First MMA Fight Coming Up

[AKATheMack]

Got a question about MMA training. I boxed amateur and still train in boxing several times a week and I also wrestled in High School, but Im facing a guy who is a pretty decent Collegiate wrestler(definitely a better wrestler than me). The fight is 3 months away should I just continue to improve on my striking where I have the advantage or should I try to learn more wrestling to counteract what hes going to try to do? I don't really have a lot of time to learn anything completely new, but I was wanting some advice.

[mrboxer]

wrestling is very important

[AKATheMack]

wrestling is very important

I understand, but could I improve enough in 3 months to make it worthwhile?

[hateinyaeyes32]

I have a buddy who wrestled in high school, and as you should know it is no cake walk... But i never wrestled a day in my life other than just ****ing around with my friends, and my buddy who wrestled one day taught me some moves, and lets just say i know some **** now, not alot, but enough to hold my own, so yeah 3 months you could learn a little more, but I say just improve your striking it sounds like you have a decent base in both striking and wrestling, so if his wrestling base is better than yours, than you want to make sure your striking is atleast better than his! Practice takedown defense, throw a knee to his face when he shoots in for the takedown, stay moving and work on elusiveness, so when he shoots to take you down, he'll run right past you like a raging bull... Nothing frustrates a wrestler more in MMA!

[Bullrush]

Got a question about MMA training. I boxed amateur and still train in boxing several times a week and I also wrestled in High School, but Im facing a guy who is a pretty decent Collegiate wrestler(definitely a better wrestler than me). The fight is 3 months away should I just continue to improve on my striking where I have the advantage or should I try to learn more wrestling to counteract what hes going to try to do? I don't really have a lot of time to learn anything completely new, but I was wanting some advice.

You already have an advantage in the standup over the wrestler, focus on wrestling now to make sure he doesnt just dominate you in the clinch and takes away your standup that way. You probably wont get up to his level in just 3 months but your wrestling will improve a lot since you dont have a lot of experience there, you will pick up things quick. You can def. close the gap to him

[AKATheMack]

I have a buddy who wrestled in high school, and as you should know it is no cake walk... But i never wrestled a day in my life other than just ****ing around with my friends, and my buddy who wrestled one day taught me some moves, and lets just say i know some **** now, not alot, but enough to hold my own, so yeah 3 months you could learn a little more, but I say just improve your striking it sounds like you have a decent base in both striking and wrestling, so if his wrestling base is better than yours, than you want to make sure your striking is atleast better than his! Practice takedown defense, throw a knee to his face when he shoots in for the takedown, stay moving and work on elusiveness, so when he shoots to take you down, he'll run right past you like a raging bull... Nothing frustrates a wrestler more in MMA!

Thanks for the input.

You already have an advantage in the standup over the wrestler, focus on wrestling now to make sure he doesnt just dominate you in the clinch and takes away your standup that way. You probably wont get up to his level in just 3 months but your wrestling will improve a lot since you dont have a lot of experience there, you will pick up things quick. You can def. close the gap to him

Thanks for the advice its much appreciated.

[Aperion]

I probably have no business answering your question considering I have no actual fight experience (I'm just a fan that trains), so take my advice with a grain of salt.

You need to work on wrestling, clinching and take down defense. A lot. A ton. Like, drill and train it to death. A wrestler in any MMA bout can determine where the fight takes place. So if he does not want to stand and trade with you, the fight will go to the ground. Or the clinch game against the cage, you should find out about your opponents wrestling style.

Obviously you're not going to stop your stand-up training, so keep that going to.

[Righthandbanger]

as a boxer/sub grappler I would say work loads on takedown defence but do NOT knee when he comes in. If you give him the leg without KOing him he will put you on your back so quick you won't know what happened.

Boxing is good, mix that with low kicks, sprawling and defensive clinch grappling, as well as a few escapes from side control and mount in case **** happens. it also helps if you keep circling off when the fight comes so he won't get a clean shot, and if he wants to tie up show him what a right cross looks like.

[VoN Brawn]

Train both. Drill wrestling techniques to stay / get back to your feet and drill standup to capitalize once it gets there.

[Double Jab]

First off, thank Pesci you wrestled in high school, that will be such an advantage to you, simply because you know what is going on. Having been a grappler before I learned to strike, let me tell you a few things I would have never wanted anyone to do when I was fighting mma.

Number 1, the most important thing, is, CIRCLE AWAY FROM THE GOD DAMN POWERHAND!!! If you do nothing else I say, circle away from the power hand, please, for the love of all that is sacred in your life. All wrestlers have this thing, where they fake the shot and go for the overhand right, its the only powerful strike they have, and when they have you worrying about that, they go for the takedown. see end of bisping vs henderson for examples of what NOT to do

Number 2, while not good in boxing, in mma, I love to stick out my left arm (only every so often) straight out while I am circling, and the moment he comes within my fingers reach, bam! right hand, step back and keep circling away from the power hand. The reason I love this, is as a wrestler, he will always try to come to you, and you will always find the exact moment to hit him. Plus, any jab he tries (key word is tries) to throw will be easily avoided. Remember the people you have trained with are light years ahead of him, you will laugh the first time you see his attempt at a jab. One person who does this really well is mirko crocop (well, he used to) see crocop vs waterman

Number 3, dont worry about ground work, worry about getting up. Start on your back in the guard, or mount, or whereever you may feel you may end up, and learn to get up, while the other guy only tries to keep you down on the ground. You wont learn groundwork fast enough to mess with him, just drill getting up, over and over. See Maurice Smith vs mark coleman for examples.

Also, a few more tips, here is what I can guarentee. In the beginning, he will try to strike with you, because he will have a false sense of confidence. After about 30 seconds to a minute, he will work strictly on taking you down when he realizes striking is a really bad idea. Also, he will have a crummy jab, and the only thing he will really throw is the overhand right, and occasionally a leaping left hook. And if he tries to run in and bull rush you, clinch and push him away the best you can, again, crocop did this very well in his fights.

Final thought, only really worry about the 1-2 at first. The hooks and other such things will not be beneficial until he is tired, and that wont be till probably the second round, and the jab and cross could whoop his butt alone.

the 1-2 is all you need, work it, stay sharp, and you will be golden.