Most fighters get a large portion of their money from a salary paid by the UFC. This salary often gets paid out fight-by-fight, and is open to negotiation, depending on the fighter's performance. Rookie fighters often make significantly less than their more famous counterparts. To make money in this league, you are obviously expected to be in great shape and spend a lot of time in the gym training, otherwise you would just get walked over in all your fights. The salary of the beginning pro's is expected to rise by 7% by 2026, with the current median salary at around $26,115, with the lowest 10% only earning $19,000.
Over the past two decades, Mixed Martial Arts (or MMA) has made its way into the mainstream. Viewers are captivated by the raw and unhinged fighting that occurred in UFC (the most popular MMA league) fights, and they want a piece of the action.
These UFC fighters are like superheroes: they are in fantastic shape, agile, quick and can inflict damage on their opponents. People want to be like them. This has led to an explosion in the popularity of recreational Mixed Martial Arts, as well as martial art forms such as Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Gyms have popped up all over attracting students who are hungry for some action.
Yet, a lot of people who want to get into MMA are left scratching their heads at how to get started. To start, there are many different forms of martial arts, which leaves people wondering whether they should start with one discipline or MMA in general. Then there are gyms popping up left and right, which leaves people wondering which one is the best place to get started.
On top of that people worry about the potential health and safety issues. Obviously MMA is a heavy contact spot that can lead to injuries, both long-term and short-term. This can turn a lot of people off. It looks to be all fun and games until someone gets hit in the jaw. But don't let the violence hold you back— that's what makes MMA so real. Unaltered fighting will give you the rush you've been looking for.
Why You Should Train MMA
Learning martial arts has a ton of different benefits. The most obvious is learning how to fight. There are a lot of tough guys out there— some real, some fake. But its better not to find out. That means avoiding fights when possible. Fighting inside a gym is one thing, fighting outside is entirely different. So while you should seek to always diffuse a situation, if push comes to shove you'll be ready.
Another important aspect of martial arts is the mentality that fighters develop. You build the mindset of a warrior through MMA. You learn to face your fears and not be afraid to step into a ring against someone bigger and tougher than you. This fighter mindset also goes hand in hand with comraderies. MMA gyms build deep friendships among the members. Everyone really gets along and looks after each other.
Deciding What to Focus On
One of the biggest factors that has made MMA training so popular is that it incorporates a variety of martial arts, as opposed to just one discipline. For instance, decades ago people would immerse themselves in Karate or Taekwondo. Now, fighters are learning multiple disciplines to make themselves more rounded.
Depending on your approach you may want to emphasize certain aspects individually as opposed to learning multiple disciplines together. For example, you may want to spend a couple months learning a striking martial art before getting into grappling.
If you wish to start with striking, there are numerous options: Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo etc. Muay Thai and boxing are the favored methods of MMA pros. The reason for this is that Karate and Taekwondo don't emphasize actual combat as much as the other forms do.
‘Clinch' forms of martial arts have served as the base for many seasoned fighters. These include wrestling (both Greco-Roman and Freestyle), Judo, and Jujitsu. These disciplines help in fighters being able to throw and take down opponents. Ground disciplines are an essential part of any Mixed Martial Arts. You can expect most of your fights to go to the ground, so you must be prepared. Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and wresting variations here are your best bets.
How to Find a Gym
There are many gyms that specialize in MMA, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, Muay Thai or similar discipline. Finding the right one for you though can be tricky. Because as the popularity of MMA grows, the number of people trying to cash in on the sport will grow as well, and the most profitable parts of the MMA culture is through gyms.
One big reason for this is that certain MMA gyms focus on cardio workouts as opposed to techniques and actual fighting. Cardio boxing/kickboxing has become a very popular class. Sure, it's great cardio, but it's not what you're looking for if you want to become a good fighter.
You're also going to have to look out for the quality of your gyms. That is, are the instructors the real deal or just trying to cash in on MMA? You're going to have to do your due diligence here, and check on a few different gyms in your area. Look at the instructors, mainly the lead instructor, and see how successful and long of a career they've had. You can also check out MMA forums like Sherdog, or sites like ‘Yelp!' to get the scoop on these gyms.
