What noncombat sport's athletes transition well into MMA.

[PeterGriffin]

Interesting question, I think it gotta be gymnastics. Gymnasts may not seem like the most obvious candidates for MMA, but their sport provides exceptional body control, strength, flexibility, and explosive power. These attributes are beneficial for striking, evading attacks, and executing complex grappling maneuvers

This instantly made me think back to this little blast from the past of a gem....

Gymkata baby!

 

[Taric]

I don't think pro football players transition that well into MMA. IMO, football rewards you for small explosive plays but not for going the distance. I can easily see them gassing out.

I remember reading an article 10+ years ago that the average UFC HW fight time was under 8 minutes, while every other division was between 10-12.

I'd bet dollars to donuts those HW averages have only gone down since then as well... HWs don't have cardio, and football players are all predominately going to be HWs.

edit: found the article

 

[PrideNverDies]

Herschel Walker

 

[barillas]

This instantly made me think back to this little blast from the past of a gem....

Gymkata baby!

Gymnastics is surely the best non-combat base but not necessarily the one that exports most athletes to combat sports, probably because most gymnasts are effeminate guys and don't like violence

 

[Dr Fong]

Australian rules would be my guess.

Heavy contact sport and cardio is far more of a factor than NFL and rugby (not that rugby doesn't also require cardio, just less). It's also a more dynamic game requiring everyone to develop a range of hand and foot skills rather than having specialists.

Elite Australian Rules players have been recorded covering 12-13 miles in a game, and this includes periods of sprinting/burst running. The record I've found for Rugby League is 7. (Of course an Aussie Rules game is longer but it's still significantly more if you adjust for time, and total distance still matters).

It also covers most divisions, with a greater spread of midgets playing with 7-foot giants than you will find in other sports.

 

[StrikerKing]

Rugby has a very good blend of characteristics that suit mma well. No one has mentioned it before, but rock climbers have insane levels of functional strength. I would also be interested in seeing how Olympic level lifters and throwers do, simply based on how incredibly explosive they are.

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

Cant really generalise but I guess rugby and American football on paper at least are pretty well suited. Violent sports that have a grappling element to them, and produce good athletes who are mostly HW and LHW sized (higher weight classes are generally easier to transition into)

 

[Doctor Grudge]

Gymnastics is surely the best non-combat base but not necessarily the one that exports most athletes to combat sports, probably because most gymnasts are effeminate guys and don't like violence

Or because it's not a martial art and they have no reason to go into fighting just like every other non-combat sport.

If it was just a question of masculinity, why wouldn't there be more female gymnast fighters then?

It's gymnastics not ballet or theater lol. Most serious gymnast are not incredibly femininite.

 

[barillas]

Or because it's not a martial art and they have no reason to go into fighting just like every other non-combat sport.

If it was just a question of masculinity, why wouldn't there be more female gymnast fighters then?

It's gymnastics not ballet or theater lol. Most serious gymnast are not incredibly femininite.

I was kinda joking

 

[Rum that Chimay-Leffe]

Rugby League/Union because of the endurance and toughness you need to withstand huge impacts without pads ; also rugby player's cardio is top tier ( especially in League ), among the best in team sports, like in soccer.

On the other hand, american handegg often produced meh fighters, from Schaub to Hardy as well as Mitrione

 

[Askafan]

Trying to think of a non-combat technique that transitions well to mma and all I can come up with is pole dancing.

Demopoulos choking out Sam Hughes in LFA was pure pole dancing.

 

[VonSupervillain]

I don't think pro football players transition that well into MMA. IMO, football rewards you for small explosive plays but not for going the distance. I can easily see them gassing out.

I coached high-school wrestling for a few years, and wrestling season would begin as soon as football season ended. And entire horde of football players would show up to practice the first day because their coaches wanted them to stay active and in-shape in the off-season. Very few of them made it to the end of the first week and by the end of the season, I may have one or two remaining on the team. Football is a soft ass sport.

 

[Elvis.]

Gymnast

 

[Morris88]

Prime Rafael Nadal. 6’1 and jacked. Heart for days, crazy endurance and will power. Also the way he whipped the left-handed forehand. That left hook would have the touch of death. Rafa “Poatan” Nadal.

Well, we know he'd definitely be a crotch sniffer

 

[don't ask]

Hockey goons already train fighting and would probably do well.

I always thought the best foundation for any sport would be gymanstics

And I can't find any gifs or images of olympic heavyweight lifters dunking basketballs because internet searches have turned to ass, but these fuckers can explode like no one else:

 

[LNwolf87]

You can't boxing or wrestling or BJJ since they are combat sports.

However, what sports have athletes that could transition well into MMA?

Rugby

 

[don't ask]

Actually, Instagram influencing is the best base for a sport with such diverse demands as MMA:

 

[SuperNerd]

I wouldn't sleep on Tennis players.

 

[blaseblase]

You can't look at any individual athlete and determine whether they would be good at fighting. Chin, cardio, natural grappling talent, etc. are all things we don't know about any specific athlete. Look at Clarissa Shields. Best female boxer on the planet but can't grapple for shit and thus can't even beat low level MMA talent.

If you took everyone in the NBA and had them train MMA for a year, there would be a lot of guys there who would whoop LeBron's ass. Maybe they have a better chin, maybe they are naturally more talented at grappling. Just not as good at basketball.

 

[pick999]

Soccer (Aldo, Gane, probably a ton of other Brazilian/European fighters)

It's funny that soccer has produced more good fighters than American football, which is the opposite of what you would expect. We've seen a lot of American football players in MMA but they're usually mid at best.

Probably because the nfl plays better