How to get into the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship): rules, weight categories. Mikhail Buchak
In fact, the money for the Russian (and global) world of mixed martial arts is colossal. For comparison, the great fighter Khabib Nurmagomedov, who won 24 victories in 24 fights, received significantly less for his last fight - .
All professional fighters in Russia can be divided into three conditional categories, the president of Fight Nights Global told Life Kamil Gadzhiev. - It is clear that everyone’s earnings are irregular, so for the convenience of calculations we will take their total annual income and divide by 12.
There are about 5 thousand professional fighters in Russia. The elite includes about 30 people. We at Fight Nights have 10. Their average monthly income, which includes fees for fights, income from sponsors, and advertising on social networks, is about a million rubles. As I already said, there are very few such professionals - less than one percent.
Well, the rest are young guys who are just taking their first steps in professional sports. They often combine martial arts training with studying at universities or colleges. Fight clubs they are fully provided with training. Plus, sometimes they also receive scholarships worth thousands of 30–40 rubles - this is only enough for proper nutrition. The guys are working for the future.
- How much do fighters get for a specific fight?
Everything here is very individual. For beginner fighters, the average “bet” is about one hundred thousand. Well, superstar fees can amount to millions. Rubles, of course. Well, the same Diego Brandao for winning the main fight Nights 58 in Kaspiysk over Murad Machaev received 70 thousand dollars.
Some journalists consider Khabib Nurmagomedov the most popular Russian athlete. Well, what if we compare the level of popularity of mixed martial arts and other sports in general?
For the average person, it would be most appropriate to compare the MMA industry with the boxing industry. There really is a lot in common. The main difference is age. Mixed martial arts, as a sport with clear rules, originated in America just 20 years ago. And, of course, although the popularity of MMA has grown very much, it still remains a mystery to many. There are a lot of stupid stereotypes...
- Which is the most common?
The fact that MMA is fighting without rules. The world of mixed martial arts is actually very clearly regulated. The leader, of course, is the UFC company, which was originally created simply as a kind of league, the purpose of which was to find out which martial arts were the coolest. Well, remember the numerous Hollywood action films with a similar plot - when karatekas, sumo wrestlers and boxers in some monastery at a closed tournament reveal the strongest. So the idea of the UFC was something like this. But gradually all this developed into a very popular sports and social phenomenon, firmly established on American TV.
The last fight of Fedor Emelianenko - with Fabio Maldonado - simply broke the ratings. About 8 million Russians watched the fight live!
Plus we showed this fight in 26 more countries. Both our company and everyone who broadcasted made money from this project. Fight Nights ultimately received about 20 million rubles from the sale of these rights... And our partners from Match TV probably didn’t lose out - as did the UFC Fight Pass channel, which provided broadcasting on North America. In the USA, 3 million people watched the fight.
In general, I would like to note that the role of Fedor and the MMA Union he heads in the development of interest in martial arts in Russia is very great.
Well, the average Fight Nights event - usually the interest in it is 20 percent of the figures that I gave for the Emelianenko fight. We hold about 15 “events” a year.
- How many people in Russia are involved in martial arts?
A lot - 5.5 million people. That is, about 3% of the total population of the country. Moreover, not only men, but also women are actively involved in this industry. In general, we can safely say that now MMA in Russia is truly fashionable.
- How are these fashions and engagement monetized?
Earnings rest on three pillars. Sale of television rights, tickets and sponsorship packages. All three of these areas are actively developing.
You need to understand: in Russia, the activities of a promotion company are carried out in two global areas - sports itself and PR. We can say that now is a period of investment - we need martial arts to become truly recognizable in the country. Well, plus there are some specific regions in which, due to the general level of income of the population, it is very difficult to organize a fight night in a plus. Take the Fight Nights 58 that recently took place in Kaspiysk - we had no goal at all to make money there.
- And how much did you spend?
20 million rubles. Of course, a significant part of this amount was recovered, but in fact the event still went into the red. Actually, this was known from the beginning.
