Can A Wrestler Become a MMA Fighter?

Source: MMA-Today

In the initial days, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters dominated the mixed martial arts. As a result, many MMA commentators were eager to proclaim that BJJ was the most effective martial art. However, wrestling has emerged as the best case for mixed martial arts in the recent past. If you have been betting on MMA, you must have discovered that wrestlers currently dominate MMA. Please follow this link https://www.bemybet.com/best-betting-apps/ to discover the best betting apps in 2022. Some of the names many bettors love include Chuck Liddel, Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes, Jon James, Henry Cejudo, Ben Askren, Daniel Cormier, and Cain Velasquez. All these fighters have one thing in common – wrestling.

So, why is it effortless for wrestlers to transition into MMA? Here are the notable reasons why wrestlers thrive inside the cage:

Ability to Control the Fight

Wrestlers thrive more in MMA because the rules of MMA are tailor-made for wrestlers. For instance, MMA fights are scored based on effective grappling, aggression, and cage control. On the other hand, wrestling depends more on controlling your opponent. When you take them on the mat, you get points, and when you control them and keep them entangled, you also earn more points. As a result, when a wrestler moves into MMA, the things they can do to earn points come to them naturally.

When you compare that to a BJJ fighter, the wrestler has an advantage. For instance, pulling a guard does not score the fighter any points in MMA, and it would not be an excellent idea when your opponent can smash you in the face!

Wrestling Builds Toughness and Endurance

Wrestling is a competitive sport meaning the fighters train hard. When you join a wrestling academy, you will learn how to give it your all and push yourself each time you compete. As a result, all elite wrestlers in MMA have unmatched cardio and endurance.

This is one of the things that make wrestlers thrive in MMA. They effortlessly settle in and learn new skills like Muay Thai and BJJ.

Wrestlers Know How to Compete

Many wrestlers like Daniel Cormier start their training at a tender age. It is also the most likely martial art you will learn in an extracurricular activity at school. There are also many opportunities for one to compete at the university and Olympic level. As a result, by the time a wrestler starts competing, they have already played hundreds of games.

As an illustration, look at Henry Cejudo. By the time he was 21, Cejudo had several Pan American gold medals and an Olympic gold medal under his belt. This is a lot of experience compared to an average MMA fighter when they make their debut.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, wrestling is an excellent base for MMA. However, this does not mean that the other martial arts are not a great base for MMA as long as the fighter trains intelligently. The secret is starting with what you can do naturally then closing the holes in the game. But, it is apparent that a wrestler can effortlessly become a successful MMA fighter.