Tag: Combat

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated BJJ gym in Singapore.

The sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has its fair share of top athletes from all over the world. Every year, competitors face each other to earn the top spot, not only in their respective weight classes but also in their chosen field, whether it be Gi or No-Gi. 

In No-Gi grappling, only one event determines who the best of the best is – this is the Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Fighting World Championship, more commonly known as the ADCC World Championship. The ADCC World Championship is considered the World Cup of No-Gi grappling and hosts combat athletes from many disciplines, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Wrestling, Catch Wrestling, Sambo, Shooto, MMA, and others. 

This tournament was initially hosted in Abu Dhabi but is now held in other countries as well. In this article, we’ll talk about some of the most memorable matches in the history of this legendary event. 

What Makes ADCC Matches Unique?

The ruleset of a typical ADCC match is different in that the first half of the match does not allow positive points, and the second half is open to both positive and negative points. This creates a more strategic battleground for athletes to use and take advantage of. 

Also, athletes can only compete in the ADCC World Championship if they place in the Regional Trials or get an invitation to join said tournament. This means that the ones who get in are the best the world has to offer. That said, here are some of the best matches in the history of the ADCC World Championship.

1) Ricardo Arona Vs Ricardo Almeida – ADCC 2001

This is a classic match between two OGs of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. Ricardo Arona is a four-time ADCC Champion and is known for his undefeated record of 13–0, in which he never lost a point. On the other hand, Ricardo Almeida is a black belt under Renzo Gracie and has fought in the world’s largest organizations, such as the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championship, and Pancrase. The match was a back and forth affair showcasing Arona’s suffocating top game and Almeida’s technical Jiu-Jitsu. Ricardo Arona took the win, but it was certainly a great match from both grapplers. 

2) Dean Lister Vs Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira – ADCC 2003

This is an excellent introduction to the early beginnings of the leglock game in ADCC. Dean Lister is considered one of the central figures in developing the leglock game in modern grappling and MMA. Cacareco is a veteran of many organizations like the UFC, RINGS, and Jungle Fight. 

The match started with both competitors patiently sizing each other out with distance management, as well as fighting for wrist control. It was mostly a highly technical display for the duration of the match. The match’s highlight was Lister’s leglock attempt after the reset, where he immediately grabbed Cacareco’s right leg and went straight for the attack. He eventually secured the submission by catching Cacareco with an inverted heel hook.

3) Eddie Bravo Vs Royler Gracie – ADCC 2003

This match launched Eddie Bravo to the BJJ superstar he is today. The match was held in 2003 in São Paulo, Brazil. Eddie was still a brown belt at that time, and Royler Gracie was one of the favorites to win their division. 

The first half of the match was all Royler, with his aggressive knee cut attempts to pass Eddie’s guard. Eddie countered with his patented half-guard game to slow down Gracie. The key moment of the match was when Eddie was able to get an overhook from his jailbreak recovery and secured wrist control on Royler’s right hand. This allowed him to enter the triangle position and eventually secure the choke. Eddie Bravo eventually lost to Leo Vieira by points, but the sheer impact of this win was more than enough to prove that Eddie was here to stay. 

4) Roger Gracie Vs Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza – ADCC 2005

This was a clash of titans as the Gi GOAT, Roger Gracie, battled multiple-time IBJJF and ADCC World Champion Jacare Souza. The match started with both athletes working on collar ties to improve their position. Roger snapped Jacare’s head and went for the guillotine, but Jacare defended against that and they landed on guard. They engaged on guard, but no advancement in position was achieved. 

They reset to the standing position. Jacare was able to get Roger’s back from the standing position and took him down with a beautiful takedown. They go back and forth, only to go back to the stand up. Roger was able to get Jacare’s back from a failed takedown attempt. He got his hooks in, transitioned to a body triangle, and choked out Jacare with a standing rear-naked choke! An absolute masterclass from both Roger Gracie and Jacare Souza. 

Both went on to continue their careers in BJJ and made the jump to mixed martial arts competition a few years later, with Roger becoming the ONE Light Heavyweight Champion in 2016 and Jacare the Strikeforce Middleweight Champion in 2010.

5) Robert Drysdale Vs Marcelo Garcia – ADCC 2007

This is a stunning match with Brazilian-American Robert Drysdale beating the one and only Marcelo Garcia. The match was a technical battle, with both athletes employing their best techniques to gain an advantage. Marcelo gets the single leg from the armdrag, but Robert Drysdale defends, and they reset. Marcelo shoots for another single leg to his opponent’s right leg. Drysdale counters with a vicious D’Arce choke and secures the tap. A highly impressive win by Robert Drysdale. That same year, Gracie Magazine named him the best Submission Wrestler in the World.