The cost of standard tickets to the Aliyev Palace of Culture was 500 rubles. Well, there were, of course, VIP seats directly next to the cage for 3-5 thousand rubles - but still it was impossible to make much money from ticket sales. Nevertheless, Dagestan remains one of our priority areas of activity. Everyone recognizes that in terms of the number of talented fighters, this is a leader not only in Russia, but also in the world. Martial arts are madly loved here; the 8,000-seat hall is always packed. Finally, this is my Motherland... In general, not everything can and should be measured in money. We have a place to make money, and we ended 2016 with good profits.
- You said about three directions. If as a percentage, how much does each of them bring?
In Russia the situation is approximately this: 20% are TV rights, 20% are tickets and 60% are sponsorship packages. Over the years, this ratio will, of course, change towards an increase in the first two components. In America, for example, this distribution looks like this: 60% - television rights, 20% each - tickets and sponsors. That is, the whole concept is based primarily on TV. Plus, the pay-per-view system of paid broadcasts is successfully operating in the United States. For one single fight night, the cost of a show using this system alone can reach $50 million.
The topic of how is already stuck in the teeth. And in Russia, how quickly can a fighter who goes undefeated claim the championship title? How transparent and understandable is this system?
It is clear that the task of any promotion company is first and foremost to make money, and not to “fairly” identify the coolest champion. And it is not surprising that the UFC is trying to “protect” McGregor and other fighters who show good ratings.
In Russia, in fact, it’s the same story. Professional fighting is not like the Olympic Games, where in theory anyone can become a champion. At the same time, of course, any quality fighter will definitely be noticed and eventually brought to a title fight.
- Well, how many fights does a guy from the “third category” need to win in order to fight for the Fight Nights belt?
Usually in his early 20s there is a partial transition from amateurs to professionals, that is, for some time the guy continues to combine conventional combat sambo and mixed martial arts. Well, at the age of 25 he already makes his final choice - either to give up sports altogether, or to turn professional. By this time he usually has 3-4 professional fight. Then he fights about once every 3-4 months. And by the age of 30 - that is, the peak age for MMA training - he has accumulated a serious history of about 20 fights.
Then - with a certain amount of luck, of course - he has a chance to title fight. Another thing is that if a guy doesn’t lose at all, of course, he will get his chance much earlier.
- In Soviet times, in many sports, at 30 people were already sent to “retirement”. And you say - peak.
Because they played football or hockey in the USSR since childhood. And months of training took place from a young age. And in the standard story of an MMA fighter that I described, a person becomes a professional not at 17, not at 20, but at 25. And in general, at the legislative level, mixed martial arts in childhood prohibited. That is, the effect of “iron fatigue” does not affect a person for a long time.
Although, of course, there are nuggets like Nurmagomedov, who are revealed much earlier (he is now 28. - Note Life). Well, he started earlier than many. His dad is, so Khabib was “doomed” to a career as a martial artist from childhood.
What sport, according to statistics, do people most often come to MMA from? And which of them are usually the most successful - wrestlers, sambo wrestlers, boxers?
50% come from wrestling - in its various variations, including classical and Greco-Roman, combat sambo, pankration, judo and jiu-jitsu. 30% - from boxing. And 20% remains for all other sports, including, for example, football. Yes, yes, guys come from there too. There is an opinion that MMA coaches are more willing to take on fighters - but in fact, today all boundaries have been erased. And from a good boxer it is also quite possible to prepare a great mixed martial arts master. In many ways, by the way, the “drummers” get their chance due to the fact that the audience loves them much more.
In the 90s, almost all members of gangster groups practiced karate and other martial arts. How much does the MMA industry now contribute to the criminal environment?
This is still another stereotype that is gradually being eroded. Yes, 25 years ago in the country people survived as best they could. But now the situation in Russia has changed. As such, there are almost no gangs left - well, or, in any case, they have become ten times smaller. If in the 90s many people really dreamed of becoming racketeers as children, now the trends have changed, young people think first of all about a good education. And the guys who are now involved in martial arts - they, for the most part, also try to combine training with study. Now a martial artist is not a bandit in Chinese tracksuit and not the hero of the joke “I also eat there.” This is a modern smart guy with the right life values, a role model for peers. The same Nurmagomedov now speaks fluently in English...
