The combat sport and martial art known as "Pankration" originated during the Olympic Games of ancient Greece, approximately 648 BCE. The term "pankration" originates from the Greek words "kratos," which signifies "strengths" or "powers," and "pan," which signifies "all.

" This nomenclature suggests that the sport in question combined striking and grappling techniques. Pankration was an all-out combat style in which, with the exception of biting and eye-gouging, nearly anything was permitted.

In addition to grappling, striking, kicking, joint-locking, and choking, fighters could also employ ground combat techniques to defeat their opponents. At the time, it was regarded as one of the most violent and strenuous sports.

Fighters who participated in the sport in ancient Greece were held in high regard due to their exceptional combat abilities and physical prowess. In the ancient Olympic Games, pankration was included alongside traditional activities such as wrestling and boxing.

Presently, pankration is experiencing a renaissance as a sport within diverse martial arts organizations, where it is executed as a mixed martial art (MMA) subject to safety regulations. Nevertheless, it maintains its foundations in the ancient Greek martial arts, placing significant emphasis on an extensive array of standing and ground combat techniques.

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