6) Marcelo Garcia Vs Kron Gracie – ADCC 2011

This match was held in beautiful Nottingham, England. Here we see two of the best vying for the win. Kron Gracie is the son of Rickson Gracie and is a very accomplished grappler himself. Marcelo Garcia is a multiple-time IBJJF and ADCC champion and is widely considered one of the best gi and no-gi practitioners of all time. 

The match started with Marcelo securing a clean takedown from an armdrag. Most of the match was Kron working from his closed guard. Kron’s closed guard is one of his primary weapons, and this match showed how tough it is to crack. Eventually, the match ends with Marcelo getting the win via points.

7) Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu Vs Keenan Cornelius – ADCC 2013

This is a great match between the always game Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu and lapel wizard Keenan Cornelius. Cyborg is a veteran of the sport who competes in the heavier weight classes. He is known for his cat-like agility despite his large physique. Keenan is one of the innovators of the sport and has developed a tricky guard system based on using the lapel. 

The first half of the match was Keenan playing open guard while Cyborg tried to pass. There was a point where Cyborg was able to pass the guard and take the back. The latter part was more of a stand-up fight, where Cyborg was able to retake the back from a failed takedown and finished with a choke.

8) Davi Ramos Vs Lucas Lepri – ADCC 2015

Here we see multiple-time IBJJF champion Lucas Lepri competing against the very tough Davi Ramos. Both are highly accomplished grapplers, but Lepri was highly favored to win as he won many tournaments leading up to ADCC 2015. 

Both started the match aggressively, with Lepri working on his armdrags and Ramos applying heavy collar ties. Lepri sat down and waited for Ramos to attack. The ending was an absolute shocker as Davi Ramos got the tap via flying armbar while Lepri was playing guard. A short and sweet match that definitely deserves its place on this list.

9) Xande Ribeiro Vs Craig Jones – ADCC 2017

It was a clash of generations as one of the OGs, Xande Ribeiro, grappled the then rising star, Craig Jones. Xande Ribeiro is a bonafide icon of the sport. He has defeated the who’s who in the competition circuit, and his longevity is something that all grapplers should aspire to have. Craig Jones is an Australian grappler who burst onto the scene with his creative finishes from the ashi garami and back positions.

A considerable portion of the match was fought on the mat. Craig played his Z guard almost the whole match while Xande worked on passing. The key moment of this match was when Xande was able to complete a takedown, thus getting two points with a minute left on the clock. Craig tried to engage, but time ran out. Xande Ribeiro took home the win and the ADCC 2017 bronze medal. 

10) Gordon Ryan Vs Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida – ADCC 2019

Perhaps one of the most memorable matches in recent memory, as No-Gi superstar Gordon Ryan grappled the one and only Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida in the ADCC 2019 Absolute Finals. At that point, many considered Gordon Ryan as the best pound-for-pound No-Gi grappler on the planet. Buchecha, on the other hand, had already established himself as one of the greatest grapplers to ever live. 

It was a very technical match, with both athletes showing their skills for the world to see. Buchecha did a wonderful job of managing distance as Gordon tried to enter the ashi garami position. By the end of regulation, it was still 0-0, and the match went to overtime. Buchecha received a negative point for passivity in overtime. This was enough for Gordon Ryan to secure the win and claim ADCC gold.

Conclusion

The ADCC World Championship’s history is filled with excellent matches such as these. We recommend that you watch these 10 matches to gain new insights on techniques and have a deeper appreciation of the athletes who competed in this prestigious tournament. 

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated MMA gym in Singapore.

Wrestling is one of those martial arts that has been around for ages, and it is arguably the best base for mixed martial arts. There are two main styles of wrestling nowadays: Greco-Roman and freestyle.

A Brief History Of Greco-Roman And Freestyle Wrestling

Despite being named after two ancient civilizations, Greco-Roman style is actually quite recent. This style of wrestling began in France in the early nineteenth century to incorporate ancient values into the sport. The name “Greco-Roman” was used to purport that this style of wrestling is similar to styles used by ancient civilizations around the Mediterranean Sea, especially during the ancient Greek Olympics. Greco-Roman wrestling is practiced worldwide and was first part of the Olympic Games in 1896. It has continued to be part of the summer Olympics since 1908.

Freestyle wrestling is a grappling style that is also practiced worldwide. This style of wrestling has links to “catch-as-catch-can” styles of wrestling, which involve using almost any technique to throw down and pin your opponent in order to win. Freestyle wrestling brings together the different traditional wrestling styles of sambo and judo.

Differences Between Greco-Roman And Freestyle Wrestling

Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling have some key similarities but also differences. Both involve grappling with an opponent, takedowns, and turns with the aim of pinning an opponent. The major differences between these two styles of wrestling include the following:

1) Legs

One of the main differences between these two styles of wrestling is that Greco-Roman forbids any holds below the waist, but freestyle wrestling allows you to use your legs as both defensive and offensive weapons. You can also use a double leg or single leg takedown to pin your opponent to the mat. Because of this major difference, these two wrestling styles use vastly different strategies and techniques.

