Axel May, edited by Clément Perruche 5:27 p.m., October 15, 2021

Legalized in early 2020, MMA is gathering more and more followers in France.

A mixture of martial arts, boxing and wrestling, the discipline can give the impression of being devoid of rules, while the French Boxing Federation nevertheless oversees this unbridled sport from Anglo-Saxon countries.

Many fights are now organized in France, like Thursday in Paris.

REPORTING

It is a sport from Anglo-Saxon countries which has a bad reputation because of the violence of its fights.

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) was legalized in France in January 2020 and the events of the discipline are gathering more and more followers.

Europe 1 attended a fight at the Cirque d'Hiver in Paris on Thursday.

On the track, no beasts but humans who compete in the famous octagonal cage specific to MMA, installed for the occasion.

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Rules exist

In the audience, the atmosphere is rather young and masculine. MMA, which used to be called "free fight", is a mixture of martial arts, wrestling and boxing. A combination that leaves traces on the bodies of athletes. It is the violence of the blows that often puts an end to the fighting. During the event organized at the Cirque d'Hiver, the first fight was stopped on KO, the fourth had to stop after a broken arm. As for the fifth fight, it was interrupted because of a finger in the eye.

Another particularity of MMA: fighters are allowed to hit their opponent when he is on the ground. A practice which can be disturbing for an uninformed public. “There are real rules and it's not more dangerous than any other sport,” says Rizlen Zouak, a Franco-Moroccan judokate who converted to MMA. “You should know that with the strikes on the ground , there is less impact than standing strikes. It is less dangerous than if I took a right standing. We are not allowed to bang behind the column. When our opponent has all three supports on the ground, we are not allowed to kick, ”she explains after her victory against a Brazilian in the lair of the Cirque d'Hiver.

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The regulations do contain an endless list of prohibited moves.

An obligation: since its legalization in January 2020, MMA has been supervised by the French Boxing Federation and its development is closely observed by the Ministry of Sports due to its popularity.

In October alone, two other MMA evenings were organized in Paris.

A show that is not suitable for young audiences.