You should also decide what type of school you'd like to attend. Some schools specialize in single martial arts like Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, and others offer classes with a general approach to MMA. The choice really depends on if you're more interested in mastering a specific discipline, or starting off as a well-rounded fighter. It would be ideal to pick a specialty gym, but if none is a particular interest to you then stick to a quality gym that does all types of MMA.
Gear List
There is a lot of equipment involved in MMA. Some are for safety purposes, others for functional purposes. Also, the gear you'll buy depends on what sport you may be focusing on the most. For example, the gear required for Brazilian Ju-Jitsu is different from what you'll need for Muay Thai.
But here are some general gear recommendations that MMA practitioners should consider:
- Mouthguard: Doing damage to your teeth and jaw isn't fun, nor cheap. Invest in a quality, custom mouthguard to keep you protected.
- Athletic Cup: As a full contact sport, you should expect to get hit in the groin, though it doesn't occur regularly. Better to be safe than sorry, so just wear a cup.
- Gloves: Gloves will be used for the striking disciplines like Muay Thai and boxing. They can be used for either sparring or hitting the heavy bag.
- Hand Wraps: These are essential for striking as they will tremendously help protect your wrists.
- Fight Shorts: While you can wear regular athletic shorts in MMA, it's ideal to wear fight shorts. These are specially designed for fighting, and are much more conducive to fighting as the allow for enhanced mobility when fighting either on your feet or on the ground.
- Rashguard: Like fighting shorts, rashguards are not essential but they will make training much more enjoyable than wearing a t-shirt. Rashguards aren't baggy, won't get ripped easily, and don't absorb tons of sweat.
- Athletic Tape: Whether you need to tape to wrap your hands, tape your gloves shut, keep your shin guards in place, support an injury or something else, athletic tape will come in handy.
- Gi for Brazilian Ju-Jitsu: A Gi is an essential part of BJJ. Spend a little more money buying a high-quality Gi so that it's not getting ripped all the time.
- Knee Pads: When rolling around the mat or firing knee strikes, you want to keep your knees protected. These will add a ton of comfort to your training and sparring sessions.
- Shin Guards: Muay Thai fighters take pride in having rock hard shins that do tons of damage in a fight. Unless you plan on competing professionally than you probably don't need to worry about toughening your shins up to such a degree. Instead, just get some shin guards. They will allow you to protect yourself and focus more on the technique than getting hit.
- Head Gear: There's no sense in risking a head injury in a sport that is often prone to them. Use head gear at all times when training to protect yourself from unwanted blow.
Training and Nutrition for MMA Athletes
Just like any form of physical fitness, MMA requires athletes to pay close attention to their workouts and diets. Making the most of these is going to help you become the best fighter you can be.
When it comes to training, you must find a balance between regular MMA practice, as well as any other forms of exercise you regularly engage in. For example, if you lift weights several days a week you're going to have to find a way to make the two work together. Lifting weights is definitely possible with MMA, and it's often encouraged. You should lift no more than four times a week, and even that may be too much. Traditional bodybuilding workouts are probably going to be too much volume, so stick to compound exercises like presses and rows to build strength and muscle. Core work should also be emphasized as your core plays a huge part in fighting. Do regular core exercises such as planks and leg raises.
If you don't enjoy lifting weights, then at the very least you should be doing some calisthenics like pushups and pullups. Doing these exercises will help keep you strong and thus making you a better fighter overall.
When in doubt, start slow. Too many MMA fighters want to go all out— a brutal lifting routine, days of boxing, and days of grappling. It just won't work. Our bodies can only sustain so much exercise. Certainly we can increase that threshold over time, but it's important to know your limits.
This also means you can't copy the workout of your favorite UFC fighter. Keep in mind they have amazing genetics, years of training, a whole staff by their side, personal chefs and more. Sure, you can see what they do and use it as a basis for your regimen, but it would be foolish to copy it exactly.