Since you cannot use your legs to secure a takedown in Greco-Roman wrestling, you will have to rely a lot more on headlocks, body locks, and arm drags. Most Greco-Roman wrestlers also rely on an offensive technique known as a suplex, during which you lift your opponent in a high arch while they fall backward. Even while on the mat, you are not allowed to use your legs. Therefore, you have to use other techniques, such as a gut-wrench and body locks, to turn your opponent’s shoulders to the mat.

2) Accompanying An Opponent To The Canvas

Another major difference is how you throw your opponent to the ground. In freestyle wrestling, you can simply toss the opponent and regain contact with them afterward when they are on the canvas in order to secure a favorable position. With Greco-Roman wrestling, however, you have to maintain contact with your opponent throughout the takedown for it to count. As a Greco-Roman grappler, you have to accompany your opponent to the canvas. If you lose contact with them, the referee will stop the illegal hold immediately.

3) Escaping A Hold

Escaping from a hold involves refusing any contact with an opponent to stop them from initiating a hold. If you do this during a freestyle wrestling match, the referee will charge you. This may also happen during Greco-Roman wrestling, but this style has rules regulating fleeing a hold while on the ground. Since you cannot grasp your opponent’s legs in Greco-Roman wrestling, your opponent has to ensure they do not put you in a position where you have to do so. This means that if your opponent ends up on the ground, they cannot move forward to escape because this action will force you to hold your opponent’s thighs.

4) Ordered hold

During freestyle wrestling matches, if you and your opponent do not score any points after wrestling for some time, the referee may grant an ordered hold. A random draw is held to determine which wrestler gets the advantage. If you lose this draw, you have to put a leg in the middle of the main circle, while the other leg stays outside. This gives your opponent a very clear chance to take you down, which would give them a score in that round. If, as a disadvantaged wrestler, you do not allow them to take you down, you win that round.

The rules are a bit different for Greco. If the two of you have not scored any points after wresting for some time, both of you will alternate going into a parterre position. This position involves one wrestler on their knees and hands in the center of a circle, while their opponent positions themselves behind, either with one knee on the ground or standing. The wrestler with the lead after the standing portion of that round wins the parterre advantage.

If you want to participate in mixed martial arts, a background in wrestling is a significant advantage. In the UFC, the most common takedowns are the single leg and double leg, which means that freestyle wrestling has been proven to be very effective inside the cage. Standing clinch positions are common in MMA, so Greco-Roman style wrestling skills can be very helpful as well.

Greco-Roman wrestlers are better at slamming bodies, but freestyle wrestlers typically shoot and defend shots better than their Greco-Roman counterparts. Despite their differences, both styles have been proven to be very effective inside the cage.

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated Muay Thai gym in Singapore.

Muay Thai has a fierce beauty evident in every strike, split-second block, and sweep. This is one of many reasons the discipline commands a loyal and enthusiastic following. Spectators also love the variety of techniques that come alive in your average Muay Thai fight.

Competitive Muay Thai fighters weave together technique and talent to showcase the grace, simplicity, and raw power of their craft. It would be interesting to see how the top fighters of the modern era add to the breadth and depth of Muay Thai. Today, we’ll take a look at the best professional fighters of this era.

Making The List

Skill and talent go a long way in making a professional martial artist. Hard work and consistency are equally important when pursuing a combat sport at a competitive level. There’s even an argument to be made that putting in the work trumps talent on many counts.

These qualities are common to the Muay Thai fighters that we talk about in the upcoming sections. Together, natural talent and a strong work ethic combine to give us Muay Thai warriors that continue to elevate the sport. Here are 20 of the best Muay Thai fighters of the modern era you must know.

1) Nong-O Gaiyanghadao

Nong-O is a seven-time Muay Thai champion who also happens to be an instructor at Evolve MMA in Singapore. After winning the titles, he went on a three-year hiatus to take up life as a Muay Kru, or instructor. He resumed his competitive career in 2018 and went on to win the ONE Muay Thai Bantamweight Championship.

A career that includes teaching and competing has given Nong-O a unique mastery of his craft. Nong-O fights with a calculated and technical style, punctuated with explosive yet surgical attacks. Many of his matches are masterpieces that belong in the annals of Muay Thai.

2) Panpayak Jitmuangnon

Panpayak is a martial artist and Muay Thai instructor from Thailand who is now an instructor at Evolve MMA in Singapore. He holds four Lumpinee stadium championship titles and two Rajadamnern titles. These achievements saw him win the Thai Fighter of The Year award three times in a row.

Panpayak often goes up against elite fighters like Superlek, and he wins way more matches than he loses. His current record stands at 247 wins against 41 losses. He uses an orthodox boxing stance and a tactical approach to fend off and counter his opponents.

