Fan Questions
The 5 Most Famous UFC Referees
In any type of combat sport (or any sport) the referees play a big role. They are the officiator, and the outcome of a match could potentially lie in their final decision. In the UFC, the referees are under much more pressure. A decision made a few seconds to late or too early, can quickly lead to an angry mob of fans calling for the referee to be fired. Perhaps not enough respect is shown to the colloquial “third man inside the Octagon”. And for that reason, this one goes out to the referees. Today, I’m going to be ranking…
Types of Weight Training That Can Go Along With Your Martial Arts Training
This is a guest post by BornTough.com Weight training is an inherently integral part of training as a martial artist. However, there’s a lot of speculation and fear around the subject. To the extent that even many experts believe that strength training for a martial artist is quite taxing. The myths are never-ending and way too far-fetched to be true. With outrageous beliefs such as an increase in bulk mass, reduction in flexibility, and a decrease in mobility; the fear is enough to get in the way of aspiring young martial artists. On the contrary, not engaging in martial arts…
How Long Does it Take to Get Good at Muay Thai?
Perhaps you’re just getting started in your Muay Thai training, and have been contemplating your future in the discipline. Maybe you’ve seen how good your instructors are, and have wondered how much time and work they have put into their training. So today, I am going to answer just that: how long does it take to get good at Muay Thai? It takes a few years to get really good at Muay Thai, 3-5 years to be exact. However, it is possible to look good in 1 year with frequent training and a strict diet. Of course, the results of…
Why Do UFC Fighters Touch Gloves?
Touching gloves is a pretty well-known tradition in both boxing and MMA. In MMA, it is also commonly done by the fighters once the fight starts, despite the fact that they usually do it right before, when the ref is giving instructions. So why do UFC fighters touch gloves? UFC fighters touch gloves as a sign of respect and sportsmanship. For most fighters, a glove touch is also a way to communicate that any part of the buildup to the fight was simply said in jest, and that there is mutual respect between them at the end of the day.…
How To Develop A Stronger Jab (Muhammad Ali's Technique)
In MMA, Boxing, and Muay Thai alike, the jab is one of the most important techniques to use. Most techniques rely on set up through use of the jab, and an effective jab can be significantly damaging. So in this post, I am going to explain the way great fighters have developed a stronger jab. To develop a stronger jab, you first have to put your body’s momentum behind the punch. As you start to throw your jab, your left shoulder should push forward as your right one moves back, all while you slightly lean into the punch. Your arm…
What Is The Difference Between A Jab And A Cross?
If you’re new to boxing, the different types of punches can sometimes be confusing, especially when considering left vs right hand dominance. If this is you, then no need to worry! In this post, I’m going to help clarify the difference between the two most common punches in boxing, which are the jab and the cross. So what is the difference between a jab and a cross? The main difference between a jab and a cross is that a jab is a straight punch with your lead hand, while your cross is a straight punch with your rear hand. For…
Why Do UFC Fighters Keep Punching After A Knockdown?
To the average person, MMA seems like a brutal, uncivilized, and unnecessary sport. In particular, there are a few parts of MMA that make it seem more brutal than it needs to be. One of those things is ground fighting. In other words, that the fight continues even if your opponent is on the ground, knocked out. So why is this part of the sport? Why do fighters keep punching after a knockdown? In short, UFC fighters keep punching after their opponent is knocked down because they cannot know if their opponent is knocked out or not in the heat…
What Are The Basic Rules Of UFC?
As a spectator on the outside looking in, MMA looks a lot like a street fight, with no rules or limitations. And yet, this is far from the truth. Since the beginning, the UFC has always had rules, despite how unregulated the sport may seem. In this post, I’m going to cover the basic and most important rules that all MMA fighters must follow. What are the basic rules of the UFC? Here’s a list of the most important rules/fouls according to the Unified Rules of MMA. Committing one of these will result in a warning, point deduction, or disqualification:…
Why Do UFC Fighters Get Frisked?
So if you’ve ever seen a UFC fighter walkout to the cage, you’ll notice that something happens right before they walk in. They get frisked/patted down by the referee. As a newer fan, you may be left questioning the reason behind this. So why do UFC fighters get frisked? In short, UFC fighters get frisked by the referee to ensure that the fighter does not have any foreign objects or illegal weapons that are hidden on their person. During this time, the ref will also check the fighter’s nails for length, and ensure that they have their mouthpiece and groin…
What is the Muay Thai Plum? (Thai Clinch Explained)
If you’re somewhat familiar Muay Thai, you might have heard of a technique called the Muay Thai Plum, or the plum position. And if you’re like me, you might have went searching through the internet for an explanation on what this Thai ‘plum’ even is. Well, look no further my friend. In this post I am going to explain the Muay Thai Plum, as well as how it works, how to perform it, and where it comes from. In short, the Muay Thai ‘Plum’ is the name of a common clinch position in Muay Thai, in which you wrap both…