Top 4 Most Underrated Fighting Styles in MMA

MMA is a popular sport, and many people are drawn to it despite its aggressive and physical background. MMA is the evolution of fighting as it comprises different fighting styles. The style used will depend on the fighter’s preference. The most common and popular fighting style in MMA is Muay Thai, also known as kickboxing.

You can also often notice fighters using Jiu Jitsu and wrestling. However, there are also fighting styles that are so great, but you seldom see in MMA fights that are worth the attention. Hence, whether you’re a casual fan or a veteran of MMA betting, it’s important to be familiar with them. These fighting styles are the following:

Krav Maga

The first underrated fighting style in MMA is Krav Maga. Krav Maga was created to become the most effective self-defense system. It was initially developed to be used as a self-defense system by Jewish refugees in Israel. This fighting style is the official fighting style of the Israel Defense Forces. 

In Krav Maga, the trainees will undergo hand-to-hand combat that utilizes instinctive movements. This fighting style is also known to be the most aggressive with no-holds-barred. This fighting system aims to end a fight as quickly as possible. 

Krav Maga’s fighting style will aim for a brutal strike that instantly incapacitates the opponent. It is maybe the reason Krav Maga is not popular in MMA that makes it underrated. Although many moves from Krav Maga are illegal, some of the moves in this style are strong and suited for MMA. Krav Maga is a fighting style that you must understand and learn as it can be an excellent strategy for MMA fights. 

Judo

The next fighting style that you can’t commonly see in most MMA fights is Judo. Judo is an effective fighting style that will increase your chance of winning a fight.

Judo lets you manipulate your opponent without exerting too much effort while staying alert, aware, and remaining standing. Additionally, Judo provides you with a sense of balance, an excellent skill to have that can contribute to the sport. 

However, Judo has a complex rule which may be why it is not common in MMA tournaments. Fighters who favor judo may also get used to the gi. The judogi or gi is a uniform used in judo matches by both competitors. Judokas can use the gi to their advantage. If an MMA fighter is too focused on their judo skills, he or she may be at a disadvantage because MMA doesn’t use gis.

Jeet Kune Do 

The third underutilized fighting style in MMA is Jeet Kune Do or JKD. It is popularly called the “Father of modern MMA.” JKD was developed by Bruce Lee and was intended for street fighting. JKD’s original name was Jun Fan Gung Fu, from Bruce Lee’s Chinese name Lee Jun-Fan. 

JKD at the time of its conception, was too advanced for many practicing martial artists. Many believed that it was too aggressive, too violent, and unorthodox as the style used strikes that were exclusive for other styles such as karate and muay thai. Due to the aggressive nature and lack of defensive moves of JKD, many fighters often frown on relying on it too much.  

Bruce Lee’s philosophy in JKD is to be like water. You should be dynamic, fluid, and free-minded if you practice JKD. Lee believes that in fighting, one should be dynamic and be able to change at a moment’s notice or to adapt to one’s situation. If not for the untimely death of Bruce Lee, JKD could have been developed more to fit the demanding needs of MMA fighters.

Savate

Although most MMA fighters have already heard about Savate, you can’t seldomly see it on MMA. Savate is kickboxing developed by french boxer Charles Lecour. It was created originally as a form of street fighting. 

This fighting style allows you to use both your hands and feet as a weapon. Savate is an excellent fighting style, but it is underutilized in MMA. They believe that Savate is ineffective in MMA because it is light on the feet. 

But contrary to what many believe, Savate is a good fighting style in MMA  as it is mostly similar to other martial arts. Its kicks and strikes are designed to be effective when used in fighting. If you decide to learn Savate and use it in an MMA fight, you have the choice to modify the techniques to make it suitable for an MMA fight. 

Try These Underrated Fighting Style 

If you are still looking for an excellent style that can give you an edge over your opponent in MMA fighting, why not try the fighting styles mentioned above. It may be what you only need to excel in this sport. Remember, it doesn’t matter that it is an underrated style. As long as it suits you, it is the best style.