3) Superlek Kiatmoo9

Superlek holds two Muay Thai world championship titles, and his kicking techniques play a large part in his success.

The fighter’s pedigree explains the start of his Muay Thai career. As the nephew of the famous Muay Thai World Champion Singdam, Superlek spent his childhood with his uncle at the Kiatmoo9 gym. So Superlek did what any kid would do at a Muay Thai gym: he trained.

Superlek started his training at the age of eight, which means that he spent years honing his technique. The result is kicks that are swift, precise, devastating, and absolutely fun to watch. A Superlek bout always comes through with a flurry of calculated strikes. 

4) Rodtang Jitmuangnon

Many elite Muay Thai fighters start martial arts training at a young age, and this includes Rodtang. The fighter started his Muay Thai training as a timid seven-year-old. He would soon attain the skill level to start making money off his craft. 

At 14, Rodtang moved from his home in north-east Thailand to Bangkok.  There he joined the Jitmuangnon gym as a full-time member of the competitive team.

Rodtang stands out because of his endurance and aggressive approach. This elite fighter loves going after opponents with a hail of strikes that lower their defenses and leave them open. He can absorb and fend off an attack with the same skill that he dishes out the pain. Rodtang is a fan favorite, and his fights will keep you at the figurative edge of your seat.

5) Janet Todd

Todd is an American Muay Thai kickboxer and the current ONE Kickboxing World Champion in her weight division. She also holds the 2017 Pan-American championship title in her weight division. The straw-weight fighter has 38 wins against 11 losses, with eight of her wins being knockouts.

She is an orthodox (right-handed) boxer with a calculated fighting style that serves her well in the ring.

6) Sangmanee Sathian Muay Thai Gym

Sangmanee holds multiple titles from the fiercely competitive Thai stadium circuit. His martial arts career boasts seven championship wins across several weight classes.

Sangmanee started his Muay Thai career as a six-year-old, training and competing in the countryside of northeast Thailand. His father personally handled training and arranged matches until young Sangmanee turned seven. The young fighter soon took up training at the Sor Tienpo gym. At age 15, Sangmanee would join the 13 Coins gym in Bangkok. He would go on to win many bouts as a member of the 13 Coins team.

Sangmanee is a southpaw and a strategic fighter, assets that deliver victories against the best Muay Thai fighters in the game. He holds wins against champions like Superlek, which is no easy feat. Sangmanee now trains at the Sathian Muay Thai Gym.

7) Rungkit Wor.Sanprapai

A seven-year-old Rungkit comes across children sparring and decides to join in. He started training and transitioned to competitive Muay Thai at 12. The rest is history, as the Muay Thai historians say.

Rungkit is a technical Muay Thai fighter who uses a combination of strategy and force to impose his will. His Muay Femur style won him five championship titles between 2016 and 2018. As an elite fighter, Rungkit has had classics against warriors like Superlek and Sangmanee.

8) Kongklai AnnyMuayThai

There’s a genre of Muay Thai fights where the underdog gains the upper hand in the end. Kongklai is the type of fighter who bounces back when his opponent seems to be winning. His fights keep audiences at the edge of their seats, wondering whether he’ll recover from his opponent’s continuous assault. In the end, Kongklai gets his fans on their feet with short, brutal comebacks.

This entertaining fighting style won Kongklai the 2020 Fighter of The Year Award from the Sports Authority of Thailand. Kongklai has more than five Muay Thai championship titles under his belt, thanks to a knack for serving knockouts and his tactical approach.

9) Capitan Petchyindee Academy

It’s no surprise that many champions on this list happen to hail from the Thai countryside. Muay Thai is an aspect of Thailand’s culture that goes beyond championship titles and flashing lights. It is into this culture that Anueng Khatthamarasri is born. He would grow up to become Capitan, one of the best Muay Thai fighters in the sport.

Capitan has an aggressive, strategic fighting style. He has a talent for learning and adapting to his opponents’ tactics on the fly. Capitan is also versatile, and he will use whatever opening and whatever ‘weapon’ that gives him an advantage. He can knock out an opponent with a precision kick or do it with a devastating punch. This skill set secures Capitan a place among today’s elite Muay Thai fighters.

10) Marie Ruumet

Ruumet is an Estonian kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter whose ferocious strikes unfold with the grace of a ballet dancer. She can mount a swift attack with a combination of powerful elbows, knees, and kicks. Her speed, reach, and technique combine into a devastating blitz that keeps you glued to your screen.

She is a strategic fighter who enters the ring with a plan and sets about destroying her opponent’s defenses. Ruumet will then switch up her fighting style to keep her opponent guessing. She is also flexible enough to counter and convert most strikes from her opponent. So far, Ruumet seems to have a bright future ahead of her.

11) Anissa Meksen

Meksen is a former Flyweight World Professional Muay Thai champion. She also holds two Glory kickboxing championship titles in the bantamweight division.

