How to Become a Mixed Martial Arts Fighter

Making it in the sport of mixed martial arts is not what it seems. Gone are the days where the tough guys tape up their knuckles and brawl till they wear themselves out. Gone are the days where anything goes and the name bloodsport is thrown around more than Jean Claude Van Dam would like. In today's world of MMA, fighters are athletes having training in many disciplines, including boxing, judo, wrestling, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu and other forms of unarmed combat. You'll occasionally get those who are the "tough guy, street fighter" type like Kimbo Slice, who recently debuted in the MMA world. Although he won his first fight, he was obviously not in the shape to compete against a more seasoned opponent. After his fight, he conceded that he needed to continue training in the ground skills, gained from wrestling and Jiu Jitsu.

The first step in getting into the sport of mixed martial arts is to make sure that you have what it takes to compete in the sport. Have you ever been punched in the nose, mouth or other parts of your body? How did you react? A quick trip to your local boxing club will help you gain some perspective. Go watch some of the current fighters in a day of their training, and maybe even participate in a "free lesson" where you can get some idea of the sweat and pain you'll have to endure to even start on the road to MMA. Can you adhere to a strict diet to get rid of body fat? Can you get up early in the morning to run or to go to the gym and train? These are just the first steps.

Once you've gotten this far, you may be ready for the next steps. Once you've had 6 months of boxing training under your belt, and have had several sparring sessions, you'll be ready to move onto a martial arts discipline. Most MMA fighters focus in one of two disciplines: Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. Muay Thai is the art of striking using hands, feet, elbows and knees. Many top strikers and knockout fighters have trained in this discipline. Jiu Jitsu is the martial art that focuses on grappling and body control. You'll see fighters who are skilled in Jiu Jistu attempt to gain control of their opponents on the ground and attempt to use submission holds to win the fight. In today's world of MMA, many fighters cross train in boxing, Judo, Muay Thai and in some cases Greco-Roman wrestling to learn the skills needed to be a top MMA fighter.

In the last year, many hybrid gyms have opened around the country, and indeed, around the world. These MMA gyms are centered on training MMA fighters. They have classes 5-7 days a week, and have striking/boxing classes, Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu and conditioning classes to help train a well rounded fighter. Also, many of these gyms are affiliated with one or more of the established schools or training camps of top MMA fighters (Gracie, Gurgel, Silva, CroCop). Generally most gyms require their fighters to train with them for six months before they enter their first MMA fight. This is generally a good policy, because once you've had your first fight, the quality of fighter that you will face in the cage goes up exponentially. Let's take a look at that part of the sport.

Many states regulate the sport of MMA. Amateurs cannot be paid to fight, and they have different rules (8 oz gloves, vs. the 4oz gloves of the pros for instance). Amateurs are also usually matched against someone who has had the same amount of fights as they do, and have been a registered athlete in that state for the same amount of time. This limits the possibility of a new fighter being paired up with someone who has been fighting for some time, or who is about to turn pro and is looking for a "tune-up" fight. Once a fighter has declared himself a Professional Fighter, there is no going back. You can be paid to fight, but even in your first pro fight, you may be matched up with the undefeated fighter in that weight division or anyone else. You can look for sponsorship to pay you to wear their t-shirts, shorts, hats, or other paraphernalia.

Good luck in your MMA career. Take advantage of a "free training" session that your local boxing or MMA gym offers. Not all are created equal. Have the trainers ever fought in the mixed martial arts sport? Do they have adequate medical staff to monitor the inevitable injuries that training causes (sprains, twists, etc)? Do they push you to compete or do they hold you back some to ensure you're ready to compete? Do you have to buy all of your gear from them, or can you choose your own supplier, with advice on the appropriate gear? All of these things come into play, as well as the obvious, how much will it cost.