How to Become a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter

How to Become a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter

  Becoming a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter is the goal of many martial artists and combat sport enthusiasts. In order to do this, a prospective fighter only needs to do one thing: impress someone high up in a professional MMA organization who can sign the fighter up for a paid fight. A few professional fighters have been able to do this without winning a single MMA fight; most, however, have needed to work for years to get noticed.


The following are some tips and strategies for becoming a professional MMA fighter. Not every fighter will need to complete every stage listed, nor will they do it in the order given. As well, additional steps not listed will need to be taken by each individual when unforeseen and unique circumstances arise.


There are three basic combat (martial) areas that an MMA fighter needs to be skilled in to succeed: striking, grappling, and avoidance. Striking represents punches and kicks; grappling covers holds, submissions, and takedowns; and avoidance concerns blocking, dodging, deflecting, and moving away from an opponent’s attacks. These skill areas are used in the three stages of a mixed martial arts fight in order to win. These stages are called the standup, clinch, and ground stages (games). The first step in becoming a professional is for potential MMA fighters to develop their martial skills sufficiently so that they can successfully compete.

There are a couple of different ways for a fighter to develop their martial skills to the necessary level. Previous training in some traditional sports such as wrestling and boxing can provide a solid martial base, but should be augmented with additional training in order to be successful. A wrestler, for instance, might consider training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in order to learn submissions that can end a fight, and might also train in boxing to learn how to avoid significant damage during the standup game.

Those with no previous martial experience should initially choose to learn a martial art that has significant body contact and translates well into MMA such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, or boxing. An appropriate gym or school should be joined, and a single martial art trained in for between four and six months before an additional art is started. Cardio building and some level of weight training should also be done after a fighter’s body gets used to the martial arts training.

Most aspiring fighters join a fight team once they have decent martial skills. Fight teams are groups that train under a single coach or a small group of leaders. A worthwhile fight team has connections to MMA promotions, fighters currently competing, provides MMA training, and can give specific advice on how to succeed. A fighter has to be invited to join a fight team. Interested fighters usually have to join the gym where the fight team trains, pay dues, let the leaders of the team know that they are interested in joining, and display a significant level of martial skill before they are invited to fully join.

Doing well in sports similar to MMA can also get a fighter started. Winning well-known competitions such as the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships or an NCAA wrestling championship has gotten more than one fighter a professional MMA opportunity. As well, awards and ranks given by noted masters such as a Gracie black belt have created many openings for prospective fighters.

The first big step in becoming a professional MMA fighter usually occurs when a fighter gets their first amateur MMA fight. There are a couple of different ways to get such a fight. First, a well-known fight team can contact a promoter and get a fighter added to an amateur card. If the fighter doesn’t have a team, the prospective fighter can usually contact the promoter of a small fight league or circuit on their own and request a tryout, with a positive showing earning the prospect a fight. Some small fight leagues or circuits have open tryouts for amateur fighters, and announce these on their webpages and to local gyms.

However the first fight is attained, winning or having an impressive showing usually leads to additional fights. A smart amateur will look to fight new opponents that they can both show off their skills against and that would result in increased reputation if they would win. Fighting in different venues and cities is also a good idea, as it can increase a potential fighter’s fan base and makes it more likely that they will get noticed.

Finally, a prospective MMA fighter will need to make sure that they self-promote. Webpages, talking to fans, and putting fight videos on the internet can all help. Visiting the webpages of professional fight promotions and finding out how to submit bios is also a great idea.

___________________________________________

Want to be a Fighter? You Can Build Your Body To Be A Fighter !

Get it Here

Build Your Body To Be A Fighter _ part 1 of 2

Build Your Body To Be A Fighter _ part 2 of 2

I have the technic and way to do it.

___________________________________________
Need More Detail ?   contact me !!

Want to encourage me to keep blogging ?
Please send me some money at  Paypal
Any small amount is welcome , even 10 cents is good for me.
My Paypal Account is :   ksw.industries@gmail.com

Don't know how to send money ?   Click here for detail about Paypal account.
http://xyberpast.blogspot.com/2014/05/how-to-get-my-program.html

Don't have money? OK! Here is another way to get the program.
http://xyberpast.blogspot.com/2014/05/how-to-get-my-program.html

Agent or No Agent ! Talk between Figter's Agent and Future Figter

To be or not to be!
Agent or No  Agent ?
Talk between Figter's Agent and Future Figter

Which is good ? What will it be? What are the risk ?

NFL players make a minimum base wage of $600,000 or so.  NFL players are also covered by union/labor laws.  Given the amount of money at stake and the complicated laws involved, it behooves NFL players to pay a large amount of money to retain a "certified" agent.

However, most fighters make poop and can't afford to pay "certified" agents.  They are happy to just have a trusted person get them fights and maybe a sponsorship from Condom Depot.  Plus, MMA contracts aren't complicated.  Fight, get paid.  Requiring agents to be certified would just increase costs and drain fighters' paltry purses.

