The sport of mixed martial arts is steadily evolving as modern MMA strategies constantly improve upon what works inside the octagon. The trends that fighters pick up on depend on what has worked for other fighters. Many martial arts favor sport fighting and have become the foundation for many pro fighters, such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, wrestling, and boxing. In the past, the focus of MMA was on which martial art was superior, but as the understanding of fighting improved in the next couple of decades, the focus became about who can adapt these styles the best. As new trends develop, fighters become more streamlined in their strategy to beat someone. Certain fighters are solely responsible for introducing a technique or martial art to MMA and helping the sport evolve, such as Royce Gracie with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Fedor Emelianenko with sambo, and even Floyd Mayweather’s defensive boxing style to some degree.
Certain techniques in fighting are more popular nowadays than they were in the past. Some examples are teep kicks and calf kicks as well as switching stances. UFC fighter Terrence ‘Wrongturn’ Saeteurn had this to say about the things professional MMA fighters are focusing on to win fights:
I have noticed that calf kicks have been a really big thing that people will attack because it obviously targets a smaller muscle in the leg vs. attacking the quad. I’ve given and received calf kicks, and take it from me, they don’t feel great. It doesn’t take much to completely immobilize someone with three well-timed and well-placed calf kicks.
He also added,
Another thing I’ve noticed is that everyone is not just learning but proving that they are great at switching stances and being able to fight really well, regardless of being orthodox or southpaw. It makes it a little harder to make last-second reads when you are in an exchange or even when they press with a combination. It adds another layer of danger that you present, and you will be able to adjust to people who only fight in their traditional stance.”
As fighters adapt, fighting styles become less traditional. BJJ was originally used purely for ground fighting and locking in submissions. Now the art has been molded by MMA to include things like scrambles and clinching. Likewise, the art of boxing has been largely changed over time because of MMA. There is a larger emphasis on footwork than head movement in boxing nowadays, and that is to put more focus on defending against a wide range of attacks or takedowns.
When it comes to fighting styles, some have become prevalent in MMA, while others have been put aside. When UFC started in 1993, MMA was new, and the talent pool was a lot lower. You had many fighters who focused entirely on grappling or entirely on stand-up. Wrestling, BJJ, and Muay Thai quickly became the core of MMA because of their practicality. Even sumo wrestlers were coming to the octagon to see how their style fared against others. It quickly became apparent what worked and what didn’t. But even with many fighters using more refined methods of fighting nowadays, certain fighters have adapted unorthodox fighting styles into the way they fight. Tony Ferguson was known for using the art of Wing Chun with success in his fights. A fighting style that has been proven to be mostly useless by itself but has the potential to improve a fighter’s defense when mixed with other arts.
One major factor in a fighter’s success is the way they handle their physique. This has changed over time as the science of what works improves. There has been a shift in emphasis from reducing calories to knowing how to rest your body properly. While the goals of being strong and fast haven’t changed over time, the methods to get there have. In the past, people simply tried to bulk up to get stronger, but nowadays, the focus is on exercises that will enhance explosive power and muscle endurance. Weight lifting is a very minimal part of getting stronger as a fighter. You want to build muscles that won’t slow you down, and this is done with low-intensity/high-volume workouts. It is generally heavyweight wrestlers who try to get bigger, but typically, fighters perform better with a lean physique. But on the other hand, the UFC is seeing bigger and bigger heavyweights as time goes on. An unofficial super heavyweight class exists for fighters like Francis Ngannou and Brock Lesnar.
MMA is one of the fastest-evolving sports as fighters constantly improve. More and more cultures are coming to the UFC, bringing forth different martial arts and fighting traditions that were previously unheard of. The culture of Dagestan produces a lot of the best fighters to exist nowadays, but until recently, their ways were largely unknown. Nowadays, many fighters emulate the strategies employed by the Dagestani for their unrelenting endurance and unique style of grappling. In the short span of thirty years, our understanding of fighting has increased dramatically, and the spread of misinformation about what works is becoming more transparent. For such a long time, people did not have the internet to share ideas, and the martial arts community was very divided. Many dojos clung to one art religiously and were oblivious to other forms of fighting. Nowadays, there are many sources for people to learn how to fight that are reliable.
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