Why isn't MMA an Olympic sport?

The Olympics have gained a reputation for being the gold standard of international sports competitions since its launch in 1896. The fixture has evolved over time with the slate of included sports continuing to change but one major sport has remained out of the mix: MMA.

For many reasons, MMA has never been and likely will never be seen at the Olympic games. The concept of martial arts has been around for centuries but modern MMA is an extremely young sport relative to those around it with the UFC only being founded in 1993. With the sport still working on its kinks on its own, it is still an essential unfinished product.

But the primary reason it is not a practical idea remains the logistical obstacle that the timing presents. While some sports begin before the traditional opening ceremony, the two-week-long process of the Olympics is far too short to conduct an MMA tournament.

Two fights in two weeks would be an improbable task for any fighter and that is still too few to determine a gold, silver and bronze medalist for each division. It is not uncommon for participants of other martial arts in the Olympics to excessively cut weight in that short time frame but doing so for at minimum four MMA fights would almost be a death toll.

Regardless of how unlikely it will be to see MMA on the big stage, Khabib Nurmagomedov has pushed for the notion in the past, claiming to be working on the proposal with executives for the 2028 Summer Olympics. After the 2024 Paris Olympics, the next summer games will return to the United States in Los Angeles, California.

It will be interesting to see which way Nurmagomedov goes with the International Olympic Committee but even without MMA on the scene, its current operation as a sport is already an essential global competition. While fighters work in teams, they are not designated to work only with their countrymen, but all represent their nation on fight night with the respective flag visible upon their introduction and some choosing to walk out with their home colors.

Even though MMA has almost no shot of being included in the Olympics, other related competitions have a more realistic chance of getting a shot. Wrestling, boxing and judo are all already involved but Brazilian jiu-jitsu, kickboxing and Muay Thai are not despite being three of the most common bases in MMA.

Several athletes who succeeded in the Olympics in other disciplines went on to enjoy successful MMA careers including Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, Ronda Rousey and Kayla Harrison.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu in particular would be the most likely to see its inclusion given the increasing popularity of the sport worldwide and its low-impact nature. The success of wrestling and judo in the current Olympic picture would only help the case for another grappling art.