As a professional Savate, kickboxing, and Muay Thai fighter, Meksen has a powerful fighting style. She is swift, graceful, and precise with her strikes, which makes her a formidable opponent for most.

12) Tawanchai P.K. Saenchai Muaythaigym

This is a technical, strategic fighter who anticipates and counters his opponent’s moves. Like most competitors who practice the Muay Femur style, Tawanchai leverages precision techniques and fight IQ to gain an advantage.

Tawanchai mounts a solid defense and will seize every possible opening to deliver devastating attacks. He changes his fighting style from one match to the next. After studying his opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, he crafts a unique game plan.

Tawanchai has taken his skills to the global stage as he looks for new adventures after winning multiple championship titles in his native Thailand.

13) Iman Barlow

Barlow practices Muay Thai and kickboxing, a combination that comes together to create an effective fighting style. The Barlows ran a Muay Thai gym in their backyard, and this is where young Iman got her first taste of the sport. She would hang out at the gym as a baby, learning how to kick and throw a punch as soon as she could walk on her own.

The British fighter would travel to Thailand to compete in Muay Thai tournaments as a child. She would soon gain years of experience and a pressing attack style that’s fun to watch. Barlow is a one-time Bantamweight World Professional Muay Thai champion. She has a talent for winning decisive victories, sometimes by knockout.

14)  Jonathan Haggerty

Haggerty is a British Muay Thai fighter who makes the list because of his tactical and strategic approach. He introduces his unique take on Muay Thai, which only adds to the richness of the sport. Haggerty has relatively few fights to his name, and yet he won the 2019 ONE Flyweight Muay Thai Championship title against the more seasoned Sam-A.

Haggerty has an aggressive fighting style that involves a balanced mix of punches, elbows, and kicks. The Brit seems the type who learns and evolves with every match. His unique Muay Thai style makes him one of the more entertaining fighters to watch. 

15) Kiewpayak Jitmuangnon

The Sports Authority of Thailand awarded Kiewpayak with the 2019 Fighter of the year title. Kiewpayak also holds the 2016 Lumpinee Stadium Flyweight Championship title. He has a technical, right-handed (orthodox) fighting style with fast strikes. This fighting style allows Kiewpayak to mount blitz attacks that take a lot of skill to fend off.

16) Sawsing Sor Sopit

Sawsing is a featherweight Muay Thai fighter who started her training at nine. She is the 2013 World Professional Muay Thai champion in her weight class.

This technical fighter from northern Thailand uses a balanced mix of punches and powerful kicks to devastating effect. Her technique has won her five championship titles across different Asian and European Muay Thai tournaments.

17) Superbon Singha Mawynn

He is one of the best kickboxers of the modern era, thanks to his ability to land accurate and devastating kicks. Superbon is a veteran with years of experience who started in the amateur Muay Thai circuit. He got a lucky break as he struggled to balance school, finances, and a fledgling martial arts career.

Just as he was about to quit Muay Thai, Superbon met Buakaw Banchamek, a kickboxing and Muay Thai legend. Buakaw asked Superbon to train and compete under the Banchamek name.

The training paid off, and Superbon developed a swift, aggressive striking style. This evolution in Superbon’s skill secured wins against champions like Sittichai SitsongPeenong.

18) Prajanchai P.K.Saenchaimuaythaigym

Prajanchai holds six Muay Thai championship titles, with four wins coming from the super-competitive stadium circuit. He is a technical fighter with an adaptive fighting style that features right-handed boxing.

His technical approach to Muay Thai gives him a versatility that allows him to succeed as a boxer.

19) Tapaokaew Singmawin

Tapaokaew is a Muay Khao (knee) fighter with an explosive fighting style that is exciting to watch. He often mounts aggressive attacks to keep his opponents on the defensive. Tapaokaew competes and wins in the stadium circuit, often in the lightweight division.

20) Ferrari Fairtex

This welterweight Muay Thai fighter has an impressive record, winning fights against champions like Sangmanee Sor Tiempo and Tapaokaew. He competes in the Thai stadium circuit, and he continues to hone his technical fighting style with each bout.

Ferrari is a right-handed Muay Femur with graceful, fluid execution that makes for a solid defense. He also mounts pressing attacks that can end in the odd knockout victory.

Elite Muay Thai Fighters Showcase The Art In The Discipline

Watching elite Muay Thai fighters is almost as fulfilling as getting in the ring yourself. Each fighter in this list contributes to the evolution and growth of the sport. Check out their bouts for inspiration or tips on how to level up your Muay Thai game.

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated MMA gym in Singapore.

Controversial scorecards have always been a problem in combat sports, and mixed martial arts isn’t exempt from this reality. Given the many metrics used to score MMA fights like effective aggression, ground control, and cage control, it’s an unavoidable reality. These metrics are subjective, and this often leads to judges scoring the same fight differently. 

