Muhammad Ali Was A Part Of The First MMA Fight

Muhammad Ali is considered an inspiration to many boxers for a reason. He was a true pro in the ring, and his skill was virtually unmatched. Considered the greatest heavyweight boxer to ever walk this Earth, it’s hard to imagine him ever trying his hand at something different while he was still alive. However, that’s apparently what Ali did.

It seems that towards the end of his career, the boxer actually got involved in mixed martial arts. Apparently, Muhammad Ali took part in one of the first MMA fights ever recorded. This was in 1976 when he agreed to an exhibition bout against Japanese fighter Antonio Inoki. Muhammad had more than proven himself in the ring, but did his boxing skills translate to MMA success?

Muhammad Ali had to adjust to a different style of fighting during his MMA exhibition bout

There are some notable differences between boxing and mixed martial arts. The biggest of these is that only punching is allowed in the former, and it must be above the belt. In the latter, it’s more of a case that anything goes, which meant that Muhammad Ali had to be prepared for different attacks when he entered the ring that day. This was with good reason because Antonio Inoki was apparently all about using his legs to try and bring his competitor down. Although his initial attack apparently missed, Inoki reportedly soon began landing hits that wore his competition down.

Antonio Inoki put up such a strong fight he allegedly gave Muhammad Ali blood clots

Muhammad Ali didn’t get to where he is today by holding back and letting his opponents wail on him. The boxer apparently took plenty of opportunities to fight back against Inoki and get the upper hand. Unfortunately, much of these efforts were apparently in vain. By the end of the fight, Ali only landed a couple of jabs on his competitor’s chin. Meanwhile, Inoki supposedly hit the man so hard as he repeatedly tried to take him down with kicks that he caused two blood clots in Ali’s leg. The damage was apparently so bad that Ali almost had to have the limb amputated, although this never actually happened.

The fight, which some claimed was the worst of Muhammad Ali’s career, ended in a draw

Despite the brutal kicking Muhammad Ali reportedly received, Inoki couldn’t take the man out. The fight ultimately ended in a draw, which some say was the best outcome the boxer could hope for. His performance in the MMA fight supposedly wasn’t at the level that people had come to expect from him in the ring. The New York Times called it the least memorable bout of his career, with plenty of fans choosing to forget the fight so as not to tarnish his reputation. In Muhammad’s defense, the MMA style introduced new tactics that he wasn’t accustomed to after dedicating his entire career to boxing. Plus, mixed martial arts wasn’t at the level it’s at today. If it were, perhaps he’d have had a better idea of how to tackle the fight.

It’s pretty incredible that Muhammad Ali was a part of the first MMA fight, given his iconic career as a boxer. It’s just unfortunate that things didn’t work out in his favor as many of his fans had probably hoped. Perhaps that’s why his contributions to mixed martial arts tend to be forgotten nowadays?