What is the best form of MMA to learn first? (muay thai or BJJ)

B3ast

B3ast

Member
This may has been asked already, (sorry i am new) but i am thinking of starting one of these styles. I am leaning on the Muay Thai. My main concern is losing muscle. Opinions?
 
id do muy thai cuz its either kick ass or get your ass kicked. or greco roman wrestling. just pick one that sounds appealing to you, its a hobby so do one you like
 
ThunderHumper said:
id do muy thai cuz its either kick ass or get your ass kicked. or greco roman wrestling. just pick one that sounds appealing to you, its a hobby so do one you like
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First off, love the user name man! ;) And, thanks for the solid advice. I just am concerned with losing muscle but it probably will not happen depending on how i eat!
 
Jiu Jitsi + wrestling.
 
From my experience in the world of Mixed Martial Arts; boxing and wrestling are the go to due to what each teaches you. I myself don't have much training in wrestling just BJJ and Judo. Striking martial arts depends on your build.
 
It just depends on the gym you decide to train at and your reach. But if you find a martial art that strikes interest I say do it. Striking is just a preference.
 
B3ast said:
Muay thai has been suggested by most! I am suprised
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One guy suggested it? Lol. Pick one then join a gym or dojo that specializes in whatever you pick.
 
Rodja said:
20 years ago. Times have changed and modern MMA is dominated by wrestling. Even BJJ has deep roots in catch wrestling, which preceded the Gracies.
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I agree and know you're right... But 20 years ago is when I was awed by what I was seeing...
 
I would rather see someone get submitted with a Nice arm bar or a rear naked choked, then be held down the whole fight and getting hit with sloppy punches..
 
I feel that wrestling is a great base to have, I also feel Bjj is a great add on. Striking is great but if you don't have a solid ground game you won't have much success.
 
Wrestling and Jiu Jitsu are great. I always thought striking would be more useful but the last 2 real fights I've been in my grappling skills have been extremely useful to the point where I don't even have to worry about being hit. once you take an untrained person to the ground you can have your way with them. Keep in mind both of these incidents were self defense, I don't go around starting fights for no reason.
 
I actually went through the top mma fighters on Wikipedia once and looked at their backgrounds. Muay Thai, BJJ and wrestling were represented with about equal proportion. So whichever of these you pick, you're probably solid.
 
Just look at the champions in the sport there all wrestlers that's the best base to have to build your skills on!
 
rayssen said:
Just look at the champions in the sport there all wrestlers that's the best base to have to build your skills on!
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DJ
Barao
Aldo
Pettis
GSP
Weidman
Jones
Cain

3 of them are not wrestlers and GSP did not enter MMA with a wrestling background.
 
Okay two I guess aren't true wrestlers but Cruz is still the real belt holder so Barao don't count yet even tho I think he will dominate Cruz and gsp is good bc of wrestling don't matter if he didn't start it first that's what he had to turn to to be dominant like he is .
 
If you are young I would definitely say wrestling to start. If you can take someone down and stop a takedown you control where the fight is. Great wrestling CAN nullify BJJ, but definitely look into some form of ground game. Then fight a form of striking you enjoy. Best to have strikes to set up takedowns.
 
vidapreta said:
I agree and know you're right... But 20 years ago is when I was awed by what I was seeing...
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A wrestler would have trouble in the streets with real ju jitsu or Valtudo fighter MT as well you can do some damage but the out come would number 1 a wrestler can't fight on their backs ju jitsu is comfortable top or bottom MT real good on stand up but ain't prepared for the ground at all I am not just running my mouth Bro's Im seven going on eight years in ju jitsu Black belt for two years it's all on who you train with for combat results
 
I found that Muay Thai was the best for me because it stressed a high level of overall conditioning and fitness. I thought I was in great shape from endurance events and other sports I do, but the intensity and burst conditioning needed was an eye opener. Plus, if there is anyway to stop something from ever going to the ground, then that is the way to go. I enjoy Jui Jitsu, and it is a great form because it negates strength and size many times, but I only do it to know what to do if I was ever to be on the ground or wanted to avoid hitting someone.
 
