Can someone make it to the UFC with muay thai and Sambo alone?

[Ogata]

I know that now a days fighters train in 4 different martial arts at the very least. But can someone make it to the UFC using Muay Thai and Sambo?

All and all. can someone who can afford only two disciplines make it to the top?

 

[Mr Wings]

Yes. They just gotta have a big mouth.

 

[Mr.Maelstrom]

They could also arrive by plane or car

 

[Randy Fandy Fo Fanders]

There are fighters with only one discipline making it to the top.

Brock, askren, Ngannou to name a few.

 

[Vil7]

They could also arrive by plane or car

In Russia they only have potato.

 

[this is my new account]

Yes. Both of those Arts will get you well rounded but you could have holes in areas but probably not. You would be a complete killer as a black belt level in these 2 ARTS

 

[Ogata]

There are fighters with only one discipline making it to the top.

Brock, askren, Ngannou to name a few.

Brock was from a previous generation since it was such a long time ago, Francis trains in wrestling, thai kickboxing, jujitsu and before that he did pure boxing.

 

[Slatersan]

Saying Sambo is pretty vague since a lot of those guys are also highly skilled wrestlers and judokas as well. If a guy came from sambo who was a well rounded sambist like Khabib then the answer is obviously hell yes theyd do well.

 

[Ogata]

Yes. Both of those Arts will get you well rounded but you could have holes in areas but probably not. You would be a complete killer as a black belt level in these 2 ARTS

Originally, Sambo looked a lot like judo. Almost the same with the exception of sambo having wrestling on top of judo. But now sambo doesn't do black belts. Muay Thai does not do black belts. Some crappy McDojo MMA places are doing watered down Muay thai with belts but they are shit schools.

My thing is, sambo has a bit of both in terms of stand up grappling submissions. Muay thai has all kinds of strikes but a bit flat footed.

 

[Nuclear Fallout]

I think most training facilities that aren't just for 1 single practice, train you in everything. So you train everything for 1 price instead of multiple places. But to answer your question, maybe. But not very far.

 

[Reileyb]

Absolutely, I mean I would hope that other training is in the works if they expect to make it far, but plenty of duds have made it into the UFC prelims and have gone after 1 or 2 fights.

 

[lyndon955]

There are fighters with only one discipline making it to the top.

Brock, askren, Ngannou to name a few.

Ah come on.

I'm not a Francis nut hugger but he's not just a striker. You don't hit a kimura the way he did on Hamilton with no BJJ knowledge, or deny Blaydes' takedowns for 2 rounds before forcing a doctors stoppage without having trained wrestling. Just because his striking is his bread and butter doesn't mean he just has one discipline.

 

[Domitian]

UFC has guys 3-1 fighting on the prelims. Probably not too hard to get in the Octagon.

 

[Domitian]

I think most training facilities that aren't just for 1 single practice, train you in everything. So you train everything for 1 price instead of multiple places. But to answer your question, maybe. But not very far.

Makes sense to train MMA if you want to be a MMA fighter.

 

[Jim Eagle]

Totally different stances

 

[JPhenomenal]

Who's ever had both?

 

[Vil7]

Usually Sambo players are much more boxing oriented. It is unusual for them to have a very good kicking game. Or at least it seems that way.

 

[RightToBareKnuckles]

I knew this would be an Ogata thread!

 

[Ogata]

UFC has guys 3-1 fighting on the prelims. Probably not too hard to get in the Octagon.

For real!?

Who made it to the UFC with 3-1 record?

Makes sense to train MMA if you want to be a MMA fighter.

Yes and no because individual arts have many layers to them and sometimes its best to focus on one art form so that you can get a grasp on the techniques. Another thing is, MMA is mixed martial arts and different MMA gyms might teach different forms of stand up and grappling. Some may teach dutch kickboxing and some thai style.

However there are MMA styles that have a parent hood. For example, Shootfighting is a mixed martial arts that revolves around Muay Thai/Japanese kickboxing and shootwrestling as its cultural roots. Yet the striking technique is palm based.

Vale Tudo is pure muay thai with either Brazilian jujitsu or Luta Liver for grappling.

Totally different stances

That is correct but perhaps a member of these two arts can fuse it with a help of an open minded trainer.

Who's ever had both?

Using it as an example. Pick boxing and judo or kickboxing and catch wrestling.

Usually Sambo players are much more boxing oriented. It is unusual for them to have a very good kicking game. Or at least it seems that way.

This is true, I just used it as an example. We can go with sambo and boxing for example.

 

[Sticko]

Who's ever had both?

I think Petr Yan has trained grappling in Dagestan (probably with a bunch of MMA/sambo guys) and Muay Thai in Thailand. He also seems to have a boxing background. Yan is very well-rounded.

As for OP's question, I think it's possible to be a complete MMA fighter with just MT and sambo. MT gives you well-rounded striking with punches, kicks, knees, elbows and clinching. Sambo gives you grappling that's basically a mix of wrestling and judo, so you have takedowns, sweeps, ground submissions, etc.