Long Before The UFC, the WWE Started MMA

Way before there was Dana White and the UFC, there was Vince McMahon and the World Martial Arts. In 1978 Vince awarded Antonio Inoki with the first WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship.

Wrestling started with legit test-of-strength matchups between strong men in carnivals. Over time it grew into an effort to entertain the gathering fans.

But through all the planned outcomes, many of the wrestlers were trained in the art of hooking, the skill of really being able to hurt your opponent. This skill would be utilized by a young promoter, Vince McMahon.

Vince was always looking for ways to shake up the business or present fans with something new. So he decided to start up MMA. He looked to his superstar Antonio Inoki to help him in his journey.

It started in 1976, when Vince was so confident in Inoki’s MMA skills that he booked him in a match with the most talented boxer ever, Muhammad Ali...More?

source: bleacherreport.com