- How traumatic are mixed martial arts? Compared to the same box?
Of course, the risk of injury is always present. But there are definitely no more of them than in boxing. And much less than in football! And the number of fatal tragedies can be counted on the fingers of one hand. And each of them becomes the subject of comprehensive study and analysis.
There are a huge number of preventive health measures being carried out in our industry today. And the athletes themselves are accustomed to constantly monitoring their own health.
How relevant is the topic of doping in Russian MMA? After all, many tournaments do not even have a doping control system.
Sample collection is now carried out by foreign laboratories, since RUSADA is in this moment does not work. The procedure itself is standard. But you are right that its use is not yet properly regulated. Within a year, the system of sanctions and punishments will be clearly spelled out.
In fact, now, in the age of the Internet and instant dissemination of information, the problem of doping is no longer so acute. If earlier many were confident in its omnipotence, now, especially after learning about fatal cases in the past and the year before, athletes are thinking more about the dangers associated with its use. Everyone has already learned how to work with proper diets and appropriate supportive pharmacology.
MMA has a chance to be included in Olympic program? And in general, is such a turn of development of this sport interesting for promotion companies and the athletes themselves?
May the sports functionaries of Russia and the world forgive me, but I assess these prospects as miserable. Still, not too many countries are involved in this industry at the competitive level. Well, as I already said, there are still plenty of negative stereotypes. And in Olympic movement very careful people work.
This fight will be very revealing in the sense that it will show whether Fedor is ready to fight at a high level again. Still, the fight with Maldonado did not answer many questions. And now there is a chance to remove these questions.
- Are there any options in which Fight Nights organizes the fight of Alexander Emelianenko, who recently came out of prison?
Sasha is a person with whom there are organizational problems! Nevertheless, nothing can be ruled out. He is, of course, a very talented athlete, but his prospects are constantly shattered by some social sharp corners. And now he is no longer 20 years old, it is much more difficult to get together and conduct thorough preparations for a fight.
I sincerely wish both Fedor and Alexander good luck. And, of course, I really hope that Nurmagomedov will win in the fight with Tony Ferguson. If he wins, his fight with McGregor this year will become inevitable.
Many people, especially guys under 25, very often ask the question of how to learn to fight from scratch and become a fighter. There are many articles on the Internet with titles like how to become a fighter in a week and so on...
But in fact, you can’t become a fighter in a week, but you have to work hard, in order to get something you need to invest in it and spend time and energy.
Usually a person goes to a sports section, be it judo, jiu jitsu, all this is good, but this sport sections and along with many useful skills and physical training, a person gains a bunch of sports skills that are not applicable to street fighting.
On the street they usually hit people in the head with their hands - this is the basis. First of all, for those who want to fight well, since the basis of everything is punches to the face. This is how they usually fight outside the gym.
Therefore, there is a need for protection first. Along with protection, it is necessary to provide quick and swipe. A man with a knockout punch is like a man with a gun.
You can look at the statistics - a boxer killed someone with a blow to the head... Conclusion - boxing technique is the basis of all fighting and any effective martial art. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is go boxing for at least a year. At the same time, boxing is the first martial art when working with several opponents, because fast boxing movements and punches to the head are ideal for this.
Along with boxing techniques, knees and low kicks are quite applicable on the street - strikes to the thigh, knee and below, but swinging your legs above the waist on the street is dangerous, because you can fall and be beaten by your opponents.
Setting up low kicks and knees is just as simple and accessible - they are available everywhere. But in Thai boxing, hands and movements are much worse, so as written above, you need to master punches while practicing boxing.
And as a special physical training Wrestling is quite suitable, and mainly in a standing position, because on the street you can’t fight on the ground with 2-3 opponents. Wrestling perfectly loads all the muscles of a person and prepares him well for physical confrontation. You can learn simple throws and practice 2-3 until they become automatic.
