There have been several attempts to reintroduce MMA through the tittle of “Pankration”.
The most recent attempt that I am aware of is via the Athen’s games. Which would have been particularly fitting if it had gone through.

Saddly, as you stated, it did not. One of the major reasons for it not being inccluded was that durring the Athens games the International Olympic Committee was serverelly worried about Athen’s ability to handle an influex of -new- sports to the already busy schedule. As a result, there were A LOT of sports that were attempting to get recognized that did not make the list. (wikkipedia has a nice little article on this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pankration )

I am not sure what attempts were made to push forward with the effort after Athens, but obviously there hasn’t been much headway made.

P.S. Storm, good luck with your training. I’d love to see video of any of your matches. If you still compete or have any old ones you would like to share, you can contact me and we can help you get them up on the net.

Well said.

I would love to see some form of MMA in the Olympics. It is challenging, exciting, has grown as a world-class form of entertainment, and is in spirit with the original Olympics.

I have had the pleasure of training with (read… being trained by) one of the top fighters today. I was completely amazed with this person. Not just that he was a true competitor, but that he was a humble, sharing, and courteous individual that gain respect from all the other combatants the moment he stepped on the mat. He is a credit to the spirit of martial arts. That kind of athlete is what really makes the Olympics great. There should be MMA artist like him in the Olympics.

As I am not really a blog writer, I will sign off and wish you all good fighting.

You have my respect for the level of competition at which you reached. Simply to have the dedication to train that long is something most people won’t ever realize.

In addition, I will concede the point, that the “level of intense concentration” involved in these events is extreme to the utmost. I didn’t mean to insinuate that the competitors involved weren’t as disciplined, hardworking and dedicated to their sport as any MMA fighter.

What I should have been more clear about, is the insinuation that it’s like watching the difference between Hockey and Curling. I don’t think it’s a disservice to the competitors involved, to make comparisons between the sport they are engaged in and another competition…

I’m sure a lot of the competitors here, could transition into an MMA environment if the need ever drove them to do so. Just as you yourself did. However, the competition they are currently engaged in doesn’t compare, and I’ll stand by that statement.

The major point of my article remains, that there IS a clear and present need for MMA to be developed into an officially sanctioned Olympic Sport, and that with the resurgent popularity of the industry world wide, it’s as close as it’s ever been since 648 b.c. to being a part of the games again.

(Groundwork and submissions are as much a part of Judo as throwing.)

I left Judo for exactly what Morgan is talking about, the intensity of a “real” fight. I found that intensity in MMA. However, it is not a more intense art, certainly not ten times… It is however a very different form of intensity.

I think we do the incredable Judoka at the olympics a disservice to even suggest otherwise. These athletes are some of the hardest training and dedicated people at the Olympics.

Nothing highlights to me, the need for MMA to be an Olympic event, as watching these Judo competitions.

Pankration was one of the ORIGINAL Olympic sports, introduced around 648 B.C.

Pankration was for those of you readers who are unaware, a blend of boxing and wrestling and is probably one of the earliest forms of Mixed Martial Arts to ever develop.

In essence, MMA goes back to the very ROOTS of the Olympic tradition. With the resurgence of MMA in popular culture, if there was ever going to be a move to reinstate it as a sport within the Olympics now would be the time.

Everything that Mccan just stated about the strict demands on a competitor in Judo, is true times ten for the men and women who compete in MMA events.

Litterally times ten…

Focus? Mental Discapline?

A person competing in a Judo events need only worry about NOT landing on his back.

A person in an MMA event, needs to worry about kicks, to all parts of his body… he needs to worry about punches to all parts of his body… he needs to worry about getting tossed on his back… he needs to worry about getting choked out…. joints ripped…and being knocked unconscious.

It’s the same reason that Bruce Lee, so many years ago turned his back on and despised the Karate exhibition matches that were such a fad.

It is the same reason that Myamoto Musashi despised all the varied “schools” of swordsmanship in ancient Japan.

The physical, and mental demand that is placed upon a person in a judo competition can in no way compare to someone who is for all intensive purposes being placed into a REAL fight.

Saddly, I’m not sure the general public in the western world is quite ready for this to happen…

But for this poor author… Until that time comes, I’ll keep on dreaming.