Complete Glossary of MMA: All Explained Terms

Orthodox Stance

Orthodox position. Fighter-fighter holding left foot forward and right back. Right fist (Waymn) is delayed to generate more power. Most fighters use this cast (~85%).

Southpaw

Leftover. Fighter holding the right foot forward and the left foot back. Left hand is the power gypsum. Represents ~10-15% of fighters. It can give tactical advantage because rivals have less experience against southpaws.

Example: Conor McGregor, Robert Whittaker

Switch Stance

Fighter who can alternating fluidly between orthodox and southpaw during the fight. Very difficult to dominate but gives great offensive and defensive versatility.

Example: Israel Adesanya, TJ Dillashaw

Guard (Guardia)

Defensive position with hands up protecting head. High Guard: hands near the forehead. Low guard: hands at chest level (more risky but allows quick counterattacks).

BLACKD SINGEN

Very lateral posture, presenting less body surface to the opponent. Common in karatecas and metaboxers. Difficult to be hit to the body but can limit shock power.

Jab

Quick and straight punch with front hand (left for orthodox). It is the most used punch: measures distance, sets rhythm, prepares combinations and keeps the opponent at bay.

Cross (Streight/Rect)

Straight hit with the back hand (right for orthodox Power-Physical par excellence: long hip ride generates maximum power. The "jab-cross" combination is the most basic boxing.

Hook (Gancho)

Curved punch that travels sideways towards the head or body. Leading on the ground: with front hand. Rear Mediterranean: with back hand (more powerful). Very effective at short distance.

Uppercut (Gancho al Menton)

Vertical blow upwards, directed to the mitten. Short distance tamper or on the clinch. Hard to see coming because it climbs below the opponent's vision.

Overhand

Circular down blow with the back hand passing "over" the opponent's guard. Very popular in MMA. Acquire technique by power and surprise.

Famous for: Francis Ngannou, Chuck Liddell

Spinning Backfist

Spinning punch with back fist, turning back on the front. Spectacular but risky. You can generate explosive KOs when you connect clean.

Low Kick / Leg Kick

Circular kick to the lower leg of the opponent (muse MMA It accumulates progressive damage, reduces mobility and can cause TKO if the leg gives way.

Body Kick

Circular kick directed at the crusts or liver. Clean body of food can cause KO Instant (especially to the liver). It requires total commitment because you leave your head exposed.

Head Kick / High Kick

Circular kick to the head. The technique of striking High risk-high reward: you can end the fight instantly but if you fail, you are vulnerable.

Front Kick / Punch Kick / Teep

Front kick with the foot plant to push the opponent and keep distance. It does not look KO but space control. Very used in Muay Thai.

Knee (Knee)

Knee-knee bump. Flying KEETON: jumping up (devastator). Clinch KEETON: at clinch against body or head. One of the most powerful blows in MMA by the density of the bone.

Elbow (Chodo)

Cob-coup. Extremely effective at short distance, especially on the ground. It can cause severe cuts. Spinning #Big: rotating (very rare but spectacular).

Punch

Hit where you pretend to kick up your knee, then throw a cross jumping. Suck the opponent thinking a kick is coming. Popularized by Georges St-Pierre.

Combination)

Chained stroke series. 1-2: Jab-Cross. 1-2-3: Jab-Cross-Lead Hook. Combinations are more effective than isolated strokes because the first opens defenses for the following.

Takedown

To bring down the opponent to the ground from standing position. Single-leg: You grab a leg. Double-leg: You grab both legs. Suplex: You lift up and throw the opponent MMA to take the fight where you have the advantage.

Takedown Defense (TDD)

Ability to avoid or stop attempts to knock down. Measured in percentage (e.g. 80% TDD = you stop 8 out of 10 attempts). Sprawl: defensive technique Typing legs backwards.

Ground and Pound (G&P)

Technique where after you knock down the opponent, you keep top position (dominant position above) and throw blows (knuckles, elbows) while you control wrestling and striking.