Basically, trainees consolidate the skills that they acquire in free combat, that is, in sparring and all sorts of “deadly schools” simply do not work because in a gym you won’t gouge out your eyes or hit you in the groin, therefore, sports schools much stronger than self-defense sections with their deadly techniques. Conclusion: 1-2 years of boxing + six months of Muay Thai and at the same time fighting at least once a week, such classes will make you a trained fighter who will be much more prepared than representatives of schools street fight and just street fighters.
But we are sure that in the process of studying at our martial arts school you will comprehend the philosophy of martial arts and pass psychological preparation such a level that you can resolve all conflicts before the start of a fight with massacres.
You can't just kick and punch a heavy bag for a couple of weeks in the gym and think you'll have success in the fight. MMA fighters, by definition, as artists. MMA gyms usually teach all schools and techniques of martial arts such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, taekwondo, judo, karate, kickboxing, boxing. In this article you will not read any “super duper” advice on how to train as a fighter; I will present everything in simple language.
If there is no MMA gym near your home, but there are gyms at other martial arts schools, don’t despair. You can choose one of them to begin your ascent along the fighter's path. After all, 80% of famous MMA fighters started from some traditional school, for example Georges St. Pierre former dominant UFC champion welterweight and title holder best fighter of the year"(several times according to different versions of sports publications), began his journey as a fighter in Kyokushin karate. Or Ronda Rousey, the former dominant UFC champion, number 1 in the p4p ranking among women, comes from a judo school, she took part in the Olympics and became the first American woman to win bronze medal. Thanks to her judo skills, Ronda won 12 fights, 11 of which ended for her opponents in the first round.
MMA for beginner
MMA fighters must be skilled in both defense and offense; when the fight goes to the ground, they use grappling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) skills, and if they need to take the opponent to the ground, they use judo or regular wrestling. Therefore, if you really want to become an MMA fighter, pay attention not only to striking technique; it often happens that a fighter who knows how to fight in a stand-up position does not know how to fight, but a fighter who fights well also fights well in a stand-up position. Nothing personal statistics. Therefore, train wrestling, grips, techniques, etc., etc.!
Not every boxer can wrestle, but every wrestler can fight.
I often see the question “Is it possible to practice MMA from scratch?” The question itself is slightly incorrect because MMA is mixed martial arts. It needs to be put like this: “Is it possible to start doing MMA without having any base (karate, boxing, kickboxing)?” - no, you will still learn everything from 0, but in fast mode, you will not perfect combinations AS A boxer DOES, or kicks like a karateka, throws like a wrestler. You will study it, but there will be no proper focus on anything. Over time, of course, you yourself will determine your style and decide what to pay more attention to, do you like to kick? Will you perfect your high kicks, do you like wrestling? You will develop in this direction. But why not decide earlier and explore more? It’s no secret that MMA fighters who have boxing experience behind them have a huge advantage over many, but why? Because their base is boxing, the same thing about wrestlers, they have an advantage over other MMA fighters who have not studied wrestling and have mediocre skills. There are, of course, nuggets such as Jon Jones, but this is rare! You are not Jon Jones, so calm down and go to training in karate, boxing, taekwondo at least a couple of times, it will be best, work out for half a year in the boxing section, half a year in the karate, wrestling, BJJ section, and go to the MMA gym and you will be happy!
Don't forget about strength training for a fighter MMA, but again, don't overdo it.
“NEED TO PUMP MORE CROSSFIT AND BITSUKH.”
As practice shows, sometimes guys “hammer” the bolt on practicing the technique of strikes, movements, work of the arms and body, and their entire program consists of over9999 strength exercises, swinging bitsuha, etc! It should not be!
Russia is expanding its influence in world sports. Everyone knows that we can rightfully be proud of our traditions in hockey, gymnastics, wrestling, figure skating. And now Russians have also succeeded in very young sports - mixed martial arts or MMA.
So far, society knows little about this sport and often perceives it with a negative connotation. We will try to dot the i's.
