Grappling Stance vs Boxing Stance for MMA

[gracie_barra_samurai]

New coaches tend to say that MMA fighters should start off training grappling from their boxing stance.

However, a lot of the greatest wrestlers/grapplers in MMA use the traditional right foot forward when grappling/wrestling.

Any feedback or insight on this?

An advantage I see from training grappling in the southpaw stance is that it gets you used to moving the feet in both stances, which gives a good base to build switch hitting from.

 

[ChickenBrother]

IMO grappling from your boxing stance makes the most sense. I've never fought MMA but have trained with MMA guys for a long time and have competed in boxing, wrestling, Judo and BJJ. I learned to box orthodox but in grappling sports, I defaulted to TDs off a southpaw stance. That's not ideal if you want to combine them for MMA. My striking from southpaw is ass, as are my TDs from orthodox.

In practice you should have chains and combos when circling to either side in both striking and grappling, but it would be better if you're used to starting from the same side in both disciplines. Just off the top of my head, o soto gari off a jab from orthodox against an opponent standing in orthodox is easy money.

 

[gracie_barra_samurai]

IMO grappling from your boxing stance makes the most sense. I've never fought MMA but have trained with MMA guys for a long time and have competed in boxing, wrestling, Judo and BJJ. I learned to box orthodox but in grappling sports, I defaulted to TDs off a southpaw stance. That's not ideal if you want to combine them for MMA. My striking from southpaw is ass, as are my TDs from orthodox.

In practice you should have chains and combos when circling to either side in both striking and grappling, but it would be better if you're used to starting from the same side in both disciplines. Just off the top of my head, o soto gari off a jab from orthodox against an opponent standing in orthodox is easy money.

I think what you're saying about practicing to both sides is the best way. It seems like there's advantages to being fluid between stances, especially as defence is getting better.

When you look at the Dagestanis grappling, they're usually doing it opposite stance but are competent in both from sambo and mma. Usman and Umar are good examples as they're like the 2.0 versions of the Abdulmanap crew and I'm pretty sure they're both right handed but they look like natural southpaws when they use it.

 

[ChickenBrother]

I think what you're saying about practicing to both sides is the best way. It seems like there's advantages to being fluid between stances, especially as defence is getting better.

When you look at the Dagestanis grappling, they're usually doing it opposite stance but are competent in both from sambo and mma. Usman and Umar are good examples as they're like the 2.0 versions of the Abdulmanap crew and I'm pretty sure they're both right handed but they look like natural southpaws when they use it.

We can agree that everyone's final form is being good at everything from everywhere, with proficient TDs from either side. Dagestanis are a good example. But I disagree that purposely learning boxing from orthodox and TDs from southpaw is BETTER, at least initially. Better to learn both from the same side so you're at least proficient at everything from one stance, then build off that base to get better rounded. It's like the MMA analogy of starting from a strong base in one discipline vs. training everything at once from the start. Better to be good at something (while crosstraining other disciplines), than to suck at everything.

 

[rmongler]

A lot of grappling focused fighters train their striking with their strong side forwards, the same as their grappling, for this reason.

 

[Fluffernutter]

I stand with my shooting leg in front

 

[shunyata]

I usually come out orthodox in grappling and looking to enter a clinch.

I was kickboxing and training mma in my first years doing jiu jitsu as an adult and it just felt better that way even without strikes.

I am right handed but have been described as "left footed". When snowboarding the left foot in the rear feels better, in grappling I'm leading with the strong leg (L). Kicks are a lot better with the left. I have a better jab with the left side leading and my right hand is the rear/power hand for both grappling gripfighting and kickboxing.

By leading left while right handed, instead of pawing or clubbing my right to get a collar tie as a lead I can get a grip with my left hand on wrest / tricep etc and then enter into collar tie or underhook with my right hand.