the most important MMA fighters in modern fighting are some of the best UFC champions in the recent history of the sport.
On the men’s side, fighters like Kamaru Usman and Alexander Volkanovski have proven themselves to be well ahead of the rest of their respective weight classes.
In women’s MMA, Amanda Nunes was a two-division champion and has made a strong case as one of the best women’s MMA fighters of all time.
