ABSTRACT
Given the recent meteoric rise of mixed martial arts (MMA) as global sporting phenomenon, we introduce and motivate it as a topic of philosophical significance for researchers interested in the nature and ethics of sport. We provide a working definition of MMA as unarmed fighting games permitting techniques derived from a variety of martial arts and combat sports. We subsequently outline the controversy surrounding MMA in both the philosophical literature and the culture at large, followed by a brief description of each contribution to this anthology. The first half of the book pursues questions about the classification of MMA, its relation to other martial forms and combat sports, and its aesthetics. The second half focuses on moral and legal themes, including consent, friendship, virtue, and gender.