One of the things that have been proposed to help reduce the impact of controversial fight cards is adopting an open scoring system. 

What Is Open Scoring?

The conventional way of scoring mixed martial arts competitions involves judges scoring each round independently using a 10-point scoring system and tallying up the winner of each round to determine the winner of the fight. 

The scores for each round are only known to each judge until the scorecards are added up at the end of the fight. This leaves fighters and their corners left guessing who the winner of each round is. MMA fighters like Max Holloway have been quite vocal about switching over to a scoring system that gives fighters more real-time information during fights. 

With an open-scoring system, judges would have to share their scores for each round as the fight progresses. That way, fans and fighters would have a clear idea of who’s winning the fight. It’s a massive benefit for fighters since it lets them know when to turn things up a notch to make up for lost rounds. 

While open scoring seems like the obvious progression for mixed martial arts, there are some good arguments against using such a system. These include:

1) It Can Lead To Less Entertaining Fights 

Mixed martial arts is more than just a sport. It is a multi-billion dollar industry that makes its money by keeping fans entertained. An open scoring system can lead to fights becoming less entertaining. 

For example, a fighter who knows they are up two rounds on the judges’ scorecards might decide to take the third and final round of a fight off. This already occurs under the current scoring system when some fighters know they are clearly ahead on the scorecards. The practice of taking rounds off will undoubtedly become more common under an open scoring system.

2) Leaves Judges Exposed To Outside Influences 

Real-time open scoring could leave judges vulnerable to the influence of promoters, trainers, fans, and fighters. This already occurs in sports like tennis, where judges receive lots of abuse for controversial decisions. MMA fans are known to be quite vocal when they disagree with scorecards, and that wouldn’t change under open scoring. 

Just imagine a judge who scores the first round of a fight for Fighter A and receives loud boos from the crowd and harsh words from the promoter. That judge is less likely to stick to the same criteria they used to score that round for following rounds since they might try to appease those who disagree with their scores. Some athletic commissions have proposed ways around this. 

For example, the Kansas Athletic Commission proposed collecting each round’s scores and showing them to the corners and promoters. The names of the judges wouldn’t be on the list, just the scores. That way, the fighter knows where they stand, and the judges don’t have to worry about being harassed by fans or trainers during or after the fight.

While there are some decent arguments against switching to open scoring systems, many would argue that the benefits of using an open scoring system negate the drawbacks. Some of the arguments in favor of open scoring include:

1) Allowing For More Effective Strategies

We’ve all watched fights where we have suspected a fighter’s corner was lying to them or oblivious to how the fight is going. From our point of view, the fighter is down on the scorecards, but their corner thinks differently. The fighter then assumes they have the victory secured and coasts during the third round. They are left standing in shock when the announcer reveals the scores favor the other fighter. 

MMA fighters have a lot on the line every time they step inside the cage, and many argue they have a right to know how well or poorly they are performing during their fights. While this has the potential to lead to less entertaining fights, it may also make fights more entertaining. 

Assume we have a fighter who is down two rounds. Under open scoring, they are aware they need a stoppage to win the fight, so they come out of the break looking for a stoppage. The fans get an entertaining fight, and the fighter gives themselves one last chance at winning the fight. 

Under the current scoring system, the fighter might think they are only down one round and try point fighting during the third round, effectively sealing their loss. MMA fighters often get win bonuses that match their purses, so winning or losing a fight makes a huge financial difference. A loss can also have a significant impact on the trajectory of a fighter’s career. 

2) Can Lead To More Accurate Scoring

Open scoring in MMA would likely include promoters sharing round scores with broadcasters so fans watching on TV can follow along. Scores likely won’t be announced at the venue since the crowd’s reaction can end up influencing the judges. 

MMA scorecards typically go under the radar since many fights end in a stoppage, and the judges typically get the scores right. Controversial scorecards are the only ones that are often looked at closely due to the negative responses the judges’ scorecards get. 

With open scoring, fans watching on TV get to see the scorecards as the fight progresses, so controversial scores are more likely to be noticed even if they don’t end up impacting the fight’s results. Judges with a pattern of turning in controversial scores can be detected and addressed before they ever negatively impact the results of a fight or the trajectory of a fighter’s career. This should lead to noticeably better scoring as the judges find themselves under more scrutiny. 

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated MMA gym in Singapore.

Grappling is a huge part of mixed martial arts. Royce Gracie dominated the early days of professional MMA, using primarily Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) to dominate opponents who were often bigger and stronger. The effectiveness of BJJ forced many to start thinking about combat in different ways. Boxers were no longer seen as the toughest fighters in the world, as MMA proved many of them wouldn’t last a minute with a competent grappler inside the cage.

