What are the Most Popular Combat Sports in 2022?

July 15, 2022

Martial training has been a significant part of human civilization since the earliest societies. Many historians have dated combat sports to the prehistoric era, though the evidence for this is sparse. Whether or not humans have practiced boxing and wrestling in the prehistoric era is up for debate. What is a fact though, is that these sports can certainly be dated to Ancient Egypt, Greece, India and other civilizations dating back thousands of years.

In 2022, combat sports remain pretty popular. Naturally, they are made a lot safer and are far better regulated than they once were. The popularity of sports like MMA, boxing, etc. has skyrocketed in recent years. In this article, we are taking a look at the most popular combat sports in the world in 2022.

Boxing

First on our list is boxing, which still remains the world’s most popular combat sport. Boxing gyms around the globe are full of hopeful future boxers and amateurs alike. Boxing events consistently get the highest views and ratings out of any pay-per-view event on television. And lastly, betting websites like the ones you can find if you click here, have confirmed that boxing matches net them the highest amount of traffic out of any combat sport.

The popularity of boxing is made all the more impressive when we consider its history. The sport can be dated back to 5000 BC. It was originally practiced in Ancient Egypt and quickly adopted by the Greeks. It became so beloved that it was soon included in the Ancient Olympics. Today, the sport is still played on the Olympic level, and most of the best known boxers in history have become household names.

UFC/MMA

While boxing holds the reigns of popularity, mixed martial arts is coming close on the trail. In recent years, the Ultimate Fighting Championship organization has been getting quite a bit of popularity, becoming a lot more popular than it once was.

It is difficult to trace the roots of the sport. MMA is largely believed to have been derived from Hong Kong street fighting, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu events, and implements quite a lot of the standards and practices of boxing. Some have even argued that MMA is almost as old as boxing, as the Greeks had a mixed martial art called Pankration way back in the Ancient era.

Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain. In 2022, the sport is getting quite a bit of traction, and might soon stand on top as the most popular combat sport.

Karate

In the 1980s, the Karate Kid hit theaters. The film’s popularity is largely believed to have spawned a new interest in Asian martial arts in general, but karate especially. Originally developed as a kung fu variant in Japan, karate has become a hugely popular sport in its country of origin, as well as the world in general. Karate dojos are opening with increasing frequency in countries all over Europe and the United States, and karate tournaments are held the world over.

This article first appeared on JACKSONWINK.COM on 7/15/2022

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