In UFC history, no fighter is responsible for creating more new UFC fans than Conor McGregor. McGregor is a true showman. Not only does he get results, but he also does so in style. The Irishman understands the importance of putting on a show for the fans. Every time he steps into the octagon, Conor …
To learn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you need to get yourself to the mat and practice. There’s no getting around that. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t get great information from some of the best BJJ books. There’s a lot of Jiu Jitsu masters who imparted their knowledge and experience in writing. Reading their tips in …
Tensions have always been high between the UFC and its roster of fighters. Unlike other sports leagues, where the profit sharing is closer to 50/50 between the athletes and the organization, the UFC pays its athletes just 10 to 15% of revenue. Famed sports agent Jeff Borris (who has repped every MLB juicehead from Barry …
MMA Fighters vs The UFC: Revenue Share and Lawsuits Read More »
I was talking to my friend Paul Chittenden about fighter pay and all of the craziness surrounding UFC salaries these days. Why does it seem like only the top few fighters are making any money, while the rest of the roster is fighting for scraps? The conversation turned to how some fighters, despite a mediocre …
Out of all of the martial arts, Muay Thai has a special place in my heart. When it comes to striking, you just can’t beat the effectiveness and enjoyment of a good Muay Thai session. The Fascinating Origins of Muay Thai Muay Thai is a unique martial arts tradition that originated in Thailand during the …
Ever wonder how many calories you burn during Jiu Jitsu class? Me too. That’s why I picked up a WHOOP heart rate tracker that I can wear during training. If you ever listen to Joe Rogan’s podcast, you’ll hear him promoting this device. It’s now pretty easy to monitor your heart rate and figure out …
In martial arts, flexibility is power. That’s why you see top athletes in the UFC or on the BJJ competition circuit constantly stretching before and after matches. Achieving your maximum range of motion with your legs is particularly important for martial artists. That’s where leg stretching machines come in. These tools are incredibly useful for …
The Best Leg Stretching Machines for Improving Flexibility Read More »
Preventing neck injury during contact sports like MMA and boxing is incredibly important. One awkward strike to the head can cause a neck tweak that will sideline you from training for a long time. I have dealt with neck injuries before, and they are brutal. Unlike a hurt shoulder or a tweaked back, there is …
One of the hottest trends in fitness right now is percussion massager guns. From track athletes to MMA fighters, to Joe Rogan, and yes of course – the dreaded Instagram influencers. With benefits including reduced inflammation, reduction of scar tissue, shortening recovery times and so much more, this tool has made such a difference to …
Heavy bag workouts are intense, high-energy, and get boxers the results they’re looking for quickly and efficiently. A heavy bag is an excellent addition to an already existing workout routine, or you can base your training plan entirely around the heavy bag. Whether you are new to boxing, or training for a legit bout, you …
The speed bag is a fun and unique way to build strength and stamina routines into your workouts. Whether you are using it as part of boxing training routine or are looking for a new exercise to try, mastering the speed bag will provide a great upper body workout. Start with these best beginner routines …
Kung fu is an ancient form of martial arts that has been passed down from master to student. Traditionally, kung fu did not have a belt system. Instead, students would signify moving through the ranks with a scroll signed by the master they were training under. Eventually, belts were used in kung fu to signify …
If you’ve ever wondered, “Do fighters wear cups?” here’s your answer: MMA fighters are required to wear cups as part of their standard uniform when fighting in UFC fights. Being required to wear a cup may feel awkward for some fighters, but UFC officials anticipate groin strikes as a possibility during any match have recently …
Lethwei, the beautiful, brutal Burmese martial art, holds a certain mystique in the realm of combat sports. With its use of headbutts and lack of traditional gloves, Lethwei – AKA Burmese Bareknuckle Boxing – has earned a reputation as one of the most brutal sports in the world. Lethwei is something of an answer to …
The Sweet Science seems like a strange term for a genuine combat sport. The first time you see a boxing match, you might not see a lot of science, and certainly nothing sweet taking place between the two fighters. Two people bob around, throw fists, and sometimes one gets knocked out. But honestly, “the sweet …
The birth of MMA actually did not start with the first Ultimate Fighting Championship event. In Brazil, an early form of MMA had been going on many decades before the formation of the UFC. This type of contest was called Vale Tudo. These violent no holds barred fights laid the groundwork for modern MMA. For …
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art rooted in honor and legacy. In the earlier days of BJJ, this meant that a student’s loyalty to his or her instructor was a crucial aspect of the sport. That’s why, if you are a BJJ practitioner, you have probably heard the term “creonte” before. What Does it Mean? …
One of the most popular figures in all of MMA is longtime referee Herb Dean. If you’ve ever watched an MMA event, you definitely know who he is. Herb Dean officiates at nearly every major MMA event from UFC to Bellator. You can’t really miss Herb: he’s a large intimidating man with long dreadlocks. Herb …
