Free fighting focuses on standing fighting, mma can freely choose whether it is ground fighting or standing fighting.
Mma equals Sanda plus judo plus ground boxing, and ufc is a strength performance.
MMA mixed fighting. This is the fastest-growing sport at present, and most of them are cage fights, and some of them follow the traditional four-corner rope circle. Rules are the most open fighting sport. Athletes wear mittens and can use fists, legs, knees, elbows, wrestling, ground fighting and fighting skills. It is also forbidden to hit the back of the head and crotch.
Kickboxing boxing or translation is called free fighting. This sport originated in Japan, and it was a Japanese karate and muay Thai competition in 1960, which was improved by the Japanese. Kickboxing, as you can see from the English name, the rule is probably "kickable boxing". You can use fists, legs and knees, but it is forbidden to throw and elbow (this is also the rule to distinguish Muay Thai), and it is also forbidden to hit the back of the head and crotch.
Kicking boxing has a history of 50 years, while MMA(UFC) has only 20 years. However, the development speed and popularization speed of MMA are faster than kicking boxing. The fight (kicking) was caught in the middle awkwardly. Its history is not as long as boxing established before MMA, and its development speed is not as fast as boxing.