How to Become a Professional MMA Fighter
December 6, 2022
If you want to be a professional MMA fighter, you must learn many different fighting tactics and combine them into a coherent whole. Developing your quick mind and combining multiple fighting styles will help you defeat even the toughest opponent. Developing agility and smoothness in your fights will also help you to gain recognition. This dynamic sport requires thousands of practice hours. Moreover, you must promote your skills on social media to make your name known among the masses.
What You Need to Know Before Becoming an MMA Fighter
MMA Fighters Monthly Salary
There are a number of factors that influence how much MMA fighters earn a monthly salary. While the pay of top fighters is extremely high, many fighters earn less than a thousand dollars a fight. This means that many fighters must take day jobs in order to make ends meet. Although the UFC has become an icon for MMA, it isn’t the only promotion that offers high pay. Many fighters compete for other promotions.
In addition to their pay, MMA fighters can make money through sponsorships and endorsements. One recent example is Cody Garbrandt, who recently earned a sponsorship deal with BodyArmor. While the UFC banned the use of sponsored fight gear three years ago, many other MMA organizations continue to support fighters who use their products. Another example is Brendan Schaub, who has earned six figures in endorsement deals. That amount is more than what he makes in his UFC contract. The UFC also recently signed a deal with the national TV network ESPN to stream its events.
Unlike other professional sports, MMA fighters don’t have the luxury of a union or collective bargaining agreement. In addition, they don’t have a huge agent to help them broker deals. As a result, many fighters supplement their income by teaching other fighters. In addition to teaching at MMA gyms, many fighters also teach online. Some have made boxing instructional videos for Dynamic Striking and Muay Thai websites, and other fighters have made instructional videos for BJJ Fanatics and Jiu Jitsu training websites.
MMA Fighters Wrestling Background
A wrestling background is vital for success in MMA, and many athletes have turned to wrestling to improve their combat skills. Wrestling is a great base for MMA training because it teaches you to dominate your opponent on the ground and control them. This will enable you to take control of the fight regardless of the ground’s location.
Wrestling is a foundational sport for many fighters, and it is also a good foundation for BJJ. However, many wrestlers struggle to get comfortable on their backs. Some wrestlers make up for it by incorporating striking and grappling with MMA. A fighter like Curtis “Razor” Blaydes used the combination of grappling and striking to dominate his opponents. This strategy has helped him rise to the ranks in the UFC, and he is currently among the top ten UFC heavyweights.
In addition to fighting skills, wrestlers must learn to stay in shape and be able to make weight for competitions. These skills are valuable in MMA training and can easily transfer to the ring. In addition, wrestling teaches you how to be a strong, tough person and how to impose your will on your opponents. Many top mixed-martial-arts stars are wrestlers, including Cain Velazquez and Daniel Cormier.
It’s important to have a wrestling background if you’re serious about becoming a professional MMA fighter. An undefeated record can put you in the spotlight and attract the big players in the industry. It’s also a good idea to have some victories and some losses if you want to be a success in this sport.
MMA Fighters Mental Stamina
Mental stamina is a key component of any successful fighter. Not only do fighters need speed and strength, but they also need to be able to recognize various skill sets and adapt their strategy in any situation. Mental stamina can be developed through training in martial arts or contact sports.
Mental toughness is a key component of training and competition, and MMA athletes who train consistently show greater mental toughness. They can handle difficult situations, even after suffering a loss. Mental toughness levels will vary, depending on the level of training and skill. A fighter’s mental toughness will also affect how they perform in competition.
In addition to physical stamina, MMA fighters must also develop the ability to overcome adversity. It takes years of training to learn the skills of this sport, and it requires a lot of self-sacrifice and discipline. Unlike other sports, MMA requires a lot of mental stamina.
MMA Fighters Marketability
To succeed as a professional MMA fighter, you need to be able to market yourself. Social media is one of the best ways to build a following. Create a separate Facebook athlete page for yourself and use it to post news and stats about upcoming fights. You should also use it to connect with fans. Post pictures and videos of yourself and your workouts. This will help you create a more authentic brand.
One of the first steps in building a marketability strategy is to learn about the business of MMA marketing. A solid branding strategy will help you gain a loyal fan base. If you’re unsure about how to get started with your marketing, contact a company that specializes in MMA branding.
Read Also: How to Be a Good Boxer
If you’re looking to get into the UFC, it’s important that you’re well-known and can market yourself well. This is crucial to earning big money as a professional. While smaller MMA organizations might not pay much, your earnings potential can increase as your resume grows. The biggest hurdle for most MMA fighters is getting into the UFC. Most of the fighters there already have names. For example, Brock Lesnar has a wrestling background and is a UFC fighter.
In addition to being marketable, MMA fighters need to be able to negotiate contracts with promoters. Some promoters require fighters to sign long contracts. This makes it difficult for fighters to market themselves on their own. Furthermore, promoters have been accused of stripping fighters of championship status because they refused to sign contracts.