How early do mma fighters start learning mma?

[HuskySamoan]

In Ex-Soviet countries, kids start different martial arts from early childhood. Tis normal. Some kids start Sambo immediately, it's not that uncommon. Some sign up later, after years of learning something else, like wrestling or karate, tis true.

In ex Soviet countries when you say "karate" what does that mean? In the US our karate dojos are almost all entirely Kenpo even though people may often just call them karate. Most competition is touch karate that kids do too or points karate if you will. I'd imagine somewhere with a Kyokushin or Shotokan karate background would be better as they're more physical and true to fighting i think.

 

[Misanthropist]

It explains why 30+ years old rule the sport after yesrs of incorporating and training their main disciplines to others. Experience triumphs over everything unless if you’re Jon Jones.

 

[doggo]

Well what counts as "learning MMA" Ya know? Because a lot of these guys began picking up a martial art at 5-10 years old and were very talented and hopped around to others and began competing etc. By the time Khabib was 20 he was a Pankration champion, Sambo champion, Hand to Hand combat champion and had competed a ton in freestyle and trained extensively in Judo. Even Kyler Phillips, Sage Northcutt etc. A lot of these prospects I follow now are beginning their amateur careers around 14-16 years old pretty commonly and having 6-10+ amateur fights then turning pro. But they weren't new to combat sports at 14 a lot of the time, you get me?

It's the evolution of MMA right now, starting at a much younger age and having amateur experience before even turning 18 so you're aptly prepared for your debut. Khabib recruited Islam to train with his father when they were in 6th and 8th grade or something like that and both had already been training and competing before then too. Similarly with Umar and Usman. MMA is very multifaceted and I'd argue more athletically demanding than boxing, so it's not the same plus things like Wrestling, Judo, Kicking are way harder on your body than boxing other than cognitively. Bodies don't hold up the same in Mma as they do in boxing.

Anyways it's already happening, most of these guys aren't starting at 20 anymore. A lot of amateur fights and smokers also go undocumented. I could dig up dozens of examples too. And again, a lot of these guys started wrestling as young kids.

Thing is, if you are good enough to compete at a high level in boxing why even beat urself up in MMA.

The other combat sports probably do pay less than MMA though so guys that have been wrestling or kickboxing since they were very young will and do have an advantage over those who started MMA at 20 to lose weight or stay out of trouble. See how Adesanya is doing or how Khabib did when he was competing.

If MMA stays popular then eventually more complete talent will be showing up i suppose.

 

[HuskySamoan]

It explains why 30+ years old rule the sport after yesrs of incorporating and training their main disciplines to others. Experience triumphs over everything unless if you’re Jon Jones.

Experience doesn't always triumph over talent. And there's a huge difference between experience and dedication that becomes literally obsession. Not everyone trains the same, no everyone has the same opportunities or resources, not everyone stays healthy, not everyone is as talented, not everyone is as intelligent. Experience is but one of many significant factors. There's a lot of examples beyond Jon Jones, Volkanovski started very late for instance and it's a big reason he's peaking late at 34 but also...killer athlete, insanely dedicated and highly intelligent.

I've seen too many super athletic blue and purple belts who only have 18-24 months in the gym doing BJJ but they're completely devoted, 5 days a week...first ones in, last ones out. They go to open mats on the weekend and try to compete as often as possible. Compare them to a lot of brown and black belts who have been doing it for 5-10 years but never once grinded as hard...A lot of those blues and purples shellack the upper belts bad. Took Gunnar Nelson like 3 years to beat HW Black belts in BJJ who were actual competitors lol.

Experience is an important factor of course but psshhht.

 

[HeffDoesWant]

My youngest did his first bjj class just after he turned 4.

I don't want him to do mma at all, but if he does you could say that's when he started training.

