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By John Wes Green | 22 May 2025
The world of combat sports has evolved dramatically since the early days of the UFC, transforming from style-versus-style matchups into the technical symphony we now know as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). As someone who's spent decades immersed in traditional martial arts and witnessed MMA's evolution firsthand, I've compiled these MMA tips based on unique insights into what it takes to succeed in this demanding sport.
Having trained in multiple disciplines and worked with practitioners at various skill levels, I've observed that learning MMA isn't just about mastering techniques—it's about developing a holistic approach that encompasses physical training, mental preparation, and strategic thinking. Whether you're stepping onto the mats for the first time or looking to elevate your existing skills, these essential mma tips will help guide your journey in this dynamic sport.
Success in mixed martial arts requires mastering fundamental elements that form the core of any fighter's development. These essential building blocks include consistent training habits, establishing a strong base discipline, and developing proper technical skills. Only by laying this groundwork can practitioners effectively combine different martial arts styles and progress in their MMA journey.
Consistency is the cornerstone of martial arts mastery. As UFC legend Georges St-Pierre once said, "There is a difference between a fighter and a martial artist. A fighter is training for a purpose: He has a fight. I'm a martial artist. I don't train for a fight. I train for myself. I'm training all the time. My goal is perfection. But I will never reach perfection."
World-renowned coach John Danaher emphasizes, "The key to rapid progress in MMA is to build from a strong foundation in one art and gradually add complementary skills." This philosophy has proven successful with fighters like Kamaru Usman, who built his entire game around his wrestling base before developing his striking.
Master the basics first. They're what you'll rely on when you're tired, hurt, or under pressure. Focus on fundamental movements like proper stance, basic footwork, and core strikes before advancing to more complex techniques.
The technical aspects of MMA require careful attention to detail and strategic development. As legendary trainer John Kavanagh notes, "If you want to grow, you need to go through something uncomfortable and come out the other end. If you want to grow, you have to go forward in progressive steps. It should always be a little bit uncomfortable because otherwise there’s no growth.” And that’s the secret.
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov emphasizes the importance of mastering "just a few techniques that you can execute perfectly." In my teaching experience, I've found this principle of specialization incredibly effective. Rather than learning twenty different takedowns, master two or three that work together seamlessly.
The ability to stop a takedown changes everything about how you can strike. This was evident in former UFC champion Jose Aldo’s legendary fight with Chad Mendes, where his takedown defense allowed him to implement his devastating striking game. I've found that understanding body mechanics and balance is crucial for takedown defense. It's not just about sprawling—it's about recognizing tells in your opponent's movement and adjusting your stance preemptively.
Coach Trevor Wittman, known for training champions like Rose Namajunas and Justin Gaethje, emphasizes the importance of adapting traditional striking for MMA. You can't just box in MMA. Every strike needs to account for takedowns and kicks.
Some key aspects of takedown defense that often get overlooked include:
Brian Ortega, known for his excellent BJJ skills, understands the importance of grip fighting: Before the takedown comes the grip. If you can control the grips, you control where the fight takes place. This principle aligns perfectly with concepts I learned from my teachers about controlling the engagement distance.
Former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson emphasizes the importance of diverse competition experience. His position reflects that you need to test yourself in each discipline separately before you can truly put it all together in MMA. Competing in different disciplines builds experience and knowledge by providing different “looks” that you would not gain by being one-dimensional.
Losing, in most instances, is more valuable than winning. You learn more from one loss than ten wins. Each competitive experience, whether successful or not, provides valuable feedback for improvement. As Chael Sonnen often says, "As an athlete, you'll never feel bad about losing, but what you will feel bad about is underperforming."
The ability to persevere and withstand challenges determines one's strength against adversity and ultimately contributes to success. UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's coach Javier Mendez stressed the idea that cardio is king in MMA. You can have all the skill in the world, but if you can't maintain your output, none of it matters.
Building core strength isn't just about developing visible abs—it's about creating a functional powerhouse that transfers force between your upper and lower body.
Incorporating exercises like planks, Russian twists, and medicine ball rotations will enhance your stability during transitions and your power during explosive movements like takedowns and strikes. UFC veteran Chuck Lidell, "I think some of the most important exercises are all the core exercises that you can do to maximize training in certain areas of your body."
If you follow Nutritionist Mike Dolce, who has worked with numerous UFC champions, you’ll find that he tends to focus on the fact that your diet should support your training, not hinder it. In other words, think of food as fuel for performance. In my experience working with martial artists at various levels, I've noticed that nutrition often becomes an afterthought when it should be a cornerstone of training.
