Is MMA easier to learn than Boxing ?

[WillieWild114]

https://*************/watch?v=Ks159ByNzOw UFC former heavyweight champion said boxing is harder to learn than MMA is this true or it depends on the athlete?

[famicommander]

Boxing is about mastering one specific skillset.

MMA is about becoming competent enough in multiple skillsets (boxing, kickboxing w/knees and elbows, stand up grappling, takedowns and takedown defense, ground striking, ground grappling) and maybe having one dominant skill that you rely on.

It's an apples to oranges comparison, and it's not going to be the same answer for everyone. A male heavyweight, a female featherweight, and a middleweight of either gender might have an entirely different experience in one sport compared to the other and compared to the other athletes.

[famicommander]

I mean, look at Brock Lesnar vs Valentino Shevchenko as an example.

Brock was an elite collegiate wrestler and he's a freak athlete, but beyond that the rest of his fighting skills are rudimentary at best. Tacked on as an afterthought. He just uses his incredible wrestling, size, and athleticism and that's all he needs.

But Valentina Shevchenko?
2nd degree black belt and international master of sport in Taekwondo
1st degree black belt and international master of sport in Judo
international master of sport in Boxing
international master of sport in Kickboxing
international master of sport in Muay Thai
2-0 in pro boxing
57-2 in pro kickboxing
28-4-1 in pro MMA
8X World Amateur Muay Thai champion
Kyrgyzstan National Judo Champion
Russian National Amateur Boxing Champion
Taekwondo European and Asian Champion, World Silver Medalist
Pro Muay Thai World Champion
Pro Kickboxing World Champion (K1 Rules)
UFC Women's Flyweight World Champion

She's a ridiculously good competitor in MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, Taekwondo, Judo, and boxing. That's an absurd level of skill.

[Haka]

You have people walk into UFC with a few years of training if they got the base athleticism down, in boxing, no.

[famicommander]

You have people walk into UFC with a few years of training if they got the base athleticism down, in boxing, no.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder both started boxing at 19 years old and they ended up winning Olympic Medals and heavyweight world titles.

Most of those people that "walk into UFC" have been training in at least one martial art/combat sport their whole lives whether it's wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, whatever. Then they tack on whatever they're missing and it appears they "walked into" UFC, but that's not really what is going on.

[Haka]

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder both started boxing at 19 years old and they ended up winning Olympic Medals and heavyweight world titles.

Most of those people that "walk into UFC" have been training in at least one martial art/combat sport their whole lives whether it's wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, whatever. Then they tack on whatever they're missing and it appears they "walked into" UFC, but that's not really what is going on.

The HW division is slower with less skill and more power, in the lower weight classes it is going to be more rare.

You got that French army guy walking into UFC after 3 years of training with a knowledgeable team, you get your basic punching and kicking down, you have some takedown defense and a good/great athletic base, you can reach the baseline for what is asked pretty quick and develop as you go.

[famicommander]

The HW division is slower with less skill and more power, in the lower weight classes it is going to be more rare.

You got that French army guy walking into UFC after 3 years of training with a knowledgeable team, you get your basic punching and kicking down, you have some takedown defense and a good/great athletic base, you can reach the baseline for what is asked pretty quick and develop as you go.

Ngannou had 7 pro MMA fights and 1 pro kickboxing fight before he made his UFC debut and he had a year of boxing training before he began his MMA training.

And, in case you forget, he also walked back into boxing and dropped and cut Tyson Fury in a close fight.

[Smash]

lots of mma guys seem to have college wrestling or some other extensive wrestling background which is a great base for mma they say so they have been at big parts of mma for a long time before even officially starting it

[famicommander]

lots of mma guys seem to have college wrestling or some other extensive wrestling background which is a great base for mma they say so they have been at big parts of mma for a long time before even officially starting it

MMA is a 4 legged table.

Boxing
Kickboxing
Wrestling
Submission grappling

99% of successful MMA fighters are lifelong practitioners of one or more styles in the above categories who transitioned into MMA later on.

Lesnar and Cejudo came from folkstyle wrestling.
Holm came from boxing.
Rousey and Harrison came from judo.
Silva has a really diverse background with Taekwondo, Capoeira, Muay Thai, BJJ, and boxing..
Shevchenko was a world level competitor in boxing, judo, taekwondo, kickboxing, and muay thai.
Many Russian fighters come from sambo
Countless fighters came from BJJ
Thompson, Rutten, and GSP came from Karate

Whatever the case, they've all been practicing fighting for a really long time.

[billeau2]

https://*************/watch?v=Ks159ByNzOw UFC former heavyweight champion said boxing is harder to learn than MMA is this true or it depends on the athlete?

Its a good question Willie. The truth is there are two universes when it comes to MMA. in one universe one must master a plethora of disciplines, techniques, and apply them all in a rapidly changing context. In the other, MMA has become a sport with a few rote approaches. a few general skills one needs, and the rest is up to how the individual's natural ability can take them.

Boxing has also become simplified. Guys do a lot less in the ring, show less skills. Fighters fight in an amatuer style... But they do learn to hit properly and this does give them some more progress regarding basic skill sets.

Once you decide which one of these you think MMA is, and how much effort repetitive training regarding hitting hard takes, you will answer your own question.