Why Is It Harder To Remain Undefeated In MMA Than Boxing

More fighting styles means more ways to lose, smaller gloves that make it easier to get knocked out, guys are allowed to pounce on their opponent if they hit the canvas unlike in boxing, fighters are made to fight the best more often, etc.

More ways to lose in mma.....mma is still boring to me though.

The 4 major awarding bodies in boxing don't help.

Well in my view that's the problem. In UFC an exciting prospect like Sage Northcutt who could have headlined PPV cards for years to come just took an embarrassing sub loss to a journeyman I train with at the Lab here in Phoenix. The guy is a freaking no one. This is why MMA does a poor job of developing fighters No it isn't the problem, because despite that loss Northcutt will continue to headline cards and make big purses. That's what boxing needs, prospects that can get big fights without the fear that a single loss will destroy their marketability or purse. If all the top fighters and prospects in boxing knew their purses would stay relatively consistent even if they lost a single fight they wouldn't be afraid to fight the best guys.

UFC is far, far better at building MMA than any boxing promoter right now. Because they've created a philosophy where being undefeated or having a few losses doesn't matter they churn stars out constantly. I prefer watching Boxing but the marketing machine that the UFC have far surpasses them majority of boxings. When Tito Ortiz left, Penn lost and Liddell retired they already had replacements, Couture was still around, they put Lesnar on the stage who lost but they had Silva, Jones, Velazquez. Silva lost, Jones is going through a nightmare but Velazquez can still draw now you have Rousey who lost but guarantee her rubber match with Tate does huge numbers as will Mcgregors rematch. UFC build stars the way boxing can't because no one cares about the '0' and you are consistently told to fight the best and you don't have a choice if you want a paycheck. And you are wrong about fighters not being built up. There are few examples when fighters come in and get title shots early because they have great backgrounds, Lesnar was on of Americas greatest living amateur wrestlers before he came into the UFC. The UFC also stack their cards with great match ups not just fighters 'getting rounds'. Imagine on a Mayweather card having Thurman - Porter on the undercard that's the kind of stuff you'll consistently get in the UFC, that's how boxing should be building guys. Well in my view that's the problem. In UFC an exciting prospect like Sage Northcutt who could have headlined PPV cards for years to come just took an embarrassing sub loss to a journeyman I train with at the Lab here in Phoenix. The guy is a freaking no one. This is why MMA does a poor job of developing fighters

This is exactly what happened to Conor McGregor who was a bit of a decent club boxer before going to MMA. He blasted these FWs out in one round for awhile and got hyped to the sky. The first guy with some size and a chin who didn't crumble after the first few big shots handed him a relatively shocking loss. Guys just aren't getting developed in MMA the way they do in boxing. They don't gradually move up in comp and "get rounds". They are just thrown in with the wolves and are told to put on a show. It's really a terrible philosophy for building a sport IMHO. UFC is far, far better at building MMA than any boxing promoter right now. Because they've created a philosophy where being undefeated or having a few losses doesn't matter they churn stars out constantly. I prefer watching Boxing but the marketing machine that the UFC have far surpasses them majority of boxings. When Tito Ortiz left, Penn lost and Liddell retired they already had replacements, Couture was still around, they put Lesnar on the stage who lost but they had Silva, Jones, Velazquez. Silva lost, Jones is going through a nightmare but Velazquez can still draw now you have Rousey who lost but guarantee her rubber match with Tate does huge numbers as will Mcgregors rematch. UFC build stars the way boxing can't because no one cares about the '0' and you are consistently told to fight the best and you don't have a choice if you want a paycheck. And you are wrong about fighters not being built up. There are few examples when fighters come in and get title shots early because they have great backgrounds, Lesnar was on of Americas greatest living amateur wrestlers before he came into the UFC. The UFC also stack their cards with great match ups not just fighters 'getting rounds'. Imagine on a Mayweather card having Thurman - Porter on the undercard that's the kind of stuff you'll consistently get in the UFC, that's how boxing should be building guys.