One question that I commonly hear from casual MMA fans is, “Is Joe Rogan really good at martial arts?” Yes. If you’ve been around the MMA world for a while, this will probably seem like a silly question to you. But believe it or not, there are actually people that do question the legitimacy of …
BJJ Fanatics is a fantastic website dedicated to helping students of Jiu Jitsu. Their platform has a vast library of instructional videos featuring the best BJJ athletes and coaches in the world. The videos in the BJJ Fanatics library cover literally every aspect of Jiu Jitsu, and I mean every aspect. On top of technique …
The team behind BJJ Fanatics (one of the best Online Jiu Jitsu websites) has been hard at work on a new striking and MMA based instructional website, full of boxing and Muay Thai training videos. It’s here, and it is impressive: they’re calling it Dynamic Striking and it’s loaded with videos from some of the …
Dynamic Striking: Boxing and Muay Thai Videos from the Pros Read More »
Ever find yourself hopping on YouTube to look something quick up, and then two hours go by and you’re waist-deep in martial arts videos with no clue where the time went? Yea, me too. The other day I ended up landing on a video about the Filipino martial art “Pekiti Tirsia Kali,” became fascinated with …
Pekiti Tirsia Kali: The Deadly Filipino Martial Art Read More »
Many people think that the most anticipated fight of the year is the UFC heavyweight trilogy fight between Daniel Cormier and towering Stipe Miocic. But they would be wrong. The most exciting fight of the year by far will be President Donald Trump vs former Vice President Joe Biden. These two have been talking mad …
Over the last few years, there has been a new format of Jiu Jitsu competition that quickly gained popularity: Combat Jiu Jitsu, or CJJ. Combat Jiu Jitsu uses a ruleset that is a mix between MMA and a Jiu Jitsu competition. This new style of competition has the potential to be the next big thing …
Competing in Jiu Jitsu tournaments can be confusing. There are so many different tournament organizers these days that it can be hard to figure out which tournaments are a good fit for your skill level and interests. I get asked a lot about how to prepare for a BJJ tournament, so I decided I’d put …
If you want to start learning or even perfect your skills in Muay Thai, there’s no better place to learn than its country of origin: Thailand. With Muay Thai being the National Sport of Thailand, there are literally hundreds of training camps to be found throughout the country. Each and every camp is different, although …
Why is 145lbs considered a catchweight in professional boxing, but not in MMA? It has to do with how weight classes are set up in combat sports, and how matchmakers set up bouts between fighters. In this post, I’ll be breaking down what a catchweight fight is, why they’re used, and highlighting some famous examples from …
Are you considering taking your first Jiu Jitsu class? Then this article is specifically for you! I’m going to tell you what to expect, and how to make the most out of your first time on the mats. This is all advice I personally learned the hard way – and I sure wish someone would …
Everything You Need to Know Before Your First BJJ Class Read More »
If you’ve ever trained with a strong boxer or Muay Thai striker, then you know just how dangerous and painful it can be to catch their punches with lousy focus mitts (or worse yet, bare hands). To keep yourself safe while training, you’ve got to have the right protective gear. The gold standard for protecting …
The Best Focus Mitts for Boxing, Muay Thai, and MMA Read More »
Sometimes there just aren’t any sparring partners around that you can work on your technique with. When there’s no-one nearby to practice with, using a grappling dummy is the next best thing for developing your skills. But with so many options for grappling dummies on the market, which one should you buy? Just want the …
Used all around the world in martial arts schools, the phrase “Oss!” is a signature greeting of combat sports. It’s particularly common to hear at Jiu Jitsu academies. Athletes use it to greet their seniors, while listening to their coach, or just to say hi and make their presence known on the mats. From the …
In the Jiu Jitsu world, there is always some sort of active controversy surrounding new styles or techniques. Closed guard vs open guard, Gi vs No-Gi, and sport vs self-defense are just a few examples. The latest hot topic involves Keenan Cornelius and the branding of the martial art that he’s calling American Jiu Jitsu, …
You’ve fired up the latest UFC and Bruce Buffer is announcing the fighters. Next, you hear him say: “Our referee for this contest is Mario Yamasaki.” A thought that is probably going through your mind is, “we might see someone die in this fight.” Mario Yamasaki is a long time UFC referee that has had …
Mario Yamasaki (UFC Referee): Genius, or Lunatic? Read More »
Is Wing Chun a waste of time for MMA? Or could it be an underrated component of a well-rounded mixed martial arts game… While some athletes have a deep love for the craft, others feel it’s almost entirely useless for true combat. So what’s the deal? Here’s the complete low-down on Wing Chun and its history …
The effectiveness of boxing vs Jiu Jitsu has been a hotly debated topic in the martial arts world for the last few decades. Each fighting form has their faction that believes that one style is superior in every way to the other. For beginners, it can be difficult to choose which style to train in. …
Boxing vs Jiu Jitsu: Which Style is More Effective? Read More »
What is ExpertBoxing.com? ExpertBoxing.com is an online boxing training website that was founded in 2008 by Johnny Nguyen. It started out as a boxing website YouTube channel that got insanely popular for its boxing training videos, and grew into a full fledged boxing membership site site and community. Can you really learn boxing online? Now …