In terms of nutrition, you want to focus on consuming enough calories and eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Eating enough calories is important because MMA is a very demanding form of exercise and consuming plenty of calories will help keep you going during training and fights. While you should eat a healthy diet consisting of whole foods, you're going to need to consume more carbohydrates in order to get the necessary amounts of energy.
The reason an anti-inflammatory diet is emphasized is because it will help prevent injuries and long-term joint damage. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables will help your body heal and will have you feeling great, and will prevent you from suffering nagging injuries. You also want to make sure to avoid processed and junk foods as these cause tons of inflammation, not to mention weight gain.
What to Expect At First
Starting out in MMA is something you should look forward to. It will hopefully be part of a journey that you will venture on for years, and the sooner you get started the better. It's this desire though that can be a detriment to novices.
Too many beginners are anxious to start doing well from Day 1. They will too often be sorely disappointed. MMA is a sport that requires a lot of skill that takes years to develop. It's therefore unlikely that novice trainees will see much success from the get-go.
These high expectations can also lead to frustration. When a novice trainer begins sparring, they're probably going to have difficulty fighting with, let alone beating, opponents. Too often these trainees throw their hands up and quit. IF you want to really get the most out of MMA, you need to be committed to it for the long-haul. This commitment not only applies to the finesse and technique required, but also to one's body. If you're not already in top athletic shape, then it may take years to develop a lean, mean physique.
If you set your expectations properly, however, MMA will easily become your new passion. You will develop physical and mental toughness, new friends, and a sense of self-confidence knowing that you can properly defend yourself if needed. Nascar odds at watkins glen ellyn.
You have been training MMA for years. Now you're confident that you can knock down your opponent. You thought of taking part in a MMA fight to make some money. But do you know how MMA fighters make money? And how much do they make as a fighter?
How much an MMA fighter makes depends on their experience and the number of fights they take part in. The pay could be anywhere from $2000 to $100k. An average UFC fighter makes $138,250 in 2018. But again, it all depends on the fighter's skills, experience and how long the fighter has been in the industry.
Apart from fighting in the UFC, an MMA fighter can also make money by training people. Each fighter has a different earning graph. If you're new to the industry and don't have a reputed agent, you might end up making no money at all.
The earning also depends on how often the fighter fights and how popular they're as a fighter.
MMA Fighters – Sources of Income
Fighting is the primary source of income for MMA fighters. Every fighter has a base salary if they're fighting in the UFC. Some fighters are eligible for a win bonus if their base salary is low. As the fighters keep gaining popularity, their base salary also keeps rising.
Gaining popularity depends on fighters fighting records and their market value. Fighting is not enough to pull out high paying cheque. Every fighter has to build his audience. The more people like him and the higher their demand, higher will be the paychecks.
An average fighter makes around $138250 per year, which is $11500 a month. The paychecks look good for a third world fighter. But if the fighter is from the USA, he is living below the average yearly income.
1. Base Salary – Base salaries are salaries given to every fighter for taking part in the fight. They get the money even if they lose the fight.
A reputed and on-demand fighter has a higher base salary compared to new fighters. A fighter that has a good fighting status can negotiate the base salary. The base salary can be anywhere from $1500 to a million dollars.
2. Fight Night Bonuses – Fight night is another way how MMA fighters make money fighting. But it all depends on how the audience is reacting. If the fighter gives his best and performs above expectations. He might get the title 'fight of the night' or 'performance of the night' and an award with $50000 as cash price.
3. Win Bonuses – Win bonuses are bonuses given to those who win the fight game. These types of bonuses are given to low base salary fighters. A fighter with a high base salary doesn't receive win bonuses.
4. Illegal Underground Fight – Not all fighters take part in this game. But there are lots of amateurs who take part and make tons of money by illegal fighting. These fights are risky and illegal. There are no rules in the fight. The person who wins takes the money.
5. Sponsorships – Under the sponsorships of UFC Reebok every fighter with 3 or fewer fights receives $3500. A fighter receives $5000 for every 4 or more fights. Before Reebok sponsorship entered the game. The fighter receives sponsorships from independent sponsors and makes tons of money.