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand on exercise and athletic performance (Kerksick et al., 2018), here are key nutrition principles for combat sports athletes:
Pre-Training
Post-Training
The American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines for combat sports (Thomas et al., 2016) further emphasize daily nutrition targets:
Getting into MMA requires careful consideration of your training environment. Having trained in various dojos and experienced different teaching approaches, here is what I believe is valuable insights into what makes an effective training atmosphere.
Look for a gym where you can lose. If you're always the best guy in the room, you're in the wrong room. This principle points to a crucial aspect of MMA development - the quality of your training partners directly impacts your growth. The best gyms maintain a hierarchy of skill levels, from beginners to advanced practitioners, creating an environment where everyone can both learn and teach.
When evaluating a gym's training quality, look for:
Renowned striking coach Rafael Cordeiro tends to focus on balancing his fighters. You need general MMA training and specialized skill work to reach full potential. This approach recognizes the unique demands of modern MMA, where fighters must be competent in multiple disciplines while still developing signature skills that set them apart.
The most successful fighters typically maintain a training schedule that includes dedicated MMA sessions focused on transitions and phase-shifting, while also allocating time for specialized work with discipline-specific coaches. This balanced approach prevents the common trap of becoming a jack of all trades but master of none, allowing fighters to develop both well-rounded capabilities and specialized weapons that opponents must respect.
MMA pioneer Anderson Silva emphasizes sparring: "I’m training hard for win — I’m training with the good boxers, high-level, and five guys come to help me." This philosophy aligns with Trevor Wittman's systematic approach to fight preparation at ONX Sports. Wittman, who has coached champions like Rose Namajunas and Justin Gaethje, advocates for a structured sparring progression that emphasizes technical development over hard sparring.
"You need to build fighters systematically," Wittman explains in his Fighter Training System. "Start with technical work where you can think and learn, then gradually increase the intensity as skills become automatic." His approach, which has produced multiple UFC champions, follows a similar pattern:
Technical Sparring (70% of sessions):
Position Sparring (20% of sessions):
Full Sparring (10% of sessions):
Jason Parillo, who has coached champions like Michael Bisping and Cris Cyborg, supports this methodical approach. The best fighters are built through smart training. When you spar technically 70-80% of the time, you can train more often, learn faster, and develop better fight IQ.
"Smart Sparring” is about development, not destruction. Save the war for fight night. This philosophy should guide all training interactions.
Key principles for productive sparring:
Signs sparring is too intense:
The moment you think you know everything is the moment you stop growing. This mindset has been crucial in my martial arts journey, especially when transitioning between disciplines. When I first began exploring MMA concepts after years of traditional martial arts training, I had to set aside preconceptions about what would consciously and wouldn't work.
Developing an open mind requires:
As Bruce Lee famously said, "Empty your cup so that it may be filled." This is particularly relevant when adapting traditional martial arts techniques to MMA context.
Start slow, build gradually. MMA is a marathon, not a sprint. This methodical approach allows practitioners to develop a solid technical foundation while minimizing the risk of burnout and injuries that often plague enthusiastic beginners. Many new fighters make the mistake of training too intensely too quickly, leading to diminished motivation and physical setbacks that can derail their progress before they've truly begun. The gradual progression is particularly important in MMA, where mastery of multiple disciplines requires years of consistent practice and development.
Don't compare your chapter one to someone else's chapter twenty. Everyone progresses at their own pace, and that's perfectly okay. This philosophy aligns with what I've observed in practicing and teaching martial arts—students who focus on their development rather than comparing themselves to others tend to stick with training longer and achieve better results.
Key considerations for pacing your development:
World champion boxer Claressa Shields mastered each level before moving to the next. Rushing through fundamentals creates gaps in your game that will show up later.
The path to MMA proficiency is a deeply personal journey of continuous learning and adaptation. Through my own martial arts evolution, I've learned that success transcends physical training—it's about cultivating the right mindset, selecting an optimal training environment, and maintaining an unwavering commitment to growth.
While these principles provide a foundational framework, your journey is uniquely yours. Adapt these insights to your circumstances and goals, staying patient and consistent. The true essence of martial arts lies not in the achievements but in the transformative process of becoming a more complete martial artist. Whether your pursuit is competition, self-defense, or personal development, embrace each step of the journey, for the greatest rewards come from the person you become along the way.
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