Thai Boxing is very effective one of the best stand up game ever showed sweeps and kicks elbows are very punishing blows but ! you have to come in to land something good that's when ju jitsu baits another fighting art in with no clue how to defend the attack no if there was no way to grapple with the Thai boxer ju jitsu would be in trouble but I highly doubt that It would go like that Bro
 
Muay thai, a fight starts standing up, not on your knees
 
Goldie612 said:
Thai Boxing is very effective one of the best stand up game ever showed sweeps and kicks elbows are very punishing blows but ! you have to come in to land something good that's when ju jitsu baits another fighting art in with no clue how to defend the attack no if there was no way to grapple with the Thai boxer ju jitsu would be in trouble but I highly doubt that It would go like that Bro
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Brotha, I read this 3 times throwing commas and periods where I thought they should be and still came up short. I am not discounting any martial art or form of self defense, just saying what works best for me. My 5 year old daughter practices tang su do at a green belt level and spars with brown belts, so I see what any discipline can teach- because if she was 75 lbs heavier, she could kick my ass.

Anything we practice is better than nothing and I respect all of it.
 
Actually I'd say a hybrid of muay thai and American boxing. Since traditional muay thai lacks good boxing.
 
That's all good Bro no one never said mine is better I gave both arts props you train whatever you feel comfortable doing we was talking about what happens if it go's to the ground and this other brother talking about a fighter starts on his knee's lol where they do that at ???
 
Goldie612 said:
That's all good Bro no one never said mine is better I gave both arts props you train whatever you feel comfortable doing we was talking about what happens if it go's to the ground and this other brother talking about a fighter starts on his knee's lol where they do that at ???
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Can you read? I said a fight starts standing up. NOT on your knees. I was doing MMA/Catch wrestling/ muay Thai and boxing before it was the cool thing to do. With 18 years under my belt I think I know enough about fighting.
 
Who said you don't know about the fight game ? I said I don't know what you mean by the fight start on your feet not the knee's don't no fight start on their knee's that sound funny to me that's good you got some training in we all should I did six years boxing seven going on eight years of Ju-jitsu Bro I know this fight game as well
 
Hey Goldie, they make punctuation keys on the keyboard. I see you found the question mark, but there are some more.
 
Haha which Gracie was it that said ,

"first time you get hit you become a brown belt, the second time a purple belt.."

Oh and greco starts on your knees and on your feet.
 
MMA gyms are so hard to find because they are like Crossfit, IMO. So many don't know what they are really doing and injuries and attitude is abundant.
 
Goldie612 said:
In tournaments they do that Bro not in combat
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No ****, what you practice though is what becomes second nature. In the line of duty, many an officer has been shot down due to the training practice of recovering your shells from the ground.


In bar fights I've seen guys tap out lol.

Side note have fun going to the ground in a street fight and then being stabbed/stomped/shot by the guys friends.


I'm outta here
 
I hear yah Bro but if I'm going to the ground it's a rap from there no reaching for nothing cause mind is set on a few or more choices I have . Only takes me a few seconds to choke someone out shirts & coats are a fast way to know how to end a street fight if your not familiar with collar chokes Bro takes little as 10 seconds for a black out lol yaw brotha's be cool I'll holler
 
kisaj said:
MMA gyms are so hard to find because they are like Crossfit, IMO. So many don't know what they are really doing and injuries and attitude is abundant.
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There are 3 or 4 here(maybe more). Don't know if any of them are good(radio commercials make them sound awesome).
 
B3ast said:
This may has been asked already, (sorry i am new) but i am thinking of starting one of these styles. I am leaning on the Muay Thai. My main concern is losing muscle. Opinions?
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I started out solely boxing when I was 16. I continued to train solely as a boxer alone until I was about 21, then I discovered BJJ.

The first time I went to a BJJ gym and actually trained I was hooked. I trained in kickboxing, boxing and BJJ for about two years until I noticed my lifts and strength starting to decline and I decided I was going to choose one of them.

In all of the fights I've been into since I started training in all of them (street fights) I really feel that it's a close between BJJ and boxing. If you're fighting someone with absolutely no training at all they are usually throwing hay makers, forget to breath as they swing, etc. and that's when you can learn boxing alone and kick someone's ass. Lets say that your opponent has some training behind them, then I think BJJ comes in.

IMO, if every fight is going to start standing up, you should learn stand up before ground game.
 
It has been a very long time since I was in a street fight because I became smart enough to avoid them and not get into those situations that I actually used to seek out (stupid early 20s). People don't realize that a typical street fight is going to last 10-15 seconds at most. During that time, there is going to be mad swinging and cheap shots. So the best you can defend that and counter to get out of the situation, the better for you. Typically that is going to be a striking discipline.

That being said, if you don't like to get hit and kicked, but want to think and strategize, then I would say BJJ is a great place to start.

In the end, you can't lose by gaining a skill no matter the order you learn.
 
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