This is largely similar to how boxers make money.
MMA Fighter – Money through Advertising
Apart from fighting, MMA fighters can also make money advertising. 100 million world cup betting odds. To make money through advertising the fighter has to be the best of the best., like a movie superstar, he has to have a huge fan following.
Conor McGregor acts as an advertising model for Burger King. The more popular the fighter, the higher their demand will be outside the ring. MNCs like Burger King have a huge budget for advertisement. One advertisement deal can make the fighter more money than the money they make in a year fighting.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52669421/030_BJ_Penn.1404593088.0.0.0.jpg "How to make money fighting mma knockouts")
- Mouthguard: Doing damage to your teeth and jaw isn't fun, nor cheap. Invest in a quality, custom mouthguard to keep you protected.
- Athletic Cup: As a full contact sport, you should expect to get hit in the groin, though it doesn't occur regularly. Better to be safe than sorry, so just wear a cup.
- Gloves: Gloves will be used for the striking disciplines like Muay Thai and boxing. They can be used for either sparring or hitting the heavy bag.
- Hand Wraps: These are essential for striking as they will tremendously help protect your wrists.
- Fight Shorts: While you can wear regular athletic shorts in MMA, it's ideal to wear fight shorts. These are specially designed for fighting, and are much more conducive to fighting as the allow for enhanced mobility when fighting either on your feet or on the ground.
- Rashguard: Like fighting shorts, rashguards are not essential but they will make training much more enjoyable than wearing a t-shirt. Rashguards aren't baggy, won't get ripped easily, and don't absorb tons of sweat.
- Athletic Tape: Whether you need to tape to wrap your hands, tape your gloves shut, keep your shin guards in place, support an injury or something else, athletic tape will come in handy.
- Gi for Brazilian Ju-Jitsu: A Gi is an essential part of BJJ. Spend a little more money buying a high-quality Gi so that it's not getting ripped all the time.
- Knee Pads: When rolling around the mat or firing knee strikes, you want to keep your knees protected. These will add a ton of comfort to your training and sparring sessions.
- Shin Guards: Muay Thai fighters take pride in having rock hard shins that do tons of damage in a fight. Unless you plan on competing professionally than you probably don't need to worry about toughening your shins up to such a degree. Instead, just get some shin guards. They will allow you to protect yourself and focus more on the technique than getting hit.
- Head Gear: There's no sense in risking a head injury in a sport that is often prone to them. Use head gear at all times when training to protect yourself from unwanted blow.
Training and Nutrition for MMA Athletes
Just like any form of physical fitness, MMA requires athletes to pay close attention to their workouts and diets. Making the most of these is going to help you become the best fighter you can be.
When it comes to training, you must find a balance between regular MMA practice, as well as any other forms of exercise you regularly engage in. For example, if you lift weights several days a week you're going to have to find a way to make the two work together. Lifting weights is definitely possible with MMA, and it's often encouraged. You should lift no more than four times a week, and even that may be too much. Traditional bodybuilding workouts are probably going to be too much volume, so stick to compound exercises like presses and rows to build strength and muscle. Core work should also be emphasized as your core plays a huge part in fighting. Do regular core exercises such as planks and leg raises.
If you don't enjoy lifting weights, then at the very least you should be doing some calisthenics like pushups and pullups. Doing these exercises will help keep you strong and thus making you a better fighter overall.
When in doubt, start slow. Too many MMA fighters want to go all out— a brutal lifting routine, days of boxing, and days of grappling. It just won't work. Our bodies can only sustain so much exercise. Certainly we can increase that threshold over time, but it's important to know your limits.
This also means you can't copy the workout of your favorite UFC fighter. Keep in mind they have amazing genetics, years of training, a whole staff by their side, personal chefs and more. Sure, you can see what they do and use it as a basis for your regimen, but it would be foolish to copy it exactly.
In terms of nutrition, you want to focus on consuming enough calories and eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Eating enough calories is important because MMA is a very demanding form of exercise and consuming plenty of calories will help keep you going during training and fights. While you should eat a healthy diet consisting of whole foods, you're going to need to consume more carbohydrates in order to get the necessary amounts of energy.
