10 Sports That Start With M (Origin and Where Each Is Played)

Mixed Martial Arts, Cage, Fighting, Fighting Ring, Octagon
© maria zheleznova/ via Getty Images

Written by Rob Hayek

Published: January 15, 2024

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Sports are fun. They are a way to engage with other people and stay in shape. They are the very fabric of our culture. Likewise, people love to watch sports for the exciting finishes and the well-known players that take part in these events.

There is something about sports that start with M that makes you smile, as many of these activities are very popular. We will present a list of sports that start with M while also talking about where they came from and how they came to be. Additionally, we will present some fun facts about where you can see these sports.

10. Marathon

Running

Marathons have been going on for centuries and continue going strong to this day.

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Running a marathon takes hard work. You need to build up some endurance to have a good chance even to run a marathon. If you try to run one without practice, you could seriously injure yourself. Therefore, it takes repetition and lots of practice.

Marathons have been around since the ancient times. Moreover, competitive running has evolved over the years. You will find marathons all across the United States. It is one of the various sports that start with M.

9. Martial Arts

Martial Marts

The history of martial arts goes back to possibly 2,000 BC and has been practiced in many countries throughout the world.

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Martial arts is one of the ancient sports you will see on this list. It is very combative, and there was even a successful movie franchise and subsequent TV show sequel based on the sport. It is very popular in China. Many believe that it goes as far back as the Xia Dynasty.

Martial arts are pretty standard. The object of the match is to gain points on your opponent and take them down. It requires some crafty footwork and excellent timing. It is one of the most historic sports that start with M.

8. Mini Golf

Mini Golf

Mini golf is a fun activity that you can do for a fun outing with friends and family.

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Many people don’t realize there is a Mini Golf League. People compete for prizes and make a living off mini golf. Of course, it is also a leisurely activity that you can do with friends. It is also a good activity for a date. But mini golf has a lot more to it than meets the eye.

The very first mention of mini golf happened back in 1912 in Europe. Slowly, people started playing it more as the years went by. The game requires putting a ball through a set of obstacles to get the ball to the other side of the green. Some of these obstacles are moving objects. It is called mini golf because it is a much smaller version of golf. Overall, it is a fun sport that starts with M.

7. Mixed Martial Arts

Mixed Martial Arts, Cage, Fighting, Fighting Ring, Octagon

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, is one of the most fiercely competitive and popular sports in the United States and growing overseas.

©maria zheleznova/ via Getty Images

Nothing is more exciting than a cage match. MMA provides all that and more. You get to see two competitors battle inside a cage or an octagon to determine a winner. Ultimately, the only ways to win or knockout or submission. The fighters will do whatever they can, through legal means, to take down their opponent.

MMA traces much of its origins back centuries. However, the first sanctioned match happened in 1996 in Mississippi. It is one of the most volatile and exciting sports that start with M.

6. Mogul Skiing

Skier skiing downhill during sunny day in high mountains

Mogul skiing is a freestyle competition that requires skiers to glide through numerous obstacles on a hilly slope to reach the bottom.

©Lukas Gojda/Shutterstock.com

There are several forms of skiing. Mogul skiing is an active competition that has skiers go down difficult slopes. The sport is contested by points. You get points for executing brilliant turns down the slopes. Furthermore, it also involves a lot of sharp turns, which require some precision. Turns account for 60 percent of your scoring. People also execute amazing jumps, which is 20 percent of the scoring. Likewise, the other 20 percent is based on the speed of the skier.

Mogul skiing started in 1971. It became an Olympic sport in 1988. Overall, it is one of the coolest sports with plenty of cool tricks.

5. Motocross

Motorbiker travelling, autumn day, motorcycle off road, the driver stands with open arms to the side, to meet a new day, adventurer, extreme tourism, cold weather clothes, light tinting

Motocross is a fun event where people compete on gravel and dirt while riding dirt bikes.

©Sergey Nemirovsky/Shutterstock.com

Off-road motorcycling is a fun venture. It also has a cool history. Motocross started as a branch that evolved from motorcycle races that Britain held in 1909. Later, it became more frequent as more people began doing off-road competitions. As the bikes grew more sophisticated, they became more popular.

Once the 1970s hit, the industry took off, and motocross became one of the more popular sports to attend. It is one of the coolest sports that evolved out of motorcycling.

4. Motorcycling

Travel concept. Group of people travelers on motorcycles ride on an asphalt road in the mountains at sunset in the Italian Alps Beautiful autumn landscape

Riding motorcycles has become a big part of American culture, and it is something that often happens in beach towns.

©KucherAV/iStock via Getty Images

Motorcycling is always popular. But it is also a competitive sport. Motorcycle competitions are held throughout the country. Additionally, there is also some competition in other parts of the world. The competitions usually take place on closed-off roads.

It started in the early 20th Century. It has grown to the point where the bikes are newer and faster. There are fast and slow motorcycle races. Likewise, it takes time to understand the safety protocols of riding a motorcycle. Those who participate in these races should have a full comprehension of how to ride their bikes safely.

3. Motorsports

AutoRacing

Some companies, including Nascar, have made motorsports a household name across the world and one of the most exciting sports that start with M.

©Jonathan-Ferrey/ via Getty Images

Motorsports are a historic sport that is older than you think. The automobile did not become a regular thing until the 20th Century. However, motorsports traces its origins back to the 19th Century. Allegedly, two men raced in carriages in 1867. The winner was Isaac Bolton. It was not exactly a legal competition.

Legalized auto racing finally became a thing later in the century. Then, it officially got going in 1894, with the first reported motor race. The next process was city-to-city racing. From that point on, people started building circuits. It was not until the 1950s that it started taking off in its own right.

2. Mountain Biking

cyclist

Mountain biking is a thrilling sport that has numerous competitions that have been going on for decades.

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People love to ride bikes. Mountain bikes, especially, are exceptional. They offer so much power and speed. It is something you can do on regular roads or on dirt paths. The first competitive match took place on May 31, 1868, near Paris.

You must be able to handle difficult terrain if you are riding a mountain bike. Also, You also must be able to pedal repetitively without feeling strained. Mountain biking is a fascinating sport to watch and an even better one to partake in. It is one of the more classic sports that start with M.

1. Muay Thai

Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a popular sport that involves using strategic strikes to gain the upper hand on your opponent.

©‎(603 × 402 pixels, file size: 62 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) – Original / License

This is probably the most interesting sport on this list. Muay Thai is basically like boxing. Instead of just punching someone in the face, you can also kick them in the legs. There are three different ways to win. The first and obvious way to win is to knock your opponent out. The second way to win is to gain points and win that way. Additionally, you can submit your opponent to the point where the referee declares a technical knockout.

Muay Thai started in Thailand around the 19th Century. It has evolved with many variations over the years and become one of the coolest sports to watch. It is probably the best sport that starts with M when it comes to using a distinct strategy to overcome your opponent.

Summary of the Sports That Start with M

RankSport
1.Muay Thai
2.Mountain Bikings
3.Motorsports
4.Mountain Biking
5.Motocross
6.Mogul Skiing
7.Mixed Martial Arts
8.Mini Golf
9.Martial Arts
10.Marathon



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About the Author

Rob Hayek is a writer at A-Z Animals where his primary focus is on animals, sports, places, and events. Rob has been writing and researching about animals, sports, places, and events for over 10 years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Cal State University Fullerton, which he earned in 2009. A resident of California, Rob enjoys surfing and also owns a sports group which allows people from the local community to come together to play sports recreationally.

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