Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has become a global phenomenon, combining elements from various martial arts into one dynamic sport. However, when it comes to striking, many wonder why MMA striking doesn’t translate well to boxing and vice versa. The reasons are rooted in the nature of each sport, the training focus, and the techniques required for success.

1. Time Allocation and Skill Development

In MMA, fighters must divide their training time across multiple disciplines—striking, grappling, and wrestling.

  • Boxing Focus: Boxers spend 100% of their time refining their punching technique, footwork, and head movement. This specialised focus allows boxers to reach an exceptional level of precision and skill in striking.
  • MMA Focus: MMA fighters, on the other hand, can dedicate only a fraction of their time to striking. Even a year of MMA training often equates to only a few months of boxing experience in terms of skill development. Additionally, MMA fighters frequently spar against other generalists, which may not expose flaws in their striking as harshly as sparring against high-level boxers would.

As a result, even elite MMA strikers may display more rudimentary striking compared to professional boxers.

2. Simplified Techniques for MMA

MMA striking often appears less refined because it must account for multiple contingencies, such as takedowns, kicks, and clinches.

  • Stance and Movement:
    A boxer’s stance is optimised for punching but leaves them vulnerable to leg kicks or takedowns in an MMA context. MMA fighters use a more squared stance to defend against these threats, sacrificing some of the nuance and fluidity seen in boxing.
    Example: Conor McGregor’s loss to Dustin Poirier in their rematch highlights this perfectly. McGregor adopted a boxing-heavy stance, influenced by his fight with Floyd Mayweather, which made him vulnerable to Poirier’s calf kicks. These kicks severely compromised McGregor’s movement and played a significant role in his defeat. Despite landing with vigour during striking exchanges, the cumulative effect of leg kicks, combined with the threat of takedowns, led to his downfall.
  • Adapting Techniques:
    In MMA, techniques from traditional martial arts are often adapted or simplified. For example:

    • A Muay Thai stance may be widened to improve takedown defence.
    • A boxer’s pivot on a hook might be reduced to avoid exposing the legs to kicks.

These “technical concessions” are necessary for MMA but would be seen as flaws in a pure striking sport.

3. Different Distances in Striking

Distance management is another key distinction between MMA and boxing.

  • Boxing Range: Boxers operate at a close to mid-range distance, which is ideal for punching exchanges. This proximity allows for slick combinations and counters.
  • MMA Range: In MMA, the range is slightly wider to account for takedowns and kicks. This distance often makes strikes more telegraphed, as fighters need to cover more ground to land punches. Consequently, strikes in MMA tend to appear less sharp or precise compared to boxing.

4. The Role of Small Gloves

The equipment in MMA significantly impacts striking effectiveness.

  • Small Gloves in MMA: The smaller gloves in MMA make it easier to land strikes through an opponent’s guard, but they also reduce the margin for error in defence. Elite strikers from pure striking sports, such as Gokhan Saki and Joe Schilling, have struggled in MMA due to this change in dynamics.
  • Bigger Gloves in Boxing: In boxing, the larger gloves provide more protection and influence defensive techniques, such as the high guard, which doesn’t translate as effectively to MMA.

5. Striking as a Set-Up in MMA

In MMA, striking is not always intended as a standalone offensive tool.

  • Creating Openings: Many MMA fighters use strikes to set up takedowns, forcing opponents to react defensively and exposing themselves to follow-up attacks.
  • Blending Disciplines: The integration of wrestling and grappling into striking strategy makes MMA striking look fundamentally different from pure striking sports. A sloppy overhand right, which might be ineffective in boxing, can succeed in MMA because the opponent is wary of a potential takedown.

6. The Evolution of MMA Striking

While MMA striking has improved significantly over the years, it will always differ from pure boxing or kickboxing. Fighters like Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira have shown that elite striking can thrive in MMA, but even they must adapt their techniques for the cage.

Example: Francis Ngannou’s journey into boxing illustrates this point clearly. His fight with Tyson Fury stirred controversy as Fury appeared underprepared, leading many to believe Ngannou was closing the gap between MMA and boxing striking. However, Ngannou’s subsequent loss to Anthony Joshua demonstrated the stark difference in skill. Joshua’s superior boxing fundamentals and preparation highlighted the challenge MMA strikers face when stepping into a specialised sport like boxing.

Conclusion

MMA striking and boxing serve different purposes and are shaped by the unique demands of their respective sports.

  • Boxing: A specialised art that hones precise punching and defensive skills within a tightly focused rule set.
  • MMA: A multi-disciplinary sport requiring fighters to balance striking with grappling, wrestling, and cage control, making its striking more versatile but less refined.

Ultimately, while MMA striking may never match the technical sophistication of boxing, it is uniquely effective within the context of its sport. To explore how striking integrates with other disciplines, consider training in MMA classes at Extreme MMA, where we teach a comprehensive approach to combat sports.

Whether you’re focused on striking, grappling, or overall fitness, Extreme MMA has the classes and expertise to help you reach your goals.