Pankration is the first martial art appeared in the world and is originated about 4,000 years ago in ancient Greece and Sparta. Legend says it was invented by Herakles himself. He choked out the Nemean Lion using pankration techniques. He was training with his friend, Tezeus, who defeated the Minotaur using the same techniques of pankration. The name comes from ancient greek pan + kratos (all + forces). There are ample evidence in ancient frescoes and amphoraes. Pankration was used by greeks and spartans in battles. It was an Olympic sport. They fought naked, with bodies smeared with olive oil. They were not allowed to bite and stick their fingers in the eye, but were allowed to grab or hit in the testicles or perforated eardrums with their fingers. For this reason, most pankration fighters were half deaf. A rod was used by the referees to apply the rules. Wrestling and boxing comes from pankration. Pankration is the most closely related to modern mixed martial arts (cage fighting) of all martial arts, a fight most complete: strikes, throws and ground fighting. The romans renamed as pancratium the pankration and using it in battles and gladiator fights. When Alexander the Great conquered Persia, indo-europeans took pankration, reaching China as Wushu, reaching the island of Okinawa to Japan as Ju Jutsu, transformed later in Karate. Dioxippus was the greatest fighter of pankration, winning an Olympic edition without a fight, as opponents feared him. He defeated Cargus, the strongest fighter of Alexander the Great, using just a stick while Cargus was wearing all its military weapons and armor. Pankration gave us three modern legends: Bas Rutten, U.F.C. Heavyweight Champion and three times King of Pancrase, 28-4-1, 12 K.O.s, 15 submission, unbeaten in his final 22 fights; Ken Shamrock, U.F.C. Heavyweight Champion and King of Pancrase, Named The World's Most Dangerous Man by ABC News, Founder of Lion's Den; Frank Shamrock, U.F.C. Middleweight Champion and King of Pancrase.