MMA Wrestling as a Base
I have long thought that wrestlers were well suited for mixed martial arts. Over time, my opinion has proven to be correct. Wrestlers have certain traits and skill-sets that are suited to the cage, ring or octagon. While there are several styles of wrestling, they all translate very well to “MMA wrestling”. Heck, they even know how to cut weight!
Wrestling is a team sport
Wrestlers go into a match alone. The fact is that even though they are alone, what happens on the mat does affect the team. Not only does an individual hope to win but even during a loss he tries to keep the score as close as possible.
The manner in which an individual wrestler wins or loses influences the team score.
For example, if a wrestler wins by pin-fall his team earns 6 points. If he wins by a decision, his team earns 3 points. It may seem trivial to some because everyone is trying to win. But if your team is in a close match with a rival and you are facing a highly decorated, multiple time state champion and you do not get pinned, it may help your team in the end.
This team bond teaches wrestlers that even when the odds are against you that you should keep fighting as hard as you can.
Wrestling is about control
The sport of wrestling is all about control. You are not allowed to injure your opponent in order to defeat them.
Combat sports like Jiu Jitsu, Judo and Sambo can either apply a joint lock that can easily break an arm or leg or in some cases apply a choke-hold that will force the opponent unconscious. Obviously, your opponent can “tap out” or submit to your hold but if he does not, then the eventual outcome can be an injury.
In wrestling you are allowed to put people in uncomfortable positions. It is not pleasant but it will not cause injury if applied correctly under the rules. This means a wrestler much take full control of his opponent in order to end the match and in order to do that, he must have control of himself.
Wrestling dominates range
Any wrestler that has spent time training and competing has to know at minimum, four things. How to reliably take someone down and how to reliable avoid being taken down. While I have oversimplified this part, that is half of wrestling. The other half is learning to get up after being taken and how to keep someone down.
All wrestlers will be familiar with all four aspects which gives them an advantage in a MMA fight.
Controlling where the fight takes place is an incredible advantage. The wrestler can choose too keep the fight standing or he can choose to bring the fight to the ground. His strategy will be based on where he feels he is strongest and where his opponent is weakest.
Wrestling training is intense
UFC commentator and Jiu Jitsu Belt had this to say about wrestlers and wrestling. Especially, MMA wrestling.
Joe Rogan on wrestling:
“We said it a million times but it bears repeating. Wrestling is the greatest skill to have in MMA because wrestling dictates where the fight takes place.
On top of that, amateur wrestling training is so unbelievably grueling that the guys who get through it are the guys who rise to the top are the elite of the elite when it comes to mental toughness. That is a huge part of fighting. Mental toughness and focus and the ability to work hard to achieve goals under exceedingly insurmountable circumstances.”
Other Commentator: “You must embrace the grind as they say.”
Rogan: “That’s a nice way of putting it but they go through hell. That’s not a grind you know….Amateur wrestling practice is a constant exercise in over training, dehydration, and maintaining your momentum and maintaining your motivation in incredibly uncomfortable moments.”
Other commentator: “Anybody in high school or college who played a sport they would always see the wrestlers just running and going, and going. They start before you start and they finish way after.”
Rogan: “And they take great pleasure in being uncomfortable. They take great pleasure in their ability to push. And there is not a lot of sports that can say that, not a lot of sports where that is part of the badge of courage; the ability to be constantly miserable……”
MMA Wrestling final thoughts
Students can take wrestling at a very young age. I suggest it as a method of bullyproofing your child and teaching them about hard work.
The sport is very inexpensive to learn and effective in self defense situations and in the combat sports.
While a wrestler still needs to learn submissions and strikes to round out his fighting game, the sheer willpower, toughness and controlling of the range gives them a very difficult skill set to deal with.
“I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler.”.