Avatar
Mike Hauben Anon
This is not true. "MMA contracts" aren't complicated? True, the actual contract to compete may be pretty straightforward, but what about that sponsorship contract? What happens when the fighter - who may not have much business/contractual experience - gets completely screwed out of his rights or money because he didnt understand the fine print? Trust me. The amount of people becoming "MMA agents" without any experience whatsoever is staggering. True, the fighter may only make peanuts, but think of how much less he will make if he doesn't understand contractual terms and ends up losing it all.

Right now, a lot of agents can come to Fight Summit each year and learn a ton - from contract negotiation, to law, to revenue, etc. But I still urge all managers to intern or something with a reputable manager to get a feel for it.

Avatar
Motmaitre Mike Hauben
"What happens when the fighter - who may not have much business/contractual experience - gets completely screwed out of his rights or money because he didnt understand the fine print? "
Let me paraphrae that for you: What happens when the fighter- who may not have much business/contractual experience- gets completely screwed by his manager, because he didn;t understand the fine print? Managers are pareasites who take a cut of all earnings, structure contracts so that the fighter bears all the downside comemrcial risk (whil ensuring the manager benefits from any upside earnings).

Who really pays for everybody's plane tickets, the limousines, the hotel bills, the champagne- everything. That's right- the fighter. And the poor fool rarely even knows it. What happens when someone comes and proposes that the fighter invest in a new restaurant or gym or real estate project? You know- the ones that always go bust in 3 years? The manager has no incentive to say no, because he isn't bearing the risk but will take a cut of all funds invested. So he gives the green light...

The truth is, Managers have no incentive to ensure that fighters retire rich and healthy. They have an incentive to see that the fighter earns and spends as much money as possible because they take a cut when money comes in and when it goes out. And of course, they want fighters to fight as long as possible, no matter the health impact. The reason Muhammad Ali stayed in the ring too long is that everytime he stepped in the ring, a few million dollars rained down from heaven on everyone around him. So they kept pushing him to do 'one more fight'.

Managers are dangerous for your well-being avoid them like the plague.

Avatar
mike tps Anon
agreed...it is up to the fighter...the manager should not have to jump thru hoops to get "qualified" let the fighter decide...this is NOT football...not even remotely close...most fighters make less than 2000 a fight...95% probably!

Avatar
TooMuch
Sounds like an insider trying to keep others on the outside to me.

Avatar
Willsletters
Received an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university and a post-graduate degree (Masters or Law) from an accredited college or university;
Filed a verified application for certification as a Contract Advisor with the NFL Players Association within the specified dates;
Paid the non-refundable $2,500 application fee;
Attended a two-day seminar;
all of these but one are just designed to add beurocracy to keep others out of the field so there is less competition.  Like most fields in america the hoops are added to keep the have nots out.   What a joke

Avatar
Motmaitre
Agents and managers are really useful. They help fighters go broke faster. Just look at the typical champion boxer- makes millions in the ring from his blood, sweat and tears, and ten years after retirement is broke and brain-damaged.

Why? Managers, agents, financial advisers and all the other professional leeches who take a cut of all his earnings, and control his assets while the poor meathead 'focuses on what's important'- getting beaten up while the cowards in their suits rob him blind.

My advice to any fighter? Don't get a manager. Don't get an agent. Nobody trains 24 hours a day. Take time to educate yourself on basic matters in your contracts. Talk directly to sponsors, don't give anybody authority over your money, or sign away any rights. If there's a contract you don't understand, hire a lawyer for $2k to translate it into plain English.

Take my advice or end up broke and brain-damaged while all the Don King wannabes build mansions with your hard-earned money. Your choice.

Avatar
Mo Motmaitre
you're over-simplifying things...u neglect to mention how that brain damage CAUSES reckless behavior with money (giving money to your cousin's cousin just cuz he's your cousin's cousin, etc.), and u also neglect to mention the amount of work involved in soliciting sponsors, filling out paperwork, etc. (just like the article mentioned). those boxers are broke cuz they were driving $300,000 sports cars when they could have been driving a $30,000 reliable ford or something and invested the remaining $270,000. u also neglect to mention that IF that boxer HAD invested that $270,000 (which is just an arbitrary number), investing money is no easy task. it's time consuming and requires some knowledge and experience.

i think your advice is good for someone who is very exceptional and can juggle training full time with the entire business side of things. however, most are not exceptional, and thus, need good agents/managers (not the blood-sucking type).

Avatar
Micmart3000
This article is ridiculous. Written by an insider trying to keep others from entering the business. So if i get an undergraduate degree in interior design and attend a few seminars (& of course pay the hefty fee) then I am qualifed to represent fighters>? what a joke. In fact None of the qualifications mentioned do anything to make a person a good agent or not...only increase the red tape and income for the fighting organizations...not the fighters. Let anyone enter the market and try and become an agent.... the good ones will flourish and the bad ones will not, that is how an open market is supposed to work. And the analogy about checking the background of your real estate agent is even more ridiculous that this article is.