 

[Bowel-forged Stool]

For me, I had achieved my purple belt in tae kwon do by the 5th grade, so you know I’ve got hands (and feet). Then I began the study of (pro)wrestling until Kevin Nash turned heel against Bill Goldberg. It broke my heart and defiantly hurt my career, but I am still undefeated and training ufc on Saturday nights

 

[kingmob6]

In ex Soviet countries when you say "karate" what does that mean? In the US our karate dojos are almost all entirely Kenpo even though people may often just call them karate. Most competition is touch karate that kids do too or points karate if you will. I'd imagine somewhere with a Kyokushin or Shotokan karate background would be better as they're more physical and true to fighting i think.

That's the thing with karate, it depends on the school itself, in America as well. I did full contact shotokan myself (we did almost 0 kata and just learnt how to fight), and where I lived, we had one of the strongest karate anywhere in the world, with a lot of world champions. Then I went to a shotokan school in america, and it sucked, it was entirely way too soft, and just not of sufficient quality for me. Wonderboy for example and his dad run a kenpo karate dojo, so that doesn't necessarily mean that it's bad, just depends on how its taught. Also, there is kenpo and kempo (there is a distinction). Also, point karate gets a bad rep as well to outsiders, but it has a lot of benefits and gives you a solid base and can be adjusted for a more well balanced fighting style quite easily.

 

[Sgt Smith]

Erick Silva started training MMA when he was 2 years old.

He's still so young. Give him time.

 

[jeff7b9]

Most of them... probably 9am.

 

[Dreyga Hates You Sherbums]

Watching Garcia/Tank, I thought it was crazy how Tank started boxing at 5 years old and Ryan Garcia started boxing at 7 and they both had 200+ amateur wins before they turned pro.
It seems that most ufc fighters start after 20. Do we think we'd see a higher level of mma if they started at an earlier age?

Most start at a base martial arts in childhood

GSP


Jon Jones


Ronda Rousey

 

[HuskySamoan]

That's the thing with karate, it depends on the school itself, in America as well. I did full contact shotokan myself (we did almost 0 kata and just learnt how to fight), and where I lived, we had one of the strongest karate anywhere in the world, with a lot of world champions. Then I went to a shotokan school in america, and it sucked, it was entirely way too soft, and just not of sufficient quality for me. Wonderboy for example and his dad run a kenpo karate dojo, so that doesn't necessarily mean that it's bad, just depends on how its taught. Also, there is kenpo and kempo (there is a distinction). Also, point karate gets a bad rep as well to outsiders, but it has a lot of benefits and gives you a solid base and can be adjusted for a more well balanced fighting style quite easily.

Yes I know all of this. I'm asking you what kinds of Karate are more popular or readily available in Russis? Or is it diversified? Or varied from region and if so maybe tell me about region? You answered everything but my question haha.

 

[kingmob6]

Yes I know all of this. I'm asking you what kinds of Karate are more popular or readily available in Russis? Or is it diversified? Or varied from region and if so maybe tell me about region? You answered everything but my question haha.

I can just tell you about the region I was part of, shotokan, kyokyshin, goju ryu, sport karate were the styles you see most often and they were available in many other parts of the former soviet union. However, in my school for example, we didn't practice the traditional karate by the book, so there is definitely modified schools. I have never seen kenpo anywhere haha. I would imagine in other regions, you would see something similar in dispersity, with some more rare styles popping up In Dagestan for example, there is a martial school of some sort at every corner. Did I answer your question?

 

[HuskySamoan]

I can just tell you about the region I was part of, shotokan, kyokyshin, goju ryu, sport karate were the styles you see most often and they were available in many other parts of the former soviet union. However, in my school for example, we didn't practice the traditional karate by the book, so there is definitely modified schools. I have never seen kenpo anywhere haha. I would imagine in other regions, you would see something similar in dispersity, with some more rare styles popping up In Dagestan for example, there is a martial school of some sort at every corner. Did I answer your question?

Yeah, I appreciate it too. I know a lot of fighters who did Goju Ryu but I don't know much about it, I believ in Gunnar Nelson does Goju Ryu. Makes sense, sounds like Karate is taught in general in a harder style geared for combat in Russia. I like some of the benefits of point karate, the emphasis on speed, timing, countering, distance management and footwork I just think in and of itself it tends to be very incomplete. A lot of US Dojos got sued when Karate and Judo started having a boom because kids were getting hurt, so they sissified things and made them safe.