G&P Masters: Khabib Nurmagomedov, Jon Jones, Tito Ortiz

Clinch

Hold body to body against opponent. Allows knee, elbow, down and control. Dirty boxing: short strokes on the clinch. Muay Thai clinch: Knee neck control.

Guard (Guardia en el Solo)

Back position with legs wrapping the opponent on top. It is not dominant position but allows you to defend and seek submission. Full guard: legs closed around. Half grad: a leg trapped. Open guard: open legs with hook control.

Mount (Mount)

Dominant position sitting on the opponent's chest/abdominant. Excellent for ground and pound Hard to escape, worth a lot of points in the shaggy cards.

Side Control

Dominant position perpendicular to the opponent who is on his back. Allows transitions to Mount, back control or north-south. Good control but less offensive than Mount.

Back Control

The more dominant position in grappling. You're behind the opponent with legs hooked (hooks). Direct access to the neck for rear naked choke. It's worth more points than mount.

Scramble

Chaotic exchange of positions where both fighters try to improve position simultaneously. It requires technique, speed and explosiveness. Whoever "wins the din" gets dominant position.

Cage Wrestling

Use of cage/valley to assist down, control or defense MMA that does not exist in wrestling traditional. Pressing against the United States: push the opponent against the fence to control and tire.

Choke (Strangulation)

A technique that cuts blood flow to the brain (bloods) or air to the lungs (airs) causing unconsciousness in 5-15 seconds. More common: The following points were made.

Rear Naked Choke (RNC)

The most common submission in MMA. From back control, you pass an arm around your neck and squeeze with your biceps and forearm. It cuts blood flow to both carotids. Also called "dion killer".

Ballotine Choke

Frontal slanting where you surround the opponent's neck with your arm and squeeze up. It can be run on your feet, on guard or during transitions. Very popular in MMA.

Triangulation Choke

Submission from the guard using your legs to catch the head and an opponent's arm forming a triangle. It cuts blood flow with the pressure of your thighs. Iconic technique of BJJ.

Armbar (Armbar Key)

Joint submission that overstretchs the opponent's elbow. Catch the arm between your legs and push your hips up. It can cause serious injury if it doesn't get taped in time.

Kimura

Shoulder key where you bend the opponent's arm behind his back and apply pressure. He can dislocate the shoulder. Very versatile, can be applied from multiple positions.

American (Key Lock)

Shoulder key where you bend your arm forward (the opposite of kimura). Common from the control ore. You can also break your shoulder if it is not taped.

Leg Lock (Pierna Key)

Submission by attacking knee, ankle or hip. Heel-friendly: twists the heel (very dangerous). Ankle lock: hyperextends the ankle. Less common in MMA in BJJ pure because you leave your head vulnerable.

Strawweight

Limit: 52 kg / 115 lb

Solo división femenina en UFC

Flyweight

Limit: 57 kg / 125 lb

Peso mosca - Masculino y femenino

Bantamweight

Limit: 61 kg / 135 lb

Peso gallo - Masculino y femenino

Featherweight

Limit: 66 kg / 145 lb

Peso pluma - Masculino y femenino

Lightweight

Limit: 70 kg / 155 lb

Peso ligero - Masculino solamente

Welterweight

Limit: 77 kg / 170 lb

Peso wélter - Masculino solamente

Middleweight

Limit: 84 kg / 185 lb

Peso medio - Masculino solamente

Light Heavyweight

Limit: 93 kg / 205 lb

Peso semipesado - Masculino solamente

Heavyweight

Limit: 120 kg / 265 lb

Peso pesado - Masculino solamente

Stiffer

Fighter specializing in foot beating. He prefers to keep the fight standing and avoid the ground. Common: boxing, Meitboxing, Muay Thai, karate.

Grappler

Fighter specialized in fight and soil. Seeks down, control and submission. Common: wrestling, BJJ, judo, sambo.

