My way of view. A martial art is more than kicking and trowing punches, a martial art teach the person mora than that, MAeaches self respect and respect for the others, teachs order,loyalty,good manners and teach the techs to deliver punches,kicks,trows,etc.
MMA,UFC,Vale Todo,etc,etc, is nothing mora than fighting, you put two persons inside a ring or cage to go money, inside the cage thwy will try to destroy eachother, that's fighting with some rules so this traslates to a sport.
MMA is a contact sport period.
Manny