Over the past decade, MMA has exploded to be one of the biggest sports in the world, promoting some huge household names and bring many exciting events too. As the biggest stars continue to find fame in crossover events, particularly in boxing as these huge events have been wildly successful at these betting sites, it has shown just how necessary it is to have fundamentals of many different disciplines. But which are the most important to have, and which have been proven to give fighters the best advantage?
(Image from The Guardian)
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is frequently regarded as the foundation of MMA. BJJ, which originated in Brazil, concentrates on ground fighting and submission tactics. MMA athletes with a good BJJ foundation can frequently control their opponents on the ground, submit them with chokes or joint locks, and defend against a variety of attacks. With fights inevitably ending up on the ground, having a strong ground game is a key foundation of MMA, and BJJ shows time and time again how vital it is in the sport.
Wrestling – Wrestling is another important discipline in MMA, particularly for controlling the fight’s positioning. Wrestlers have great takedown skills, allowing them to control the fight’s location. Wrestlers are skilled at knocking opponents down and holding them down, which can negate a striker’s advantage. Wrestling also teaches crucial abilities for defending against takedowns and maintaining appropriate balance, making it an important part of an MMA fighter’s arsenal. They’re have been some incredible wrestlers in MMA with Khabib showing just how far mastering the discipline could go, and with many other fighters from Dagestan in the UFC showing this same level of mastery too, many fans are considering this to be an even more important foundation.
Boxing – While MMA incorporates a variety of striking techniques, boxing remains a highly effective and necessary discipline. Boxers are famous for their accurate blows, head movement, and footwork. Boxing gives MMA competitors an advantage in striking exchanges since they can use a variety of punches, counters, and defensive manoeuvres. With crossover events becoming hugely popular now too, some fighters are showing their advanced knowledge, or even in some instances, their lack of discipline in boxing.
Kickboxing – Another striking discipline that has found popularity in MMA is kickboxing. Kickboxing fighters are skilled at delivering a wide range of kicks and punches. Kickboxers are noted for their quickness and agility, making them difficult targets for their opponents. Fighters like Darren Till and Israel Adesanya were both fantastic kickboxers who found a lot of early success in the UFC, using kickboxing fundamentals and especially effective kicks.
Karate – Karate is a martial art that places a premium on precision and explosiveness. While it is not as widespread as some other MMA disciplines, fighters with a karate background have found success by utilising their speed, footwork, and unconventional hitting techniques. Perhaps the most notable karate fighter in the UFC has been Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, whilst unfortunately never making it to become a title holder, he did show a huge amount of effectiveness using karate in his bouts.
Although shown by many fighters, having efficiency in many different disciplines is key to success, and those who have shown the ability to quickly adapt often come out on top. Fighters who have had a huge focus in one discipline have shown similar success too with aforementioned fighters like Khabib dominating during his tenure.