Nowadays, learning how to grapple is a must for anyone considering a career as a professional MMA fighter. It isn’t just BJJ either. Wrestlers have also enjoyed lots of success inside the cage, and there are many who believe it is the best base to have for professional MMA. That’s because wrestling works well with the way mixed martial arts fights are scored. Top position is perceived as advantageous by judges, so having the ability to control where the fight takes place helps on the scorecards.

The current list of MMA champions makes this clear. Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier, Tyron Woodley, and Tony Ferguson all come from wrestling backgrounds. It doesn’t stop there though. Grapplers from many other martial arts have made their marks on MMA as well.

Let’s take a look at some of the different types of grappling found in MMA:

1) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Without a doubt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been the most effective grappling art in MMA. While it has a lot of similarities with other grappling styles, there is nothing comparable to the finishing ability of BJJ practitioners.

When you’re well versed in BJJ, you’re always in a fight even when you are getting dominated. You only need a single opening to secure a joint lock or choke and force your opponent to submit. There are literally a countless number of submissions, sweeps, and reversals in BJJ.

Something else that separates BJJ practitioners from other grapplers is their ability to finish fights on their backs. The guard is a classic BJJ position that goes against the conventional way people think about fighting. Lay people tend to assume the person on the bottom is losing the fight, but there are actually more submissions and attacks from the bottom position than the top.

The ability to finish from traditionally disadvantageous positions is what makes BJJ king of the grappling arts. There’s also a special kind of confidence that comes with BJJ. Anderson Silva is a prime example of this. When you aren’t worried about being put on your back, other aspects of your martial arts repertoire open up.

2) Wrestling

As we mentioned earlier, wrestling is one of the best bases for MMA. While it doesn’t have the countless submissions you see in BJJ, it does make up for it with the many pining techniques and holds. While BJJ is about finishing fights, wrestling is about controlling your opponent.

On average, wrestlers are better at taking others down and preventing themselves from being taken down. Once on the mat, wrestlers also do a better job of keeping their opponents pinned on the mat. That skill set works well with MMA. A good wrestler can simply take opponents down and beat them into submission on the ground, or dominate rounds with ground control. Many current and past champions in MMA have wrestling backgrounds.

Wrestling can be so effective in MMA, it allowed Brock Lesnar to secure a UFC title a couple of fights after switching to MMA, dethroning the ageless Randy Couture.

3) Judo

Here’s another grappling art that has been proven to be effective in MMA. It really shouldn’t be that surprising given the fact Jiu-Jitsu is a derivative of Judo. Judo players like Karo Parisyan wowed UFC fans with his spectacular throws during his prime, while Ronda Rousey dominated women’s MMA with her Olympic-caliber Judo.

Like BJJ, Judo also has its share of submissions. For example, the triangle choke is actually a judo choke that was popularized by BJJ players. What separates Judo from other grappling arts is the strong emphasis on throws from all sorts of positions, even seemingly disadvantageous ones like when your opponent has double under hooks secured on you.

A good judo throw stuns your opponent, giving you a chance to finish the person off with a submission or strikes. That’s one of the reasons why Rousey was so dominant during her prime. She often secured submissions right after tossing her opponent to the ground.

4) Sambo

Sambo is a grappling style that has been popularized by Russian fighters like Fedor Emelianenko and Khabib Nurmagomedov. It isn’t one of the more popular grappling arts in modern MMA, but it’s one of the most effective.

Sambo practitioners have a diverse range of takedowns in their arsenals, and that variety makes it harder to defend against their takedowns since many of them aren’t often used in other grappling arts. Sambo is also arguably the most complete grappling-based martial art. It incorporates submissions, sweeps, and striking techniques into its curriculum. No other grappling art spends as much time on striking.

That gives Sambo practitioners an edge as they start preparing for all the many different things that can take place during a fight when they start training. It also makes it a very effective grappling art for self-defense.

These are the four grappling arts you will typically see in MMA. While they all have some similarities, it is their unique differences that make them what they are. MMA has evolved a lot since its early days, and you certainly need to be comfortable with grappling exchanges if you plan to have a career as a professional mixed martial arts fighter.

There is no such thing as a superior grappling art. There are many useful things you can learn from each one. When you take a closer look at most past and present MMA champions, you will quickly realize most of them have learned more than one grappling style.

If you plan to compete professionally as a mixed martial artist, train at least two different grappling styles. BJJ is great, but it’s even better when you have some judo or wrestling skills to go with it. The same can be said about any other martial art.

Guest post by Evolve MMA, Asia’s premier championship brand for martial arts. It has the most number of World Champions on the planet. Named as the #1 ranked martial arts organization in Asia by CNN, Yahoo! Sports, FOX Sports, Evolve MMA is the top rated Muay Thai Gym in Singapore.