Another thing, is Sanda at all popular in Russia and is Russia Muay Thai very different? Because I see MMA fighters from Russia and not just Umar and Usman who have a "muay thai" base but they're bouncing around and throwing the lead leg a lot in a way that reminds me more of karate.

 

[kingmob6]

Yeah, I appreciate it too. I know a lot of fighters who did Goju Ryu but I don't know much about it, I believ in Gunnar Nelson does Goju Ryu. Makes sense, sounds like Karate is taught in general in a harder style geared for combat in Russia. I like some of the benefits of point karate, the emphasis on speed, timing, countering, distance management and footwork I just think in and of itself it tends to be very incomplete. A lot of US Dojos got sued when Karate and Judo started having a boom because kids were getting hurt, so they sissified things and made them safe.

Another thing, is Sanda at all popular in Russia and is Russia Muay Thai very different? Because I see MMA fighters from Russia and not just Umar and Usman who have a "muay thai" base but they're bouncing around and throwing the lead leg a lot in a way that reminds me more of karate.

Some of the best muay thai fighters in the world are based in Russia, that is a fact. MT is very strong over there. Sanda is also fairly popular, but there is a lot more karate schools around in most regions. Goju Ryu is a traditional okinawan karate style, generally okinawan karate styles are tougher and better for self-defense, with a lot more conditioning and application. Karate Schools with "DO" added, are newer offshoots (there was a degeneration that happened early in the 20th century where a lot more kicks and standardization was added and original karate purpose was dilluted) and often have that olympic-centric softening that pussified the teachings. I have experienced the softness in USA personally, so I'm familiar with that. I can tell you that what I went through, and the training that I got just woudn't fly in the states (some aspects of it). There would be lawsuits for sure. However, there are still good schools here where legit, tough karate is being taught.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Some of the best muay thai fighters in the world are based in Russia, that is a fact. MT is very strong over there. Sanda is also fairly popular, but there is a lot more karate schools around in most regions. Goju Ryu is a traditional okinawan karate style, generally okinawan karate styles are tougher and better for self-defense, with a lot more conditioning and application. Karate Schools with "DO" added, are newer offshoots (there was a degeneration that happened early in the 20th century where a lot more kicks and standardization was added and original karate purpose was dilluted) and often have that olympic-centric softening that pussified the teachings. I have experienced the softness in USA personally, so I'm familiar with that. I can tell you that what I went through, and the training that I got just woudn't fly in the states (some aspects of it). There would be lawsuits for sure. However, there are still good schools here where legit, tough karate is being taught.

I am speaking generally of course, I have been to some good karate dojos even Kenpo ones in the US where they train their guys more seriously, have actual spars even include some practical grappling etc.

So I guess would you say that from karate being so popular in Russia that it seeps into the Muay Thai a bit?

 

[kingmob6]

I am speaking generally of course, I have been to some good karate dojos even Kenpo ones in the US where they train their guys more seriously, have actual spars even include some practical grappling etc.

So I guess would you say that from karate being so popular in Russia that it seeps into the Muay Thai a bit?

Combat sports are just popular in general, and muay thai being a very effective martial art, it has just naturally become widely available in ex-soviet/russian landscape of combat sports. Not so much as a product of karate, just as a stand-alone art just due to sheer effectiveness and usability. Boxing, wrestling are still staple products, and muay thai, judo, sambo and karate are secondary in popularity. Fathers take their sons to combat schools from early age to become men, it is a product of cultural upbringing, boys are supposed to be able to defend themselves. My father first took me to a wrestling school when I was 6 (due to certain circumstances outside of my control, I had to switch to karate a bit later)

 

[nonoob]

Rumored Khabib threw an arm bar and tapped out the delivery doctor.

The Eagle, trained, before birth.​