The reason an anti-inflammatory diet is emphasized is because it will help prevent injuries and long-term joint damage. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables will help your body heal and will have you feeling great, and will prevent you from suffering nagging injuries. You also want to make sure to avoid processed and junk foods as these cause tons of inflammation, not to mention weight gain.
What to Expect At First
Starting out in MMA is something you should look forward to. It will hopefully be part of a journey that you will venture on for years, and the sooner you get started the better. It's this desire though that can be a detriment to novices.
Too many beginners are anxious to start doing well from Day 1. They will too often be sorely disappointed. MMA is a sport that requires a lot of skill that takes years to develop. It's therefore unlikely that novice trainees will see much success from the get-go.
These high expectations can also lead to frustration. When a novice trainer begins sparring, they're probably going to have difficulty fighting with, let alone beating, opponents. Too often these trainees throw their hands up and quit. IF you want to really get the most out of MMA, you need to be committed to it for the long-haul. This commitment not only applies to the finesse and technique required, but also to one's body. If you're not already in top athletic shape, then it may take years to develop a lean, mean physique.
If you set your expectations properly, however, MMA will easily become your new passion. You will develop physical and mental toughness, new friends, and a sense of self-confidence knowing that you can properly defend yourself if needed. Nascar odds at watkins glen ellyn.
You have been training MMA for years. Now you're confident that you can knock down your opponent. You thought of taking part in a MMA fight to make some money. But do you know how MMA fighters make money? And how much do they make as a fighter?
How much an MMA fighter makes depends on their experience and the number of fights they take part in. The pay could be anywhere from $2000 to $100k. An average UFC fighter makes $138,250 in 2018. But again, it all depends on the fighter's skills, experience and how long the fighter has been in the industry.
Apart from fighting in the UFC, an MMA fighter can also make money by training people. Each fighter has a different earning graph. If you're new to the industry and don't have a reputed agent, you might end up making no money at all.
The earning also depends on how often the fighter fights and how popular they're as a fighter.
MMA Fighters – Sources of Income
Fighting is the primary source of income for MMA fighters. Every fighter has a base salary if they're fighting in the UFC. Some fighters are eligible for a win bonus if their base salary is low. As the fighters keep gaining popularity, their base salary also keeps rising.
Gaining popularity depends on fighters fighting records and their market value. Fighting is not enough to pull out high paying cheque. Every fighter has to build his audience. The more people like him and the higher their demand, higher will be the paychecks.
An average fighter makes around $138250 per year, which is $11500 a month. The paychecks look good for a third world fighter. But if the fighter is from the USA, he is living below the average yearly income.
1. Base Salary – Base salaries are salaries given to every fighter for taking part in the fight. They get the money even if they lose the fight.
A reputed and on-demand fighter has a higher base salary compared to new fighters. A fighter that has a good fighting status can negotiate the base salary. The base salary can be anywhere from $1500 to a million dollars.
2. Fight Night Bonuses – Fight night is another way how MMA fighters make money fighting. But it all depends on how the audience is reacting. If the fighter gives his best and performs above expectations. He might get the title 'fight of the night' or 'performance of the night' and an award with $50000 as cash price.
3. Win Bonuses – Win bonuses are bonuses given to those who win the fight game. These types of bonuses are given to low base salary fighters. A fighter with a high base salary doesn't receive win bonuses.
4. Illegal Underground Fight – Not all fighters take part in this game. But there are lots of amateurs who take part and make tons of money by illegal fighting. These fights are risky and illegal. There are no rules in the fight. The person who wins takes the money.
5. Sponsorships – Under the sponsorships of UFC Reebok every fighter with 3 or fewer fights receives $3500. A fighter receives $5000 for every 4 or more fights. Before Reebok sponsorship entered the game. The fighter receives sponsorships from independent sponsors and makes tons of money.
This is largely similar to how boxers make money.
MMA Fighter – Money through Advertising
Apart from fighting, MMA fighters can also make money advertising. 100 million world cup betting odds. To make money through advertising the fighter has to be the best of the best., like a movie superstar, he has to have a huge fan following.
