Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) can include just about any martial art worldwide. Unless, of course, the martial art has moves that are against The Unified Rules Of MMA.
MMA’s most commonly used martial arts are Boxing, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Wrestling.
Others have been used successfully by former champions, though, so keep reading to also learn about less commonly used martial arts in MMA.
Table of Contents
Common MMA fighting styles
First, let’s cover some of the most common MMA types of fighting styles that you will see in combat sports promotions like the UFC, Bellator, ONE Championship, and others.
Boxing
Boxing is probably one of the most common forms of MMA fighting styles.
Punching your opponent in the face and body is the broadest use of fighting techniques in competitions like the UFC, putting Boxing at the top of the most common styles.
Boxing today is generally shortened as an understanding of what is actually “Western Boxing,” which has developed over many years to bring in styles of Boxing from all over the world.
Having good knowledge of Boxing gives a fighter the ability to:
- Throw a jab
- Throw a cross/rear-hand punch
- Throw uppercuts
- Throw hooks
- Use footwork to defend, counter, and move around their opponent
Boxing has many variations, too, as it’s not just one way of fighting. Most Boxers stand in the orthodox stance, but fighting as a southpaw is also really effective.
Boxers use different fighting styles, like keeping distance and using the jab, punching close in the pocket, or even Mayweather’s Philly shell style has been used in MMA.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing (K1 style) is generally known as using the fighting style of Boxing and building upon it to include using your feet to kick your opponent in their legs, body, and head.
There’s a good reason why there are entire fighting promotions that focus on just this style alone, it’s very visibly exciting, and the attacking techniques are very clinical and unforgiving.
A great kickboxer can outmaneuver and throw a much greater level of attacks to beat up their opponent. Their attacks can have spinning movements that make them even harder to predict and even trickier to avoid.
Suppose you were to pit a Boxer against a Kickboxer. In that case, it could be a pretty quick end for the Boxing fighter as they cannot predict and defend against an entirely new level of attacks.
Kickboxing is my personal favorite style of fighting. UFC greats like Israel Adesanya specialize in this style and have been hugely influential in keeping opponents at a distance, picking them apart, and getting great knockouts.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai has a lot of similarities to Kickboxing in that you also use your feet to land attacks, but “Thai Boxing” adds yet another level by introducing the elbows and knees as extra points of attack.
This Thai style is often referred to as “the art of eight limbs” because of the eight points of contact with which you can attack.
Muay Thai can include any attack from Boxing or Kickboxing, with a couple extra added in:
- Using your elbows to strike your opponent’s head
- Using your knees to strike your opponent’s body or head
Elbows can even have spinning variations often used in countering a forward advancement from your opponent.
Knees can be used to add extra damage to your opponent’s body and even to attack the face with jumping knees.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is the highly effective art of physically controlling opponents through technical grappling and submitting them.
BJJ is a widespread profession for MMA fighters because of its effectiveness in the cage.
With a good foundation in Jiu-Jitsu, fighters can use their entire body and limbs to control their opponent in a ground grappling scenario and even move them into a position for submission.
Submissions from BJJ come in many kinds, such as:
- Chokes, like the Guillotine
- Arm locks, like the Kimura
- Hip locks, like the Electric chair
- Leg locks, like the Kneebar
- Cranks, like the Twister
These match-winning submissions often have origins in many other martial arts.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is specifically designed to be a complete grappling system. Any defense, attack, or control can be included if proven effective.
Wrestling
Wrestling (like college or Olympic wrestling) is another highly used grappling martial art in MMA.
Mixed martial artists with a Wrestling background are some of the most powerful, explosive, and successful fighters in MMA competition.
Their unique abilities to control where the fight moves and whether it’s on the ground or on the feet give them the capacity to take the fight where they want it to go.
Wrestling techniques often include holding the opponent in advantageous positions (which is then very useful if they also have BJJ skills), throwing them to the ground, and keeping them there.
Less common MMA fighting styles
Now let’s take a look at some of the least common types of MMA fighting styles that you’ll see. Some of these can still be used in combat sports and by highly successful fighters, but they are often more specialized.
Kung Fu
One of the flashiest martial arts in existence, Kung Fu and the Chinese martial arts are sometimes seen in professional MMA fights.
Even some of the greatest knockouts in UFC history have been some variations of Kung Fu moves.
The simple history of Kung Fu in China and its popularity in Western movies makes Kung Fu continue to be popular.
Kung Fu could be seen as not all that effective for MMA, and I’ve seen flashy Kung Fu fighters get caught out with a counterattack during their attempts.
At the end of the day, Kung Fu is about light movement and attacking. It doesn’t have much in the area of defense!
Judo
Using Judo techniques in MMA fighting is reasonably common for some fundamental throws.
Many MMA fighters will use a few ordinary trips and sweeps to get their opponent onto the ground to start a control there. But advanced Judo skills are rare, though there have been champions who specialize in Judo.
Some great examples of the best Judo fighters in UFC history are Ronda Rousey and Vitor Belfort.
Judo throws like O Soto Gari and O Uchi Gari are seen relatively often and prove to be useful for forcing an opponent to the ground.
Karate
Karate is a hugely popular type of martial art worldwide, but specializing in this type is a bit less common than similar styles like Muay Thai or Kickboxing in MMA.
But specialists do exist for Karate. A great example is Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, who has a uniquely Karate style when in the cage.
If you ever see a fighter bouncing on his tiptoes with a wide-legged stance, you’re looking at a Karate-dominant fighter.
Karate focuses on straight punches to the midline of an opponent coupled with a wide variety of big kicks to the head that can be very difficult to detect before they land.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo can sometimes be seen in MMA, with some fighters having this as their background.
This fighting style is notably fast and extremely powerful and uses a variety of kicks, just like Karate.
Valentina Shevchenko strikes me as a highlight fighter with a background in Taekwondo. She studied this martial art since she was just five years old and uses it very effectively.
Sambo
Sambo is a combination of Kickboxing and Wrestling styles that have many similarities to an overall “MMA” fighting style.
Fighters will use punches and kicks to disorientate their opponent before securing a takedown. Then they will usually try to submit their opponent.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a prime example of an experienced and successful Sambo fighter.
Krav Maga
Krav Maga utilizes the self-defense techniques of the Israeli army to destabilize an attacker and disengage as efficiently as possible.
This martial art is often up for debate about whether it’s effective for combat sports. Still, its techniques can commonly be taught in MMA gyms, and some professional fighters have studied it in their careers.
Aikido
Aikido is a Japanese martial art that focuses on throwing, joint locks, and striking your opponent. It’s as close to Mixed Martial Arts as it gets for ancient Japanese fighting styles.
Aikido teaches you to use your opponent’s overall body momentum to convert a successful throw. Some MMA fighters have backgrounds in Aikido, but many say that it isn’t entirely useful for actual fights or combat sports.
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a Chinese martial art, founded by Bruce Lee and following his teachings and philosophy on combat.
It involves kicks, punches with speed, and significant movement flow.
Jeet Kune Do is present in all of Bruce Lee’s movies. A famous move from Jeet Kune Do is the finger jab, where you’ll land a jab with your fingertips.
The purpose of JKD was to bring together the best of other martial arts, which suggests a lot of similarities to MMA. Though there aren’t many professional fighters that have significant experience in this modality.