Ferocity, power, and heart; these are just some of the qualities that come to mind when the name Buakaw, is mentioned. As one of the biggest superstars in Muay Thai history, Buakaw Banchamek is certainly no stranger to anyone who knows anything about martial arts or fighting. But even after having more 300 fights in his over 20 year long illustrious career, there some things even his most fervent fans have yet to discover.

So without further ado, here are Evolve Daily’s 9 Facts About Muay Thai Superstar Buakaw Banchamek That Will Blow Your Mind:

1) Fan to fighter

Buakaw was born on May 8, 1982, in Bansongnong County, Samrong Thap, Surin Province, Thailand. When he was about seven or eight years old, he attended a local Muay Thai show held near his home. Watching the crowd cheer as the fighters made their way into the ring lit a fire in Buakaw. After the show, he discussed the idea of becoming a fighter with his parents. His parents approved and he began training in Muay Thai a few days later.

2) The usual training routine

Buakaw’s incredible physique is a product of his years of hard work and dedication in the gym. He wakes up every morning at 5:30AM and runs over 6-10 miles as a warm up. After which he goes straight into his regular training program, which consists of 15 rounds of pad and bag work, strength and conditioning, and clinch work or sparring.

At around 3:00PM, he goes for another run, and then into his regular training program again with another 15 rounds, finishing at around 7:00PM or 8:00PM; just in time for dinner. And this is just his usual routine! Buakaw kicks it up a few notches when he has a fight coming up.

3) He never won a major world title in Thailand

It’s hard to imagine Buakaw losing a fight nowadays. Due to the high level in Thailand, Buakaw wasn’t as successful in the ring as he is today. Though he was winning most of the fights he had in his province, Buakaw lost his first 4-5 matches when he just started fighting at national level in the legendary Lumpinee Stadium.

The losing streak almost caused Buakaw to give up on fighting altogether but with the help of his gym, Por. Pramuk, he continued his career, but never achieved elite status in Thailand as a fighter. His lucky break came when he was invited to compete overseas in K-1 where he dominated and won the hearts of fans all over the world.

4) Muay Thai striker by day, football striker by night

In 2014, while he was still actively fighting, Buakaw signed on as a forward for RBAC Football Club, the reserve team of Ratchaburi F.C. that currently plays in the Regional League Division 2, the 3rd level football league in Thailand. As for why he decided to be a professional footballer, Buakaw had this to say: “I’ve been a football lover since I was a kid. To be a professional footballer is also one of my dreams.”

5) Por. Pramuk no more

Though now known as Buakaw Banchamek, Buakaw is still more famously known for his previous ring name, Buakaw Por. Pramuk, when he was still fighting out of the famous Por. Pramuk Gym in Bangkok, Thailand. And though Por. Pramuk was the gym that helped bring Buakaw most of his fame, it was also the gym that caused him a lot of his problems in recent years. His manager reportedly stole 95% of Buakaw’s earnings and refused to return it to him.

In 2012, it was reported that Buakaw had been missing from his training camp for unknown reasons. He then appeared on a Thai TV talk show shortly after the reports, apologizing to his fans and stating that the gym had mistreated him for years. Weeks later, Buakaw decided to retire from fighting in order to end the dispute with Por. Pramuk Gym.

6) Buakaw the Mixed Martial Artist?

During the few months he spent away from the ring in retirement, there were numerous reports and sightings of Buakaw training in Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and Wrestling classes. This sparked some speculation that he was well on the way to a potential MMA career, which made sense as it was not against the contractual agreement with Por. Pramuk Gym. The transition into MMA never happened and Buakaw returned to the ring on August 17, 2012.

7) Banchamek Gym

After his exit from Por. Pramuk Gym and with the help of one of his sponsors, Yokkao, Buakaw built a Muay Thai gym in his hometown. The gym was built in just 10 days and was named Banchamek Gym (Buakaw’s real name is Sombat Banchamek). Buakaw built the camp not only because he wanted to continue training but so that he could help the children in his village discover Muay Thai as well.

8) Honorary Masters and Ph.D. holder

In 2013, Buakaw was awarded an honorary Masters of Science degree in Sports Science from the Kasetsart University for his outstanding contribution as one of the biggest athletes in Thailand. He also received a Ph.D. in Regional Development Strategies in 2014 from the Surindra Rajabhat University for being an ambassador for the ancient art and traditions of Muay Thai and a household name in the field of sports both in Thailand & around the world.

9) Legendary achievements

Buakaw’s popularity and achievements over the years have made him both a Muay Thai and K-1 legend. He is multiple-time WMC Champion, Omnoi Stadium Champion, WBC Muay Thai Diamond Champion, Shooto Boxing S-Cup World Champion, Thai Fight World Champion, the first fighter to win K-1 World Max twice (2004 and 2006), and much more!

Buakaw Banchamek is truly one of the most remarkable fighters of our generation. And we can be sure that he will continue to entertain fans around the world with his skill and unrelenting heart!