True. I also wanted to say, for a lot of the "cons" that I mentioned for mma, they can be temporary or indefinite positives for some fighters. A heavy handed guy with good technique could put away plenty of fighters in those 4 oz gloves early in fights before he's even really tested and taken into "deep waters" like many boxers are prone to. A lot of these bad things are really just part of a double-edged sword. It's a sport that's under different circumstances and maybe that will change as the fighters improve and there's a change in the quality of fights and perhaps even the rules change. I can ruminate as to why there are few undefeated elite guys currently in mma, if any, but it's so different from boxing that I'm not actually trying to compare it. This is exactly what happened to Conor McGregor who was a bit of a decent club boxer before going to MMA. He blasted these FWs out in one round for awhile and got hyped to the sky. The first guy with some size and a chin who didn't crumble after the first few big shots handed him a relatively shocking loss. Guys just aren't getting developed in MMA the way they do in boxing. They don't gradually move up in comp and "get rounds". They are just thrown in with the wolves and are told to put on a show. It's really a terrible philosophy for building a sport IMHO.

jack of all trades but masters of none is why, but jon jones has done a pretty good job not losing.

This is all true but you have to remember most if not all MMA elites are very high level in some type of grappling. If they were elite strikers they would be in boxing making the $. So it's not that they are mediocre in everything. True. I also wanted to say, for a lot of the "cons" that I mentioned for mma, they can be temporary or indefinite positives for some fighters. A heavy handed guy with good technique could put away plenty of fighters in those 4 oz gloves early in fights before he's even really tested and taken into "deep waters" like many boxers are prone to. A lot of these bad things are really just part of a double-edged sword. It's a sport that's under different circumstances and maybe that will change as the fighters improve and there's a change in the quality of fights and perhaps even the rules change. I can ruminate as to why there are few undefeated elite guys currently in mma, if any, but it's so different from boxing that I'm not actually trying to compare it.

http://cdn2.cagepotato.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/mma-double-knockout.gif

Submissions, smaller gloves, leg strikes, no counts the main reasons I think. And obviously you face better opposition in the UFC than you do in boxing too.

KO via: punch, knee, elbow and kick Submissions More ways to lose.

To me it's a about the age of both sports. Boxing has been around for over one hundred years. Trainers and fighters have learned from mistakes of the past and have had a chance to perfect their craft more. MMA as a major sport has only been around for a few years. Trainers and fighters are still learning to master MMA. I truly believe in a few years we will start seeing more undefeated fighters in MMA.

I agree in regards to the trauma sustained, which is why I put in the "refined and still plagued with unfortunate incidents" - boxers are taking more head shots and that's the root of the problem, but in terms of sustaining an undefeated record, I think it's less likely to happen in mma and it's more than just matchmaking; account for the many different looks, the rules in place during knockdowns and such, and also how unlikely it's going to be for anybody to emerge as a master of all trades in mma. At some point, quite likely, somebody is going to be better than you in such and such department. But I do think the sport is growing, and generations will learn from past and the athletes should get better and wiser. What's tougher? I think boxing, but idk, I've never done mma. But where it concerns wins and losses, I think the numbers speak for themselves. It's different in that regard. And don't undermine just how difficult it is to become a master of one trade - a lot of boxers train their ass off, as kids, through the amateurs and the pros just to achieve mediocrity by age 35. Try becoming a master of it all in that time frame. This is all true but you have to remember most if not all MMA elites are very high level in some type of grappling. If they were elite strikers they would be in boxing making the $. So it's not that they are mediocre in everything.

Facing many different styles, and tougher match-making.

Boxing and kickboxing are much. much tougher more dangerous sports than MMA. As someone who practices both boxing and kickboxing produce many more concussions and brain trauma than MMA. I knew a pro MMA fighter who said he'd take probably 20 really hard shots to the head in his entire career. A pro boxer takes those in 1 fight. That's why MMA fighters get knocked out easier, they simply haven't been trained to take head shots as well as boxers. Plus if you get tired in MMA you simply wrap someone up and push them against the wall and rest. Can't do that in boxing. MMA simply has one promotion and its ruled with an iron fist. Its terrible for the long-term health of the sport to have such tough matchmaking. In the last six mos Conor, Ronda, Holly, Weidman, Sage Northcutt, Paige Vanzant and have all taken brutal losses. Its killing the sport. Imagine boxing if Kovalev, Spence, Joshua, Fury, and Canelo had all taken brutal losses recently to journeymen lol I agree in regards to the trauma sustained, which is why I put in the "refined and still plagued with unfortunate incidents" - boxers are taking more head shots and that's the root of the problem, but in terms of sustaining an undefeated record, I think it's less likely to happen in mma and it's more than just matchmaking; account for the many different looks, the rules in place during knockdowns and such, and also how unlikely it's going to be for anybody to emerge as a master of all trades in mma. At some point, quite likely, somebody is going to be better than you in such and such department. But I do think the sport is growing, and generations will learn from past and the athletes should get better and wiser. What's tougher? I think boxing, but idk, I've never done mma. But where it concerns wins and losses, I think the numbers speak for themselves. It's different in that regard. And don't undermine just how difficult it is to become a master of one trade - a lot of boxers train their ass off, as kids, through the amateurs and the pros just to achieve mediocrity by age 35. Try becoming a master of it all in that time frame.

