In a recent trip to my hometown, I noticed something was different: located within five miles of one another were three MMA schools. What I saw at each facility made me question the term “mixed martial arts.”

The first school looked like an ordinary MMA center: mats on the floor, a cage in the corner, and practitioners wearing board shorts, rash guards, and MMA gloves. Half the students did ground work, and half did stand-up. The receptionist said they also offered classes in Muay Thai, boxing, and jiu-jitsu.

The second school looked like a traditional facility: hardwood floors, folding mats, and targets and shields placed around the room. The practitioners wore sweatpants and logo T-shirts and practiced takedowns using joint locks and strikes. After class, they clapped and shook hands. The instructor said the style was a “mixed martial art of karate and jiu-jitsu.”

The third school was the kind I grew up in: mats on the floor, mirrors on the walls, and training equipment on racks. The students wore uniforms and belts, and they snapped to attention as the instructor walked in. They worked on grappling techniques but also had classes for sparring, kata, self-defense, and weapons.

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