Vale tudo was a mode of combat, originally from Brazil, where the fighters could use any martial art or contact sport, because the rules allow almost any technique, as well as combat the ground. In most such events were not used mitts and the only rules were to not put your fingers in your eyes and do not bite, although there were slight variations between the different organizations.
The fighting could win by a knockout (the referee stops the fight when a fighter does not fight or does not intelligently) or by default, giving two or three slaps on the floor in your body or in the opponent's generally applied when a dislocated arm, leg or strangle the opponent, but also frequent abandonment by blows on the floor.
This name is also used to refer to the style of fighting (but certainly not original) of a fighter, derived from the combination of several systems of combat and martial arts which each wrestler faces his rivals. The opponents must master the fighting styles of both standing and on the ground.
At present it has led to a real sport known as mixed martial arts, or MMA for short in English, with a larger regulation that prevents any serious or permanent injury, and where the light is mandatory use mitts. The headers, blows to the neck, throat or testicles are not allowed.
Thanks to these developments, the sport's popularity is growing fast in countries like Japan, USA, Netherlands and Brazil, among others.