Term
MMA - from (English Mixed Martial Arts) - Mixed martial arts. This is a combination of many techniques, schools and areas of martial arts. MMA is full contact fighting. Striking techniques and wrestling are used both in a standing position (clinch) and on the floor (grounds).
The term "Mixed Martial Arts" was coined in 1995 by Rick Blum, president of Battlecade, one of the early MMA organizations. Further, the abbreviation successfully took root in many, including non-English-speaking countries.
Misconception
Quite often MMA is mistakenly called “fighting without rules”, this is a key misconception. The competitions have very strict rules and regulations. The rules mainly concern division into weight categories, the use of special gloves, additional restrictions on permitted techniques and time frames for fights.
Story
In fact, the origins of MMA go back to the very, very distant past, to the time before our era. The ancient Greeks were the first Olympic Games competed in pankration. You can also remember the gladiator fights. In modern times, until the 1990s, MMA had neither popularity nor special development in the world. The turning point was the formation and development of large promotional organizations such as Ultimate Fighting Championship"(Absolute Fighting Championship), "Pride Fighting Championships" (Fighting Championship "Pride").
The formation of MMA took place in modern history, before our eyes. Early competitions were governed by a very limited set of rules, and were subject to much criticism. The promoters systematically introduced additional restrictions to increase the safety of athletes, “cultivated” the fights, thereby attracting new spectators. Thanks to these efforts, modern MMA is currently one of the fastest growing sports. Popularity among the public in different countries is growing, sales of paid fight broadcasts are growing, media coverage is growing, the number of potential fighters is growing, and sales of MMA-related products are increasing.
In Russia, the popularity of mixed martial arts has grown along with huge sporting achievements Fedor Emelianenko, internationally recognized as the best MMA heavyweight fighter. For almost ten years, Fedor Emelianenko remained undefeated, which is unprecedented in the history of MMA. The authority of the great athlete helped the development of MMA in our country: gyms, coaches, and promotional organizations began to appear.
Weight categories
from 120.2 Super heavyweight
93 — 120,2 Heavy weight(Heavyweight)
83.9 – 93 Light heavyweight
77,1 — 83,9 Average weight(Middleweight)
70.3 - 77.1 Welterweight
65.8 - 70.3 Lightweight
61.2 - 65.8 Featherweight
56,7 — 61,2 Bantamweight(Bantamweight)
up to 56.7 Flyweight
Possible outcome of the fight
Knockout (only as a result of a legal strike)
Voluntary submission (verbally or by tapping the opponent or the surface with the palm of the hand)
Technical knockout (one of the fighters cannot continue the fight, the referee or doctor, or the “corner” second signals this)
Judges' decision (unanimous, split, draw)
Fighting styles
Each fighter in MMA has his own tactics, his own strengths. This largely depends on what sport the athlete switched to MMA from. However, one can roughly divide tactics on the “first floor” and on the “second floor.”
Basic combat strategies
Wrestling technique - the fighter uses throws, grabs and painful/choking techniques. To improve clinch fighting, popular disciplines are freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, judo and sambo
Striking technique - when a fighter seeks to win by striking with hands, elbows, knees and legs. To improve stand-up technique, the most popular are boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and karate.
Fighting on the ground (on the floor) is practiced through jiu-jitsu, grappling, judo, and sambo.
Naturally, special attention is paid to practicing painful and choking techniques. It is the successful application of these tactics that often brings victory to a fighter.
How to become an MMA fighter
Becoming a fighter is not as easy as it might seem. “MMA is not just about competition or the desire to fight. For many fighters, this is their job. And bread,” says a young fighter from Dagestan, Abdul Magomedov.
His path to mixed martial arts was very eventful; we will list only some of his regalia: Bronze medalist of the European Championship combat sambo, Champion of the Rostov region in MMA, Champion of Dagestan in MMA, Silver medalist of Dagestan in K1, Champion of the Southern Federal District in judo, Master of Sports of international class in combat sambo, CMS in judo, CMS in K1.
That is, we see what a solid baggage of sports skills and achievements a fighter should have.
