Would you like to join Randy Couture, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and Anderson Silva to become a part of Ultimate Fighter? With the right guidance and background, you can learn to be the all-round athletic competitor the UFC is looking for. Learn to fight, gain experience, and find out how to dive into the professional world. Start looking at step 1 to learn more information.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Learn to Fight
Step 1. Train your body
Mixed fighting events are tests of aerobic endurance, strength, agility, and determination. You have to be a versatile athlete to be in the Ultimate Fighter group. So, if your ambition is like this, make sure you train your body.
- Build muscle and lose fat instead of trying to diet and lose weight. You have to be stocky and strong. Developing a weightlifting and aerobics routine to suit your body will help make the transition to exercise much easier.
- If you don't have time to go to the gym, work out on your own. Develop a comprehensive routine that includes running, push-ups, sit-ups, and stretching.
Step 2. Start learning boxing
Ultimate Fighter fighters are a mixture of boxers, martial artists, wrestlers, and every other fighting style that exists in the world. One of the easiest and most comprehensive ways to start learning fighting skills at any age is to develop boxing, hitting, and standing skills.
Step 3. Learn mat wrestling
If you're young and just starting out, consider joining a wrestling team at school to learn the basics of mat wrestling and gain experience fighting in a controlled environment. This wrestling may not be as cool as the UFC, but its amateur basics will make you a stronger fighter in the long run, as skill and endurance are trained. Wrestling is also a great way to maintain weight and maintain an ideal body shape for fighting.
Step 4. Learn martial arts
To get into MMA, you'll need to gain experience (even at a beginner level) through basic mat wrestling and a few other variations of the martial art. You can just jump right in and start trying MMA, but the versatility factor and being able to survive and beat your opponent is the factor that separates great fighters from mediocre ones. Some of the best martial arts to learn to prepare for MMA include:
- Karate and kung-fu, which are perfect for learning kick accuracy
- Judo, which is an excellent way to learn to take down opponents
- Brazilian ju-jitsu, learned by the most successful MMA fighters, and very powerful in combat on the mat
- Muay-thai, also known as the "art of the eight body parts" and specializes in using the knees and elbows to strike
Step 5. Find a gym in your area that specializes in MMA
Learning to fight properly in a caged ring goes deeper than simply learning the various martial arts individually and fighting. You have to put it all together and train with other MMA fighters, do friendly fights, learn and develop your skills. You'll learn the basics and have a good resource by gathering with the community at gyms like these.
Part 2 of 3: Adding Experience
Step 1. Start developing and styling yourself
There are many styles of Ultimate Fighter, from the technical boxer to the street fighter, or the mat wrestler to the king of kicks. What feels most natural to you? To become a great MMA fighter, identify your special skills and train them to become an effective weapon to use against other fighters.
Sometimes, this style may develop as a process of adding other skills that you are training to prepare yourself to enter the world of MMA. If you are a wrestler, develop your skills on the mat and your boxing skills to become more versatile. If you're a boxer, consider practicing Brazilian martial arts to develop your skills on the mat. Be a complete fighter
Step 2. Find and compete in the right weight class
Set your body at a healthy upper limit on one of the scales below, then keep the weight consistent at that level. MMA and UFC typically use the following heavyweights to classify their fighters:
- Bantamweight: 126 to 135 lb (57 to 61 kg)
- Featherweight: 136 to 145 lb (62 to 66 kg)
- Lightweight: 146 to 155 lb (66 to 70 kg)
- Welterweight: 156 to 170 lb (71 to 77 kg)
- Middleweight: 171 to 185 lb (78 to 84 kg)
- Light weight class: 186 to 205 lb (84 to 93 kg)
- Weight class: 206 to 265 lb (93 to 120 kg).
Step 3. Live your first fight
Once you've accumulated training experience, have one of the trainers prepare for a local fight and try it out so you know what it's like to fight in MMA. If the result is good and you like it, continue to schedule other matches as often as possible – as long as your training schedule is not interrupted. Trust the coach to find a worthy opponent.
Bookies often enjoy setting up a shark-to-minor fight, by pairing an inexperienced fish (in this case, that fish is you) with a great fighter to fill the building because the audience wants to see the blood spill. Try as much as possible to avoid situations like this in your first fight. Competing against much more experienced fighters can be difficult
Step 4. Develop mental play
When you start competing, learn to ignore defeat and victory. Always welcome the next fight. No need to think long about winning and failing in the ring. Memorizing past battles is only good for learning purposes (what could you do better and how you can increase your chances of winning in the next match).
Step 5. Keep practicing
Keep working hard in the gym and take advantage of the training you receive. Surround yourself with a good training team, including more experienced fighters and coaches. They can help you identify things that need improvement. Try to be an all-around fighter and keep winning matches.
Part 3 of 3: Dive into the Professional World
Step 1. Start networking
Market yourself online and start proclaiming yourself as an amateur fighter. Visit UFC matches and get to know the people. Join message forums and participate as much as possible. If you want to become a professional MMA fighter, you have to make sure your life revolves around the world of sports.
- Tapology and Fight Network (in English) are popular resources for fighters and MMA fans alike. Interact here and learn everything possible.
- Participate in social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Promote your fights and performances and keep in touch with contacts in the world and fans.
Step 2. Get sponsors
If you have a good reputation and achievements, approach a management company like Fight Tribe or Made to Win, which have a good track record of dealing with fighters. Try negotiating a contract with them.
You should understand that most management companies will only be interested in fighters who win frequently. Make sure you keep winning when you face great opponents. Management companies only want to finance attractive and experienced fighters who can make a profit, not just talented aspiring fighters. Increase your chances of signing a contract by winning as many fights as you can
Step 3. Be unique
Mike Tyson has a long chain and Muhammad Ali loves to rhyme. In MMA, Chuck Liddell wears a mohawk and loves to talk big, while Anderson Silva is known for his icy demeanor. Make sure you're unique and start developing a flamboyant, entertaining personality if you want to be recognized in the combat world.
Some fighters find it easier to develop a persona than others. Don't waste time styling your hair and tattooing your body with scary pictures. You better practice. However, you still have to think about your "character". Get a scary nickname and make the most of it
Step 4. Follow the UFC selection
If your ultimate goal is to become an Ultimate Fighter, follow the selection. Invite a UFC representative to watch your fight and stay in touch with them. Make sure they know you want to join. This organization works exclusively by nature – you have to be invited before you can join. There's nothing wrong with making it clear that you're interested.
