The History of Mix Martial Art in Indonesia

Mix Martial Art (MMA) is a combination of techniques of attacking boxing, muay thai, karate, taekwondo, and many more martial arts. While techniques dings, locks, and takes down many derived from judo, jujitsu, and wrestling. The birth of MMA begins with the appearance of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the result of ideas from Art Davie, Rorion Gracie, and John Millius. Started by telling a glance history of MMA, here we are going to expand the history of Mix Martial art in Indonesia.

• The Born of Mix Martial Art in the world

For you to know, Max Martial art was born since ancient Greece, at that time this type of martial art called Pankration. Pankration itself had become one of the sports held in the Olympics, but in the end removed because it is considered too dangerous. Nevertheless, Pankration survives and becomes one of the martial arts that is still competed in Japan as Pancrase. Then, in 1993 was born Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) which was held in the United States.

Regarding its history, MMA as a modern sport can’t be separated with the history of the emergence of UFC. The inaugural UFC was made in 1993 in Nevada, Colorado USA. Initially, UFC 1 was minimal regulation except for banning, eye-bending, and deadline restrictions.

Participants are allowed to use their own martial disciplinary uniforms, even allowing a boxer to use only one boxing glove. The game is stopped when a fighter gives up or members of the fighting camp throws a towel to stop the fight. A referee is present in the fight but his share is very minimal and the safety of the fighter is not so assured. Without regulation, the preliminary UFC is considered a brutal event banned by many states of the United States.

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• The development of Mix martial Art in Indonesia

Indonesia, the development of MMA began since the event of TPI Fighting Championship (TPI-FC) which started in 2002. In that era, in TPI television station, aired MMA international fighting event, such as UFC and Pride FC. However, MMA’s enthusiasm was faded when the TPI-FC show was suspended in 2005

Nevertheless, some MMA fighter from Indonesia, such as Fransino Tirta, managed to win several international-scale matches. This was seen after Fransino defeated Wu Chengjie in Macau, China. The public’s enthusiasm for MMA is assessed to increase after One Fighting Championship (ONE-FC) enters Indonesia, 2011 and 2013. [11] In the event, some MMA practitioners from Indonesia, such as Max Metino, Vincent Majid, Brianata Rosadhi and Vincent Latoel, participated in the event.

Since 2016, MMA’s enthusiasm in Indonesia has come alive after TVOne held One Pride MMA auditions for two seasons. While in 2017 One Pride MMA will hold its third audition. For information, the One Pride MMA event is shaded by the Indonesian Martial Sports Committee (KOBI) led by Ardiansyah Bakrie, who is also the President Director of tvOne.

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• The development of some techniques MMA in Indonesia

The development of MMA in Indonesia can be said not long enough. MMA began to be popular since a private television station played UFC program and then continued with Pride Fighting Championship held in Japan. Because of the considerable public interest in this event, the TV station is working with the Mixed Martial Arts Indonesia Organization (OMI) to hold an event program titled TPI Fighting Championship (TFC). This program lasted from mid-2002 to 2004. Since then the clubs named MMA began to stand.

The techniques in MMA actually are not a new thing anymore. Because basically, MMA learn and combine various martial arts such as karate, silat, tae kwon do, kick boxing which adheres to stand up fighting style, judo with his style clinch fighting, and wrestling and jiu-jitsu with ground fighting style.

Unfortunately, now the echoes of MMA seem to disappear, even forgotten as the program disappears on television. However, do you know that this sport is really running and growing not only for athletes and fighters, but also reaching the general public, such as children and adults with various professions such as students, employees, police, soldiers, and many more.

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• MMA began to be removed from Indonesian TV broadcasts

And now even though there is no television show that carries MMA again, matches and championships ranging from local to national level remain crowded. For example MMA clubs, such as Lindu Aji Fighting Championship (Semarang), Indonesian Martial Arts Federation (FOBI) with his hexagon duel, as well as championships held various event organizers. The class is divided into exhibition class 55-60 kg, lightweight 60-70 kg, middle class 70-80 kg, and weight class> 80 kg.

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• The emergence of One Pride MMA

The rise of mixed martial arts competition (MMA) throughout the world in the mid-2010 made Anindra Ardiansyah Bakrie, CEO of TVOne, sparked the organization of Indonesian Martial Sports Committee in 2016, as well as established a mixed martial arts competition in Indonesia under the name One Pride MMA.Kehadiran this competition became the turning point of MMA competition in Indonesia after last year’s vacuum.

The purpose of this competition is to become a forum to foster the interest of the people of Indonesia in MMA, and gave birth to qualified MMA athletes who can scent the name Indonesia.Kehadiran this competition is also appreciated by the Minister of Youth and Sports Indonesia Imam Nahrawi. According to him, One Pride can be a medium for youth to be able to perform and prove themselves not only tough in the field but also can achieve achievement.

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• One Championship is going to be held in Indonesia

ONE Championship, a Mix martial arts (MMA) mixed martial arts organization, will return to the ONE: Kings of Courage. The fight will be held in Indonesia, precisely at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in early 2018. This is the first in 2018 from four battles to be held in Indonesia. After January 20th, a duel match that brings mixed martial arts fighter or MMA is going to be held again in May, September, and December. One Pride is one of the media to print more MMA athletes in Indonesia. Through the event One Pride, hopefully there is a fighter who can achieve full-time status fighter and earn fixed income through sports MMA.

Those are the history of Mix Martial Art in Indonesia. Although Indonesia still has not any qualified athlete today, hopefully on the next competition there would be great athlete that would lead Indonesia as the winner.