Conor McGregor acts as an advertising model for Burger King. The more popular the fighter, the higher their demand will be outside the ring. MNCs like Burger King have a huge budget for advertisement. One advertisement deal can make the fighter more money than the money they make in a year fighting.
Other than Fighting and Advertising, how can MMA fighters make money?
1. Coaching and Training Classes
MMA is the second-most-watched combat sport in the world. People are also taking up MMA classes for self-defense training. There are thousands and thousands of people who want to learn MMA martial arts.
If you have been an MMA fighter or if you're still in the game. You can make money training and coaching beginners. You can also give one-on-one personal training with a little higher fee.
Training and coaching are some of the most lucrative businesses in the world. Be it in the ring or coaching, you have to impress your audience. If your students like your training, they will recommend more students to you. Higher the number of students higher the income.
There are people who are making more money than the MMA fighters by giving coaching and training. MMA is a skill not everybody knows. If you think you're good at it. You can build a training institute and make more than you make by fighting.
2. Online Training
Training is not limited to a specific geographical location. With the help of the internet you can make money training online. Though you'll need a bit of investment in the initial stage. Online training can be very profitable if you give the right information to MMA lovers.
Before you start training online. You have to build your audience and show your expertise in the field. You can fight and still make money online. Hire a freelancer and build a website, you can outsource every single work.
Once you get a decent amount of monthly visitors. You can announce an MMA training course. Or if you don't want the headache of building a website, writing blogs and marketing. You can create a course and sell it on Udemy and other course selling platforms.
Teaching online doesn't need to be hard. You can still make money from online training while you pursue your MMA fighting career. You only need 1 hour a day to create an online course. There is no guarantee that you'll make money as soon as you enter the UFC fight. Why not make some money while you struggle to make your name to the top fighter list.
Also, have a look at how much do referees make.
3. Write a book about MMA
The internet has exploded with ebooks in recent years. These days every person with a skill or knowledge is publishing books and making money. Some are even making a living out of it. If you're an experienced and expert MMA fighter, you can make money by writing books about MMA.
Writing and selling books about MMA on amazon or print form is a profitable side income. You don't have to be a writer to make money by books. There are tons of writers who would love to write your book.
If you have a website it gets way easier for you to market and sell your books. There are hungry people out there who are looking for raw and first-hand information. You can be that person who gives the right and accurate information to the public.
Don't underestimate the income of the book business. There are people who become millionaires by writing and selling books. If you're an experienced MMA fighter you can share your story, techniques and make money.
4. Youtube
Another great way to earn as an MMA fighter is to share your expertise on youtube. Make a video and share your journey, fight and opinion on youtube.
MMA is an exciting game. You as a professional fighter won't take long to start earning from Youtube. You can even make money by promoting UFC and ESPN if they would pay you for promoting.
You could do lots of things with youtube. You can do affiliate marketing for a product that you use for fighting and training. Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money. You could do product reviews and get free products and gears.
How Much Do Mma Fighters Earn
Youtube is an endless money-making loophole if you're an expert. One youtube channel might make you more money than the money you make fighting in a year. The options are endless. People love MMA, you can give tips to MMA beginners in video form.
And again, you don't have to stop fighting. Fighting is a passion, pursue it but try making some money from your expertise side by side. As per the statistics, beginner fighters don't even make as much as the average American does. The internet has opened up lots of options to make money. Share your skills and make money.
Conclusion
How To Mma Fight
MMA fighters make money as per their popularity and fighting records. But to be at the top list of the chart, they need lots of fights and hard work. You'll not make much initially but there is always an option to make money outside the ring.
At the end of the day, it's all about building an audience. The more people know you and like your fight. The more they will be willing to pay to watch your fight.
How To Make Money Fighting Mma Knockouts
Online is the best way to build an audience. The people who are learning from you outside the ring are very likely to come and see your fight. The only thing that will take you to the top fighter list is your fight and your audience. Remember money is man-made and it follows passionate people.