Wrestler

Fighter based on fight that dominates downs, downs defense and position control. Many champions of UFC have a basis of wrestling (Khabib, Usman, Cormier, GGP).

Submission UNTAR

Specialist in black belt submission BJJ. Look for endings from any position, dangerous even from bad positions.

Pitching

Fighter constantly moving forward, apply pressure and volume. Atrofies aggression defense. Mentally wears the opponent. Requires exceptional cardio.

Example: Tony Ferguson, Nate Diaz

Counterstrike

Defensive fighter waiting for opponent errors to counterattack. Excellent #Wam and Defense. Frust aggressive fighters.

Example: Israel Adesanya, Lyoto Machida

Brawler

Aggressive fighter seeking violent exchanges. Less technical but very entertaining. Mentality "fight or die." High risk of KO in both directions.

Example: Justin Gaethje, Chris Leben

Gatekeeper

Experienced and solid fighter ranned in top 10-15 but not champed. Act as a "guardian": if a prospect wins it, prove it is ready for top 5. If it loses against the bengarurer, it is not yet ready for the elite.

Prospect

Young and promising fighter with future champion potential. Usually has perfect or almost perfect record. UFC gradually rising competition.

Can / JOAPANMAN

Low/medium level fighter that serves to give victories to #Shaf. Not insulting, it is a necessary role. Usually they have record .500 or negative in UFC.

Underdog

The fighter with the least chance of winning according to the bookies. Opposed to "favorite". Winning as an underdog can catapult your career.

Glass Chin / Crystal Quijada

Fighter who is vulnerable to being knocked out. Has little resistance to clean strokes on the jaw. The opposite is "iron chin" (iron blade).

The House of Representatives

Strategy (generally criticized) where a tycher knocks down the opponent and only maintains control without seeking completion or doing harm. "Sends and prays" for time to pass.

Wrestle-Fuck

Common term for total domain of wrestling not looking for completion. Similar to a good but more pejorative. It is used when a tyscher completely neutralizes a tracker.

Touch Butt in the Park

Nate's mocking phrase to describe unconventional trainings MMA. It means someone trains weird things instead of MMA Actual.

Tune-up Fight

Easy fight against lower opponent to regain confidence after a defeat or to stay active between major fights.

IQ

Fight intelligence. Ability to make correct tactical decisions during combat: when to attack, when to defend yourself, read the opponent, adjust game plan.

Championship Rounds

The 4th and 5th in title fights (5th total). Requires superior cardio. Many fights are won in "championship jol" when the opponent is exhausted.

Rocked / Hurt

When a fighter gets a strong blow that disorients him but does not knock him out. Wobble legs, loss of balance, slow reflexes. Critical memo where the lynch can come.

Hail Mary

Desperate technique in the last second when you lose. Spinning lic, imibe keine, wild php. High risk but it's your last chance.

P4P (Pound-for-Pound)

The word is that it ignores weight and considers only skill. "If everyone weighs the same, who would be the best?"

TDD (Takedown Defense)

Percentage of successful downs defended. Ej: 85% TDD = you stop 85 out of 100 attempts.

G&P (Ground and Pound)

Hit from dominant position on the ground wrestling control + striking.

BJJ (Brazil Jiu-Jitsu)

Brazilian martial art specializing in soil struggle and submission MMA.

KO (PK)

Opposing is knocked out by a blow. The fight ends instantly.

TKO (Technical PKout)

Arbitrator or doctor stops the fight because the fighter cannot defend himself or is injured.

RNC (Rear Naked Choke)

The most common submission in the UFC.

DWCS (Dana White's Contender Series)

Show where humen fight for a contract with UFC. DANNY WHITE DEFINITES WHO SIGNS.

GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)

The best of all times. Constant debate: Jon Jones, GPS, Anderson Silva, Khabib, etc.

USADA (US Anti-Doping Agency)

Organization that made anti-doping UFC (2015-2023). Now UFC uses another similar program.