Basically what's been said already. Furthermore and honestly, the sport is kind of designed against the athlete. It's messed up these guys have so little blocking protection while beating on each other in 4oz-6oz gloves; there's nothing cool about all these dudes having cauliflower ears. I understand the gloves are designed with grappling in mind as well - still. I'm not even crazy about the 5 minute rounds. And their knockdown rules - guys aren't given a count to recover, they're either pounced on while hurt or the fight is stopped immediately. Add in all the weapons that can be used against you and losing is almost inevitable. I don't want to sound too negative while I argue the semantics of combat sports, considering boxing has refined itself so many times and is still plagued with unfortunate incidents, but with so many factors, it's going to be very tough for an mma fighter to stay undefeated after 20 or 30 odd fights. I'd be curious to know, how many professional bouts do athletes average in the sport before being worn out and retire? What is the lifespan, at about what age do guys retire? Boxing and kickboxing are much. much tougher more dangerous sports than MMA. As someone who practices both boxing and kickboxing produce many more concussions and brain trauma than MMA. I knew a pro MMA fighter who said he'd take probably 20 really hard shots to the head in his entire career. A pro boxer takes those in 1 fight. That's why MMA fighters get knocked out easier, they simply haven't been trained to take head shots as well as boxers. Plus if you get tired in MMA you simply wrap someone up and push them against the wall and rest. Can't do that in boxing. MMA simply has one promotion and its ruled with an iron fist. Its terrible for the long-term health of the sport to have such tough matchmaking. In the last six mos Conor, Ronda, Holly, Weidman, Sage Northcutt, Paige Vanzant and have all taken brutal losses. Its killing the sport. Imagine boxing if Kovalev, Spence, Joshua, Fury, and Canelo had all taken brutal losses recently to journeymen lol

Basically what's been said already. Furthermore and honestly, the sport is kind of designed against the athlete. It's messed up these guys have so little blocking protection while beating on each other in 4oz-6oz gloves; there's nothing cool about all these dudes having cauliflower ears. I understand the gloves are designed with grappling in mind as well - still. I'm not even crazy about the 5 minute rounds. And their knockdown rules - guys aren't given a count to recover, they're either pounced on while hurt or the fight is stopped immediately. Add in all the weapons that can be used against you and losing is almost inevitable. I don't want to sound too negative while I argue the semantics of combat sports, considering boxing has refined itself so many times and is still plagued with unfortunate incidents, but with so many factors, it's going to be very tough for an mma fighter to stay undefeated after 20 or 30 odd fights. I'd be curious to know, how many professional bouts do athletes average in the sport before being worn out and retire? What is the lifespan, at about what age do guys retire?

Because they are a jack of all trades but a master of none I diagree, a lot of MMA fighters are masters at a certain discipline but they have the incredible task of having to learn many fighting styles to compete. It could also be argued that certain guys like Fedor, GSP, Silva, and now Jon Jones have actually mastered the craft of MMA.

A couple of reasons. 1) There are more hard counters. Someone could specialise in a particular discipline that would work poorly against another style. It happens in boxing, but obviously it will be felt more in MMA where there are throws, grappling, ground game, and strikes to consider. 2) Boxing has a higher ceiling so far as mastery is concerned, which results in some fighter standing ahead of the pack. MMA fighters are competent in a lot of different arts, but their mastery of a particular art is reduced due to a lack of focus. You're going to get more fighters on a similar level because it is nearly impossible for a fighter to master every single art they will use. I also think the preparation plays a role in how things go down. Boxers spar hard which will prepare them for what will happen in the ring. If MMA fighters sparred like how they fought, they wouldn't make it to the ring.