The Main MMA Fighting Styles and Techniques

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) combines various MMA fighting styles, blending traditional martial arts like boxing and karate to meet the sport’s unique demands.

In this article, we’ll examine how these classic techniques have been adjusted for MMA, focusing on their application in grappling, takedowns, and overall fight strategy. We’ll also look at how integrating these adapted styles can give fighters a competitive edge.

Traditional martial arts like boxing and karate have influenced modern MMA, but their techniques must be adapted for the sport’s dynamic nature. It’s adjusting stances, strikes, and defensive strategies to handle the unique challenges of MMA, such as grappling, takedowns, and ground fighting.

Boxing brings powerful strikes, footwork, and head movement to MMA fights. However, boxing needs a few adjustments to be effective in MMA.

In this case, boxers adopt a more crouched stance to better defend against takedowns and kicks, unlike the upright stance used in traditional boxing. While jabs and crosses remain essential, boxers adjust their footwork and angles to handle kicks and takedowns more effectively. 

They also need to learn to sprawl and use footwork to prevent takedowns, since traditional boxing doesn’t focus on defending against grapplers. Although head movement is an important aspect of boxing, it must be paired with the awareness of potential takedown attempts in MMA.

Karate, especially Kyokushin, takes a big part in MMA because of its unique, striking techniques and rhythm.

Karate, focusing on front, roundhouse, and sidekicks, is valuable in MMA for maintaining distance and disrupting an opponent’s rhythm. Its emphasis on timing and quick, decisive strikes also helps fighters control the pace of the fight. 

However, Karate’s wide stances and linear movement can leave fighters vulnerable to takedowns and leg kicks. 

Adapting a more fluid, side-on stance and incorporating clinch and grappling techniques is key to addressing this. Fighters like Lyoto Machida and Georges St-Pierre have successfully integrated Kyokushin Karate’s striking into their MMA game, blending it with wrestling and BJJ to create a more complete approach.

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Grappling is often used in MMA, especially when the fight goes to the ground. Styles like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Sambo, and Wrestling play a huge role in how fights unfold on the mat, with each bringing its strengths to submissions, control, and positioning.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a key part of MMA’s ground game, focusing on submissions and positional control. Unlike other martial arts, BJJ uses technique, leverage, and positioning to control and submit opponents, often from the bottom. 

BJJ practitioners seek to get the fight to the ground by pulling guard or securing a takedown. Once on the mat, they can use sweeps to reverse positions or lock in submissions like arm bars, triangles, and guillotines. 

BJJ also plays a big role in defending against ground and pound, allowing fighters to control their opponent and create openings for escapes or transitions. Fighters like Demian Maia and Charles Oliveira have shown how effective BJJ can be in controlling and finishing fights.

Sambo, a Russian martial art that blends judo, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling, is highly effective in MMA due to its combination of takedowns, submissions, and striking. 

Sambo is known for its explosive takedowns, which allow fighters to close the distance and control the fight quickly. It also emphasizes leg locks, like heel hooks and knee bars, which add a unique element to MMA submissions. 

Sambo’s versatility in standing and ground fighting makes it a dangerous style in MMA, as fighters can easily transition between striking and grappling. Khabib Nurmagomedov is a prime example of how Sambo can dominate in MMA combined with intense wrestling.

Hybrid fighting styles are at the core of successful MMA training, where fighters seamlessly integrate techniques from different martial arts to become well-rounded competitors. 

In today’s MMA, it’s rare to see a fighter who specializes in just one discipline. Instead, fighters combine their strengths from disciplines like BJJ, Muay Thai, boxing, wrestling, and others to build a diverse skill set.

For example, a fighter might use Muay Thai’s clinch and elbow strikes in close quarters, while relying on BJJ for submissions once the fight goes to the ground. 

Some of the most successful fighters in MMA history are prime examples of hybrid fighting styles. Take Georges St-Pierre, for instance. He blends his strong wrestling background with elite-level striking, drawing from boxing and Muay Thai to control the fight’s pace. 

Another example is Israel Adesanya, who combines striking from kickboxing and Muay Thai with a solid base in wrestling and grappling defense. This combination allows him to dominate the stand-up game, while still being able to handle takedowns and submissions when the fight hits the ground.

Fighters who effectively switch between striking and grappling keep their opponents on alert. Georges St-Pierre is a prime example with his background in karate and boxing along with wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to control fights.

Amanda Nunes also combines powerful striking with her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills, making her one of the toughest fighters in the women’s division.

Other notable versatile fighters include:

Versatility in MMA allows fighters to dictate the fight’s location, so it is easier to target their opponent’s vulnerabilities. This adaptability is especially beneficial when facing specialists, as it enables the versatile fighter to steer the contest into less familiar territory for their opponent.

Moreover, being versatile helps extend a fighter’s career. By mastering striking and grappling, fighters can compete against a broader spectrum of opponents and remain competitive.

Another examples of this are fighters like Henry Cejudo and Daniel Cormier, who have both demonstrated the advantages of versatility. Cejudo evolved from an Olympic-level wrestler to a skilled striker, a change that helped him secure titles in two different weight classes.

Similarly, Cormier’s blend of elite wrestling and strong striking skills allowed him to capture championships in both the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions.

In MMA, adapting traditional martial arts like boxing and karate is essential. We’ve explored how these techniques are tailored for the sport, from stance adjustments to handling takedowns and refining strikes. These changes help fighters stay versatile and effective in the cage, proving that even the oldest styles have a place in modern MMA.