Avatar
Alca06062
As much as I don't wanna see any fighter get screwed by an agent lets be honest, MMA still doesn't have properly qualified refs or judges still and finding someone you trust with your day to day affairs is something that a fighter has "some" control over. While a crummy ref or a judge that can't count or that doesn't have a clue about MMA is a much bigger problem that a fighter can't control at all. So let's work on getting more qualified refs and judges befor we talk about a masters for a guy who books the plane tickets....

AvatarMike Hauben Alca06062
For sure, I don't care about the guys who just book plane tickets either. But for managers who actually do things that the fighters can't do themselves... they should be knowledgeable.


.......................................

If you have proof that Fighter's Agent is good, please let a comment here.
Also if you have proof that  Fighter's Agent is not good, please let a comment here too.


___________________________________________

Want to be a Fighter? You Can Build Your Body To Be A Fighter !

Get it Here

Build Your Body To Be A Fighter _ part 1 of 2

Build Your Body To Be A Fighter _ part 2 of 2

I have the technic and way to do it.

___________________________________________
Need More Detail ?   contact me !!

Want to encourage me to keep blogging ?
Please send me some money at  Paypal
Any small amount is welcome , even 10 cents is good for me.
My Paypal Account is :   ksw.industries@gmail.com

Guide To Becoming A UFC Fighter

Guide To Becoming A UFC Fighter
How To Train Like A UFC Fighter

Choose the right disciplines
You're going to favour either striking or grappling: Everybody does and everybody has a favourite discipline, so obviously whichever one you prefer, you have to go for that one. Choose whatever you're most comfortable with and enjoy the most because that's what you're going to be spending the majority of your time doing. If you're a grappler you're going to prefer to come up against another grappler as opposed to a striker, but it really depends on what your discipline is.

Tip: You can go to a lot of MMA classes now where they do a combination of everything. That can give you a good taste of the whole sport, and from there you can start specialising in, say, kickboxing or jujitsu, or whatever.

Find the right gym
First, look at the places around your area and find one that's close to you. You can't be travelling too far for each training session , it just makes things a lot more difficult for you to be consistent. Secondly, you have to research the coaches; find out who they are and what experience they have. There are UK forums that you can go on and speak to people on there about different coaches and to get recommendations on the gyms.

Tip: See what fighter the gyms you're looking at are putting out, because if it's a solid gym, they're going to have decent fighters out there.

Find the right weight
When you're first starting out, you'll be doing amateur tournaments, and that basically determines what category you fall into depending on your natural body weight. As the training goes on, your body will gradually gain muscle wherever it needs it and lose body fat as well. Eventually, everything comes quite naturally with your weight; you just have to try not to force yourself too much. Some people struggle with weight, others don't.

Tip: You don't want to spend too much time bulking up, because then you'll be carrying weight that's not natural to you. Just make sure your weight is comfortable. It's all down to a combination of gym work and diet.

Mental preparation
I actually lost my first fight because I was so eager to get in there and get the fight started, that I didn't pace myself at all and I ran out of gas halfway through the second round. You need pushing in the gym so that you can experience all those uncomfortable situations before you actually get into the fight. The mental conditioning comes down to tolerating the pain and the uncomfortable aching and bruising that you get from training, and from pushing on through it and getting back into the gym.

Tip: Make sure you're doing conditioning work and make sure you're fit enough, because no matter how good your technique is, the minute you run out of gas, that's pretty much when the fight is over. Stay calm and pace yourself.

Stay committed
I do between four and six hours a day of training, as well as all the dieting and travelling to and from training. I also have different recovery sessions with massages and chiropractors and then there's all the media commitments too.

At a lower level you can just concentrate on training, eating clean and taking fights. I was working up until seven or eight fights ago, so it is possible, you just have to manage your time well and make sure you get all of your training done on time.

Tip: Work hard, but make sure you have all your protective equipment; you don't want to be picking up injuries that are going to hinder you in a fight. If you are injured or sick, take a bit of time off , you're only going to make it worse by training too soon.

___________________________________________

Want to be a Fighter? You Can Build Your Body To Be A Fighter !

Get it Here

Build Your Body To Be A Fighter _ part 1 of 2

Build Your Body To Be A Fighter _ part 2 of 2

I have the technic and way to do it.

___________________________________________
Need More Detail ?   contact me !!

Want to encourage me to keep blogging ?
Please send me some money at  Paypal
Any small amount is welcome , even 10 cents is good for me.
My Paypal Account is :   ksw.industries@gmail.com


Don't know how to send money ?   Click here for detail about Paypal account.
http://xyberpast.blogspot.com/2014/05/how-to-get-my-program.html

Don't have money? OK! Here is another way to get the program.
how to get my program - Free of charge