History
MMA wasn't invented by the UFC. The sport's lineage runs through Brazilian Vale Tudo, Japanese shoot wrestling, Russian sambo, and a long history of mixed-style challenge matches. These articles trace how those threads became the unified sport we know today.
Modern Globalization — 2005 to Present
The post-TUF era — Brock Lesnar, Anderson Silva, GSP, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, the Khabib era, and the rise of ONE Championship and PFL.
Pre-UFC Vale Tudo — The Roots of MMA
How Brazilian "anything goes" fighting in the 1920s-1990s, Japanese shoot wrestling, and the Gracie family lineage built the sport that became MMA.
The UFC Era — 1993 to 2005
From the original no-rules tournament at UFC 1 through the regulatory crisis, the Zuffa purchase, and the Forrest Griffin vs Stephan Bonnar TUF 1 finale that saved the sport.