Question: When was the first MMA fight?

Answer: The first Tough Guy championship would take place March 20, 1980 in New Kensington, PA.

The first Tough Guy MMA Contest took place over a decade before the UFC. #mmahistory #historyofmma

CV Productions was the first grass roots movement to develop mixed martial arts into a modern sport. Although the initial fighters were rudimentary in comparison to modern champions, history has proven that athletes, coaches, and training methods evolve exponentially over time. Sport MMA is no different, growing from its humble beginnings in 1980 into a polished art today (now one of the fastest growing sports in the world).

There is a stark contrast between all professional sports from 1980 and today. Player equipment, salaries, rules, and other aspects of any regulated sport continue to evolve. For instance, the NFL has banned certain helmet-to-helmet hits and instituted numerous rules in response to player safety (addressing the recent concern with concussions). Today’s competitors are more athletic, in part through improving technology in both training and recovery methods. In retrospect, professional football has had over 100 years to develop rules that meet the standards of modern society. CV Productions had only one year of research and development and were quickly and effectively banned. If the state legislature would had cooperated and collaborated on rules and regulations, America could have seen the success of a UFC type entity during the 1980s. Instead the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania banned the sport in 1983.