Here you’ll find 14 Martial arts that start with M, organized from “Malla-yuddha” to “Musti-yuddha”. The list includes ancient wrestling traditions, regional striking arts, and modern hybrid systems used for sport, self-defence, and cultural practice.
Martial arts that start with M are combat styles and systems whose common names begin with the letter M. They range from traditional South Asian wrestling like “Malla-yuddha” to contemporary Mixed Martial Arts competitions.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Origin, Focus, Founding period, and Notes.
Name: The style’s commonly used name; use it to quickly locate entries and match styles across other lists.
Origin: Country or region where the art developed, helping you understand cultural background and geographic distribution.
Focus: Primary emphasis such as Striking, Grappling, or Hybrid, so you can compare training and technical priorities.
Founding period: Approximate century, decade, or year when the style emerged, useful for historical context and evolution.
Notes: Short clarifications about lineage, naming variants, or contentious points to help you interpret the entry quickly.
Martial arts that start with M
| Name | Origin country | Primary focus | Founding period | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muay Thai | Thailand | Striking | 18th century | Thailand’s national sport and stand-up art using fists, elbows, knees and shins, known for powerful clinch and conditioning. |
| Muay Boran | Thailand | Striking | ancient | Pre-modern Thai combat system ancestral to Muay Thai, featuring strikes, throws and more lethal battlefield techniques. |
| Muay Lao | Laos | Striking | ancient | Lao kickboxing similar to Muay Thai, emphasizing knees, elbows and clinch work; important in Lao cultural festivals. |
| Muay Chaiya | Thailand | Striking | 18th century | Traditional southern Thai boxing style focused on stance, balance and power generation; a classical branch of Muay traditions. |
| Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) | United States | Hybrid | 1990s | Full-contact combat sport combining striking and grappling from many disciplines; popularized by early UFC events and global promotions. |
| Malla-yuddha | India | Grappling | ancient | Classical Indian wrestling tradition with throws, submission techniques and ritualized contest forms dating back centuries. |
| Musti-yuddha | India | Striking | ancient | Traditional Indian bare-knuckle boxing emphasizing punches, conditioning and battlefield striking methods with deep historical roots. |
| Mongolian wrestling | Mongolia | Grappling | ancient | Central to Mongolian culture and festivals, this belt-wrestling style emphasizes throws, balance and explosive power. |
| Modern Arnis | Philippines | Weapons | 1970s | Remy Presas’ modernized Filipino stick and blade system, teaching practical weapon and empty-hand techniques worldwide. |
| Mardani Khel | India | Weapons | 17th century | Maratha-era martial tradition from Maharashtra focused on swords, spears and battlefield tactics with regional historical significance. |
| Mugai-ryu | Japan | Weapons | 17th century | Classical kenjutsu school teaching practical sword techniques for duels and samurai combat, influential in later iaido. |
| Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu | Japan | Weapons | 17th century | One of the oldest iaido lineages, teaching samurai sword-drawing kata and combative etiquette preserved over centuries. |
| Matsubayashi-ryu | Japan | Striking | 1930s | Okinawan Shorin-ryu karate style founded by Shoshin Nagamine, known for natural stances, speed and traditional kata practice. |
| Mau Rakau | New Zealand | Weapons | ancient | Māori weapons art centered on the taiaha and short weapons, combining strikes, blocks and cultural training with ritual elements. |