In Russia, people most often come to MMA after wrestling: sambo, freestyle wrestling, Greco-Roman wrestling, judo, grappling.
Trainings and camps
In MMA training, you don't practice the same skills every day. Again, each athlete has his own system, but basically the routine is as follows: Monday - work in centuses + sparring, Tuesday - grappling day, Wednesday - Thai boxing+ sparring with gloves, Thursday - wrestling day + work at the net, Friday - sparring in centuses or crossfit training. Saturday - morning cross-country.
Everyone has training camps differently, depends on the level and capabilities of the athletes.
For example, Dagestan fighters Usually, training camps are held under the leadership of the honored coach of Russia (and the father of UFC No. 1 fighter in 70kg Khabib Nurmagomedov) Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov in the highland region of Dagestan, in the Tsumadinsky district.
Also, many guys undergo training at one of best trainers Russia, coach of the Dagestan fighter club Mansur Uchakaev. Training camps are held under his leadership best fighters Russia. The training camps take place in the club itself, also in the Khunzakh region and on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Many athletes in last years began to fly abroad for training camps. Most often they fly to Thailand. In Thailand, two halls are in demand. This is AKA Thailand and Tiger Muay Thai.
Those who are lucky enough to have a visa fly to attend training camp in the USA. In the USA the topic has long been developed; there are a huge number of halls with strong fighters, and where Russians are warmly welcomed.
Russian fighters undergo training in such famous gyms as Jakson Wink MMA (Rustam Khabilov UFC fighter, Timur Valiev), AKA gym (Islam Makhachev trains there). The American Top Tim hall is also popular among Russians. However, we note once again that not all children are able to attend training camps in such halls. It's just that not everyone has sponsors. Flying to the USA for training camp will cost a lot of money. Going through a two-month training camp in one of the listed halls (including flights, meals, accommodation, and payment for trainers) will cost approximately 300 - 400 thousand rubles.
Promotion
Since MMA is a commercial sport, it requires a business scheme - promotion. These are organizations that represent fighters, organize competitions, do advertising, promotion, etc.
The best promotion company in the world (and the richest) is, of course, the UFC. The best fighters of their weight categories are gathered there. Actually, this is the highest level of career, and all fighters in the world dream of getting there. Bellator can be placed on the second level in the world. Another thing worth noting is the WSOF organization.
In Russia, the company ACB (Berkut) stands out (and is considered the best). The company has Chechen roots, but is very influential in Russia and known abroad. Excellent refereeing and a very good attitude towards the athletes are noted. Each competition takes place like a big colorful show. Industry professionals also highlight the promotion of the companies “Akhmat” and “Fight Nights”.
Fighter fees
Fees for a fight are different everywhere, depending on the promotion and the contract, and, of course, the reputation and entertainment of the fighter. The highest paying promotion is of course the UFC. There, even debutants receive $10,000 for a fight and the same amount for a victory. Plus about $2500 from the sponsor. And if there is a fight of the evening or even a knockout of the evening, then another $50,000.
For current champions and fighters with the top 5 in weight categories, the amount for entering the fight starts at $400,000. This is only the entrance to the fight, not counting sponsorship payments, payments for victory, payments from sold paid broadcasts (pvp).
In Russia, payments for a fight are also different for all fighters, and the contract and name of the fighter also influences.
Famous Russians in the UFC
Let's tell you about two Russian fighters popular on both sides of the Atlantic.
Russian fighter of Chechen origin. He fought 30 fights, won 25 victories, 23 of them ahead of schedule. Now he competes in the UFC, has dual citizenship of Russia and Austria, where he has lived since 2002.
Mairbek says to himself that he was born and raised in Staraya Sunzha, where for guys it is a matter of honor to fight. He fought almost every day.
Taisumov has a very interesting sporting fate. Since childhood, I have been fond of football. There was even professional football player, played for the reserve team of the Grozny Terek, and later - at the base of one of the Austrian clubs.
In 2007, Mairbek retrained in jiu-jitsu and began competing in mixed martial arts.
