In Italy the wide spread of Mixed Martial Arts, whose acronym is MMA, has started since 2010, aided by the successes of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the United States. Many athletes coming from different disciplines such as Boxing, Muay Thay, Wrestling and Brazilian Jujitsu, to name only a few, have found in the MMA the place to confront barehanded and to practice what Bruce Lee said: “ The best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt on any style. He kicks too good for a Boxer, throws too good for a Karate man, and punches too good for a Judo man. But who are these men who practice these disciplines aimed at striking and submitting the opponent and who undertake exhausting training sessions and often get injured? What is behind that curtain of violence that lies around the MMA? Sacrifice, perseverance, discipline, tradition, respect and faith are some of the aspects that transpire from the lives of the athletes and instructors encountered. Their life contrasts with the image of a violent man that one immediately thinks when someone talks about cage fighters. On the contrary, they are resilient, they build their mental and physical strength day by day with their mates on a tatami. Self-assured, confident of their body and skills, aware of their limits and determined to win their fears. The MMA man is not concerned about losing and is not afraid of suffering and pain. To him, what is important is let his light shine and surrender.
