Is MMA easier to learn than Boxing ?

[Roadblock]

Boxing and MMA are easy to learn, though its very difficult to be really good at either, there are so many things that are hard to learn even the basics such as a musical instrument where the basics of fighting is simple by comparison.

[Rockybigblower]

I think the hardest thing to learn is mental toughness and that would come in MMA. With boxing the rules are much more defined...and the referees and doctors are going to have you take less punishment. With MMA there is more likelyhood of serious or permanent injury because its more of a bloodsport so it requires a different mentality. 3 straight solid punches taken can see a clinch and break in boxing...or even a stoppage. Often times in MMA a person will need to be choked unconcious...have their face caved in on the ground or can have a bone dislocated or broken before a fight looks like stopping. At that point skill goes out the window...it then becomes what you are willing to do and what you are willing to take. I had a son in law who trained black belt in karate. I asked him why he didnt compete in amateur tournaments...and he said simply he didnt like confrontation. He didnt want to hurt someone nor be hurt. Hopeful of the need for self defence only....but aware of the risk involved in attacking someone for no reason.

[johncods]

Um is this some kind of trick question? Which one is easier to learn?? You know boxing is included in MMA right? So therefore MMA because there are other disciplines to learn.. brain dead peeps lol

[mike1010011]

Define learn. If you want to learn boxing,you learn the basic punches,footwork,and defence,and cong****,you "learned how to box". For MMA, just on the feet there could be boxing,kickboxing,karate,judo, taekwondo,muay thai. On the ground there's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling,BJJ, and sambo to name a few.

It's like asking if becoming completely fluid in Japanese is easier than becoming conversational in English,Spanish,German and Portuguese at the same time. Different things boss.

[MONGOOSE66]

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 like saying is learning to compete in professional—-boxing, jujitsu, wrestling, NBA basketball, foot ball, soccer, baseball, golf…………..Yea, st-upid question.

[TMLT87]

Boxing is easier to become halfway competent at, but then harder to become elite at, because the much narrower skillset means its easier to plateau and harder to find areas you can improve in once you get to a certain level. With MMA it is essentially impossible to master, or even come close, so there are always areas you can work on to get better and with the much broader range of skills there are way more strategies you can try if plan A doesnt work.

[TMLT87]

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

True. MMA by its nature is a sport you can transition into from other combat sports though, thats what its been since its inception. MIXED martial arts. Boxing isnt a hybrid sport so theres not many skills from other sports that are transferable.

[Haka]

True. MMA by its nature is a sport you can transition into from other combat sports though, thats what its been since its inception. MIXED martial arts. Boxing isnt a hybrid sport so theres not many skills from other sports that are transferable.

Still there are more people walking into MMA from scratch then vice versa. Not having an extensive background in other combat sports. The standup part can be learned pretty quick, and is the most important, then some ground game and you are set, build from that along the way. You need to have talent for sure, and proper instructors/team that is the hard part or you could be wasting a lot more time.

[famicommander]

Still there are more people walking into MMA from scratch then vice versa. Not having an extensive background in other combat sports. The standup part can be learned pretty quick, and is the most important, then some ground game and you are set, build from that along the way. You need to have talent for sure, and proper instructors/team that is the hard part or you could be wasting a lot more time.

Show me five fighters who walked into UFC and succeeded without an established pro MMA record and/or an extensive background in other martial arts or combat sports. Even Greg Hardy had 3 amateur fights and 3 pro fights before he made his official UFC debut and he ended up with a 2-5-0-1 record in the promotion and has since turned to low level pro boxing (3-0), Team Combat League (3-2 with 2 KO losses) and bare knuckle (0-1 with a knockout loss).

[TMLT87]

Still there are more people walking into MMA from scratch then vice versa. Not having an extensive background in other combat sports. The standup part can be learned pretty quick, and is the most important, then some ground game and you are set, build from that along the way. You need to have talent for sure, and proper instructors/team that is the hard part or you could be wasting a lot more time.

Raw physical attributes (size, strength athleticism, power etc) will definitely take you a lot further in MMA. A guy like Derrick Lewis wouldnt have gotten anywhere near as far as he has if he had been in boxing instead.