Teaching kickboxing the most lucrative gig for UFC fighters?

[Exarch01]

Kickboxing is definitely easier on the body. Hardly any way to get injured hitting bags, pads, or light sparring.

 

[BangBang]

No need for side gig, bro. Everybody knows you make millions when you enter the big league. UFC bigger than soccer.

If UFC was bigger than soccer then I'm sure you'd see UFC moms like soccer moms..implying no, UFC is not as big as soccer.

Or possibly I'm making too much of the mom thing.

 

[Luthien]

Hey that Hans guy had a Muay Thai fight in the most dangerous division!!

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Nobody cares about BJJ

 

[Iron Nick]

Most striking martial arts are more popular because they're way easier to understand, plus because they look more badass in most people's eyes.

 

[campbecc]

I'm surprised more former UFC fighters don't open up gyms and market them to normal people who train for fun, self defense and exercise. It seems like they would be able to draw people from other gyms if they advertise they fought in the UFC.

 

[DoctorTaco]

I noticed that in MMA gyms the kickboxing classes are packed like crazy. Grappling classes have people but nowhere near kickboxing classes.

When it comes to teaching, is kickboxing best discipline to teach in order to make money?

I mean karate dojos teach kick boxing and kung fu places are doing more san shou. Taekwondo dojangs are also doing kickboxing as well.

Yes. Cardio bag classes and kids programs are the financial back bone of any successful MMA gym.

 

[seanb1979]

Kickboxing is easy to market to more people. Fighters, fat loss, martial artists, self defense, etc.

Not everyone wants to roll on the ground with a bunch of sweaty and smelly dudes that are trying to snap their limbs and crush them with pressure.

Even less people will want to do stand up grappling.

Yeah this. I loved BJJ but it takes a hard toll. I came out of it with two surgeries, some have a lot more problems. Light sparring is a lot easier to do than light rolling.

 

[DrunkZombie]

You can tell none of the people in this thread have been in a real gym before. BJJ is super popular with kids, soccer moms and officer worker Joe. BJJ is the new karate and moneymaker for family friendly martial arts. Unless you go to a kickboxing exclusive gym most MMA gyms make a shit tone of money off BJJ classes.

 

[GolovKing]

Yeah stand up grappling is really important but that also means it is very hard. Most people don’t want that. Most people was easy and safe.

Stand up grappling is just dangerous as fuck, whether drilling or live training. The risk to reward ratio just isn't there unless you're really young with less chance for injury or are someone who's legit trying to be a fighter. Normal people who are working adults aren't going to run that risk of becoming injured and unable to work

 

[Slatersan]

Stand up grappling is just dangerous as fuck, whether drilling or live training. The risk to reward ratio just isn't there unless you're really young with less chance for injury or are someone who's legit trying to be a fighter. Normal people who are working adults aren't going to run that risk of becoming injured and unable to work

Yes exactly

 

[Ogata]

Your first question was about teaching for the masses (or at least that’s how I read it), but this post suggests your asking about people training for actual fights.

Which is it?

People learn martial arts for self defense and protection. Why wouldn't someone want to learn stand up grappling since it's effective for MMA and the streets.

 

[Kertol]

You really think a gi is more expensive then buying gear for kickboxing?

With just the gloves alone you can get 3-4 gis. That's not counting shin pads with foot coverings and headgear.

BJJ gis are pretty expensive. Kickboxing gear is not really that expensive unless you buy name brand.

 

[Turdbucket]

Kickboxing makes people feel good so it is the right thing for money. They end up useless at fighting though if not taking it to the top level. Better to go karate or boxing for selfdefence so whatever lands hurts at least. But most people never get into fights so why not sell empowerment instead. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Th3Sav4ge]

Kickboxing is easy to market to more people. Fighters, fat loss, martial artists, self defense, etc.

Not everyone wants to roll on the ground with a bunch of sweaty and smelly dudes that are trying to snap their limbs and crush them with pressure.

Even less people will want to do stand up grappling.

this is the evolution of boxing. Hands only but with standing subs no ground.

 

[Azure]

Stand up grappling? So takedowns and defending them? Judo? Wrestling etc? Because they call clinch fighting vertical grappling.

Yeah, a lot of gyms have you roll starting on your knees and very few gyms offer proper wrestling or judo classes ontop of BJJ or no gi, they often just toss in bits of wrestling/judo within those BJJ and no gi classes. To be fair theres a lot of issues with fighting for takedowns. Depending on claws and mat size, space is an issue, theres a super high risk of injury compared to starting on the knees and...its super difficult, physical, grueling , rough. It is super important for a fighter or self defense though.

At our Judo club most adults that join last 2-3 weeks and quit. I would say 20% make it to a year and less than 1% ever stick it out to get their BB.

 

[HuskySamoan]

At our Judo club most adults that join last 2-3 weeks and quit. I would say 20% make it to a year and less than 1% ever stick it out to get their BB.

Went to a Judo academy in Orange County California a month or two ago and they asked me to stop shooting in on their legs, so I was bodylocking the shit out of their black and brown belts. It was a sort of open mat thing. The rules of Judo kinda suck since banned singles and doubles and not being able to clasp your hands....Clasping hands is one of the most dominant aspects or grappling.

 

[Azure]

Went to a Judo academy in Orange County California a month or two ago and they asked me to stop shooting in on their legs, so I was bodylocking the shit out of their black and brown belts. It was a sort of open mat thing. The rules of Judo kinda suck since banned singles and doubles and not being able to clasp your hands....Clasping hands is one of the most dominant aspects or grappling.

Agree that the rule changes over the last few years are not great.. They say it was to promote throws but for me it was to prevent the old Russian\Georgian style judo and help the more traditional Japaneses style

 

[HuskySamoan]

Agree that the rule changes over the last few years are not great.. They say it was to promote throws but for me it was to prevent the old Russian\Georgian style judo and help the more traditional Japaneses style

I listened to a Gokor Chivichyan interview today and was interested to hear him say as an Olympic level Judoka and Sambo champion "without the gi, Judo is 50% less effective" and "all Judokas must train out of gi too". Also he confirmed my suspicion that they wouldnt allow him to compete in UFC 1 due to the likelihood he could defeat Royce.

 

[Rdude92]

Stand up grappling? So takedowns and defending them? Judo? Wrestling etc? Because they call clinch fighting vertical grappling.

Yeah, a lot of gyms have you roll starting on your knees and very few gyms offer proper wrestling or judo classes ontop of BJJ or no gi, they often just toss in bits of wrestling/judo within those BJJ and no gi classes. To be fair theres a lot of issues with fighting for takedowns. Depending on claws and mat size, space is an issue, theres a super high risk of injury compared to starting on the knees and...its super difficult, physical, grueling , rough. It is super important for a fighter or self defense though.

True. Im a judoka myself and injuries come hand in hand with the sport if youre old as fck. Thats why im of the opinion, unless your an enthusiast, never learn judo/wrestling/sambo if youre above the age of 35. Those bones that you break may affect your day to day life tremendously