Table of contents:
One thing that's constantly sought after in any combat sport is to win the belt, however if your just a spectator your probably wondering, why do combat sports have belts?
The reality is, most sports have some form of a championship or a trophy, and a belt is just combat sports own version of a trophy. Belts in combat sports help to identify the very best of the best, and should only be earned by beating the best of the best.
What are combat sports?
A combat sport, or fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport that usually involves one-on-one combat. In many combat sports, a contestant wins by scoring more points than the opponent, submitting the opponent with a hold or by disabling the opponent (knockout, KO). Combat sports share a long pedigree with the martial arts.
Mixed Martial Arts, Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are all examples of combat sports.
What combat sports have belts?
Most, if not all combat sports have belts, including Boxing, MMA, Kickboxing and Muay Thai.
Do fighters keep their belts after loosing them?
Yes, fighters will mostly keep the belts that they loose. Generally, when a fighter wins a title, they receive a belt for doing so. Fighters usually have to pay for the belt that they have won to be made and delivered to them.
You may also receive another belt when you defend the title, depending on the organisation and the sport that you win your championship belt in.
Conclusion
Combat sports have belts to help to try and showcase who are the best fighters in the respective sports. They are generally divide weight-classes to give people a fair chance at becoming the best fighter at their weight, rather than belts being open weight where the bigger fighters would naturally be more likely to win.
