Brings readers the history and information surrounding the contemporary world of MMA.

The history of mixed martial arts as a sport in the United States.

The first review of Maldives’ economic performance under the Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) and the Arrangement under the Exogenous Shocks Facility is discussed. The fiscal deficit in 2009 was estimated at 261⁄4 percent of GDP, 21⁄2 percentage points lower than previously projected. The growth of monetary aggregates slowed down in line with projections. A key risk concerns the ability of the government to maintain the public sector wage cuts. A negative outcome on this would have a large fiscal impact.

The Maldives’ economy is recovering rapidly from the pandemic, underpinned by a strong resumption in tourism on the back of the authorities’ rapid vaccine rollout and policy support measures. Fiscal and external vulnerabilities remain elevated due to rising subsidies, high capital spending, and an increased interest burden. The Maldives has a high risk of external debt distress and a high overall risk of debt distress. Inflation has risen but is relatively contained due to price subsidies. Risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside, including a possible sharp slowdown in key source markets for tourism, high commodity prices, and tighter global financial conditions. A resumption of tourist arrivals from China is an upside risk to growth.

' "Did you see the big fight this weekend'" The question used to be about boxing matches, when the giants of the fight world were Mike Tyson and Roy Jones. Now fans are leaving the sweet science in droves for the combat sport of the future: mixed martial arts (MMA). MMA has drawn millions on cable and network television, as well as out-performed professional wrestling and boxing on pay-per-view. Fans are attracted to the sport, but unlike boxing (where strategy and technique are limited to using both your left and right hands), an MMA fight can be surprisingly complicated. The MMA Encyclopedia puts the fighters, the facts, and the fundamentals of the world's fastest growing sport at your fingertips as the definitive reference guide to mixed martial arts. The encyclopedia will break the MMA language barrier for those who don't know a wristlock from a wristwatch, while at the same time offering perspective and analysis that will entertain the hardcore fan who already has the basics down pat. With three appendices that detail the results of every MMA'fight in history, this the ultimate reference book for the ultimate sport.

Despite headwinds from the war in Ukraine, the Maldives’ economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has shown resilience. The cyclical rebound and still favorable economic outlook provide an opportunity for the Maldives to address its large fiscal and external vulnerabilities. This calls for immediate policy actions to rebuild economic resilience and reduce debt to a sustainable level. Given that the Maldives is highly vulnerable to climate change, early actions to rein in debt vulnerabilities will help support the Maldives’ efforts to scale up the much-needed climate adaptation investments in a resource constrained context.