How long does it take to become a professional MMA fighter?

Mixed Martial Arts is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports. The sport is currently and increasingly getting more attention from the media and there is now a lot of money involved. There are millions of people who want to become professional MMA fighters. This is evident in the number of people signing up for classes at local MMA-focused gyms.

The road to MMA fame and fortune is not so easy and glamorous as it appears. It requires a lot of strength, dedication, training, and determination. You’ll need proper continuous training and maintain a strict diet regiment. Taking your fighting skills to a professional level is not something that is easy and should not be taken lightly.

So, how hard is it to become a professional MMA fighter?

Unlike other sports where it’s always seen as ‘the earlier, the better’ to commence training, MMA requires that your body and muscles in their best of shape. It is best to start training MMA when you’re a teenager around the age of 15-16 years. This will allow you to get enough training and engage in some amateur fights before turning 18. Because this is the minimum legal age for most promotion companies to sign any fighter.

Although there’s no perfect age to start training for MMA. It is still possible to become a professional MMA fighter, even if you’re in your twenties or thirties. The sport is still growing and there are many rooms for an opportunity.

To become a professional MMA fighter requires a lot of qualities and depends on several factors. You need to be mentally tough and have experience in martial arts or any combat sport. Size and strength also matter. A solid blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or 2-3 year experience in Muay Thai, kickboxing and additional knowledge of traditional martial arts will help you to become a good amateur MMA fighter.

After 4-5 years of consistent practice and training or a solid brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you should be good enough to turn pro. If you are good enough and you’re an exciting fighter you may be considered or get the chance of being signed by one of the major MMA promotion companies such as Fight to fame or UFC. 

For instance, Fight to fame is giving fighters around the world the chance to compete at the global stage. They are channeling a new path for amateurs as well as professional fighters to become action stars. Fight to fame wants to see more MMA fighters join the new class of Hollywood heroes.

How long it will take to become a professional MMA fighter also depends on a lot of things. Some of these include your talent, ethics, training, and luck. Your skills and talent alone may not get you to your desired destination in time. You need a little bit of luck to speed things up for you. By luck, it may be meeting the right people or being in the right place at the right time.

If you’re looking to become a professional fighter, you need to acquaint yourself with the best fighting styles for MMA fighters. A professional fighter should be a well-rounded fighter. You should be well trained in different fighting styles so that it will be difficult for your opponent to identify your weakness. Make sure to get adequate training on both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai and take a few boxing and wrestling classes.  

Taking a few classes and training alone cannot make you a professional. You also need to find a local MMA gym where you can learn from instructors who themselves have fought professionally. You’ll learn from their expertise and experience. Learning multiple fighting styles would aid your path towards becoming a professional fighter.

It will be difficult to reach a Pro level with just one fighting techniques. Professional MMA fighters are proficient in different styles of fighting. They have mastered the skills and techniques of boxing, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling.

You’ll also need to work on your overall health by engaging in strength training and conditioning, as well as maintaining a proper diet. Professional fighters work out in the gym for up to six hours daily and six days a week. This will give you an idea of what is expected of anyone aspiring to be an MMA fighter.

Do you need to be undefeated to get far?

You don’t necessarily have to be undefeated to become a professional MMA fighter. Of course, to have an undefeated record after series of matches will bring you to the spotlight. You may attract interest from the big guys in the industry. But it is still okay to have a record of several wins and few losses.