What Is The Best Striking Martial Art For MMA?
One of the main reasons why MMA is so popular is the fact that fighters can utilize just about every martial art and technique under limited rules. Striking is one of the key aspects because each bout begins on the feet where fighters can use all limbs as weapons to fight at all ranges, including the clinch. But which striking martial art is the best for MMA?
In this article, we will dive deep into the most effective striking martial arts used in MMA. These styles are, in general, among the most effective and most practical for self-defense or any type of freestyle combat so be sure to check this list because you may find one that suits your needs. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it.
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a national sport in Thailand that has emerged as one of the most effective striking arts in modern MMA. In fact, many believe Muay Thai is a complete striking system and the only style that covers all the striking elements of mixed martial arts. The key advantage Thai boxing has over other striking arts on this list is versatility and a much broader range of techniques.
What makes Muay Thai effective in MMA?
Versatility, brutal training methods, and damage. Thai boxing, in general, is a brutal combat system where the emphasis is on power, doing as much damage with each strike, and knocking the opponent out before the time expires. Training is brutal because it includes a lot of grueling cardio workouts, drills, and of course, hard sparring as the best method one can prepare for all the physical and mental aspects of real combat.
Like most other arts, Thai boxing mixes hard kicks with boxing combos. But, it also adds clinch fighting where you are allowed to hurt the opponent with knees and elbows, and even take them down with trips and throws. Clinch fighting, in particular, is one of the main aspects of MMA, and knowing how to position yourself and hurt the opponent is a game changer.
Though it is a complex system, Thai boxing primarily focuses on throwing hard kicks from a distance. Fighters use punches mainly to set up the kicks, or to close the distance and get the dominant position in the clinch.
Overall, this martial art covers all the ranges and out of all martial arts on this list, it fits the best within the rules of the sport.
Boxing
Boxing is one of the oldest forms of combat that has been around since ancient times. At first glance, you might be surprised to see it ranked this high but do not make mistakes about it, boxing is very, very practical and effective, both for MMA and other forms of combat. It may not be as versatile as other striking arts in terms of weapons, but it is the simplicity of it that makes it so practical.
What makes boxing good for MMA?
Punching combinations, footwork, head movement, timing, and power. MMA fighters use all limbs as weapons to strike and do damage. However, punches remain the fastest and most effective way you can hurt the opponent. As a result, each cage fighter must have at least solid boxing skills in order to succeed. They must know how to throw advanced combinations and block.
However, what really makes boxing better than other arts is the footwork, head movement, and angles. Look at all the great strikers and compare them with the “average” ones. The first difference you will notice is that elite strikers utilize head movement and footwork to avoid attacks, angle out, and create opportunities for the counterattack. Israel Adesanya, Conor McGregor, and Andreson Silva, all have above-average boxing skills and are great representations of how effective this martial art is in MMA.
Kickboxing
Modern kickboxing emerged in the 1950s in Japan and it later spread into Europe and the US where it is a very popular combat sport. Essentially, kickboxing is a mix of karate kicks, boxing punching combinations, and Muay Thai rules.
Why kickboxing is good for MMA?
Kickboxing has different styles such as Dutch style, K-1, Japanese, American, etc. On paper, it might be limited compared to Thai boxing due to the lack of knee and elbow strikes and clinch fighting. But on the other side, kickboxers, especially Dutch fighters, tend to be far more technical. While Thai boxers tend to fight at a slower pace, throw one power shot at a time, and stay flat-footed, kickboxers are the total opposite. They are always pressuring forward, rely more on throwing punching combinations, and finish attacks with hard kicks.
They also rely more on footwork and are on the move all the time and the same stands for head movement. While Thai boxers tend to take and block shots on the guard, kickboxers often angle away to out-position their opponent and create openings. This plays a big role in MMA where you can’t be stationary. As a striker, you constantly need to move around, use angles to avoid attacks and know how to effectively mix kicks with punches to do damage.
Kickboxers who develop strong grappling defense are among the most dangerous and successful MMA fighters of them all.
Karate
Karate has many different styles and not all are practical for cage fighting. Some of the most popular styles that are proven to work are traditional Shotokan and goju-ryu, as well as Kyokushin. There have also been some popular sports karate fighters such as Michael Venom Page. But in general, most successful MMA fighters have a strong background in traditional karate.
What makes Karate practical for MMA?
Karate, and oriental martial arts in general, are not as popular in MMA as other combat sports such as Thai boxing or kickboxing. However, there have been many fighters who successfully utilized karate skills and techniques at the highest level of the sport. What these fighters bring to the table is incredible striking speed, fast movement in all directions, and an amazing ability to protect their range.
Because of the point-fighting rules, karatekas are masters in moving in to land a strike and moving out without being hit back. They rarely throw with big power but rather tend to overwhelm their opponent with speed and laser precision. Fighters like Stephen Thompson or Robert Whittaker are nightmare matchups for any fighter and they have proved that on many occasions.
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is an Olympic combat sport that comes from Korea. It first emerged as a military combat system in the 1950s, but it later became a very popular sport. It is a unique style known for its emphasis on all types of kicking techniques, speed, and power.
What makes Taekwondo good for MMA?
Taekwondo skills on their own won’t help you much in succeeding in MMA. However, some of its elements are incredibly effective when combined with techniques and skills from other arts. First, all Taekwondo fighters have the ability to fight from both stances, which gives you a big advantage. Next, they have by far the best kicking skills and know how to use them to keep their range and do damage.
Leg kicks, in particular, have emerged as one of the most important weapons in modern MMA, and TKD practitioners are masters in landing them from all ranges and angles. Like karatekas, they also compete under similar point-fighting rules where the focus is on overwhelming the opponent with speed and precision, which makes them a tricky matchup.