Mairbek was invited to the UFC after successful performances in the M-1 Challenge, where he had the status of a rising star of European MMA with a reputation as a tough and spectacular fighter.
In short, among professionals Mairbek is considered a fighter with an excellent strike, excellent fighting technique, phenomenal sports uniform and “fantastic performance.”
In life he is a very modest and reasonable person and a serious believer.
Also Russian fighter of Chechen origin. In the UFC they call him “Warrior”, which means “Warrior”.
Zubaira is a popular guy, with almost 300,000 followers on his Instagram pages. Himself and his sporting achievements serve as an excellent motivator for young people.
In life, Zubaira is very shy and does not notice his popularity at all. Over a cup of tea, he said that he came to Moscow very young (16 years old) to improve in MMA: “I really like Moscow. I like everything here, except the attitude of the people. At the age of sixteen, I moved from Chechnya to Moscow to develop in MMA. When I came to Moscow in 2007, I encountered a very hostile attitude towards Caucasians. I was young and hot-tempered, there were fights when I was greatly offended. I never divide people by nationality, there are bad ones. good people. I have close friends from different nations. With age, I have become calmer about any conflicts. Previously, a lot of things bothered me, but now I just can’t understand why the rest of Russia treats Caucasians this way? Maybe from TV, from newspapers, from the Internet they said a lot that Caucasians are bad. And many watched, listened and fell for it." Zubaira says that sport is very disciplined, and you need to stand out in the ring, and not by external signs in life. - "I don’t like show-offs, I don’t like it. Any success passes, and then there will be an ordinary life. Now my main dream is to win the belt, main UFC title. I also want my sons to also be involved in sports. I advise young fighters to choose olympic events martial arts."
Seeing exciting fights on the screen, reading about the huge fees for the winners, many young people dream of becoming a professional MMA fighter. However, in order to gain fame, big money and crowds of admiring fans, you need to know at least the basic points that can help on the path to success.
Decision making and willingness to accept restrictions
Having decided to become an MMA fighter, you need to be prepared for the fact that there will be no time left to build a career in another field. Fights without rules do not like amateurs, so training in different types martial arts should be regular and last many hours.
Having chosen a career as an athlete, you will also have to give up bad habits, learn to monitor your diet and daily routine. Moreover, we will have to live at this pace for many years. Those who are not ready for restrictions need to think about how important it is for them to become an MMA fighter and whether this is truly their goal in life.
Sports training and equipment
The era of universalization is coming in MMA. Its most famous fighters have skills in boxing, sambo, Muay Thai, karate, jiu-jitsu and other martial arts. This is necessary to be able to resist any opponent. However, all athletes have their favorite type of martial arts, in which they are strongest and which they usually practiced even before joining MMA.
Starting from scratch in fights without rules is extremely difficult. A young man must be very talented and motivated for a famous trainer to take on an unprepared fighter. Usually, you first need to achieve some success in one of the types of martial arts, and then begin a career in mixed martial arts.
Good equipment is as important to success as sports training. It's better to buy it. It helps the athlete protect himself from injuries, perform strikes correctly and, most importantly, look presentable during performances. High-quality combat equipment is still rare in most Russian cities, but thanks to sportfighter.rf, beginners and professional fighters MMA in every corner of the country.
Competent PR and choice of promotion
Fighting without rules is not only a contact sport, but also a spectacular show. So, wanting to achieve success in MMA, an athlete needs to take care of promoting his image. To do this, they come up with a memorable nickname, a spectacular entrance into the ring (into a cage) or a signature winning blow. Features of appearance or Interesting Facts biographies.
Ideally, PR should be handled by a professional. In reality, an aspiring fighter must first independently attract the attention of a good promotion company with his sporting achievements and charisma.
In Russia, the promotion of MMA fighters is carried out by:
M-1 Global,
Fight Nights,
Fight show “Legend”,
- Pro FC,
Stronghold Challenge,
ACB (Absolute Championship Berkut),
- "Colosseum"
- “Baikal storm”.
