Right from 1993, when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) kickstarted in the US, it was clear that the mixed martial sport would go global. The aim, ab initio, was to figure out which martial art was the best in an actual fighting contest.
Founded by Art Davie (a businessman), and the Brazilian Martial Artist Rorion Gracie, UFC has since moved from its traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighting style to welcome different and sometimes strange fighting techniques.
Knowing the techniques of UFC fighters can help predict and forecast the outcome of fights. This knowledge will help in making more informed bets on UFC. UFC Betting sites from Mightytips PH are selected sites with the best terms and conditions for the user. You can peruse the list and choose any site for a genuine website to place a UFC bet. With these trusted sites, your chances of winning are high.
Some of the techniques employed by Filipino fighters are native to them, while some were learned. And without any order, below are the different types of fighting skills that make the SEA fighters excel.
Krav Maga
Krav Maga originated in Israel, and it’s one of the fighting styles of martial arts that’s very brutal. The technique involves delivering quick and devastating strikes to the opponent’s most vulnerable parts.
While it isn’t an unknown technique per se, it’s not common like the kicking-fighting style the UFC regularly witnesses. Regrettably, the Israeli fighters that invented this discipline rarely go far in the UFC.
Muay Thai
Codenamed Art of Eight Limbs, Muay Thai, which originated in Thailand, uses clinching and stand-up striking techniques. It features prominently in kickboxing, and Filipino UFC fighters that use this technique often record success in Octagon.
Wushu
Team Lakay, the official Lakay MMA Top Team, uses Wushu regularly, and their position testifies to its high success rate. Marquez Sangiao, a mixed martial expert, founded the team in La Trinidad, Philippines, in 2003.
The artist is also skilled in taekwondo fighting styles and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Wushu and Kung Fu are almost the same, as both techniques involve hand-to-hand combats that promote bodily contact. Wushu, however, emphasizes aesthetics and performance more than Kung Fu, earning itself the appellation of modern Kung Fu.
Eduard Folayang, a two-time ONE World Lightweight champion, is a Filipino fighter disciple of Wushu.
Iaido
While iaido is a Japanese combat invention, Filipino UFC fighters have mastered this discipline very well. It’s a discipline that emphasizes alertness and swift response in case of an attack. Because it essentially involves welding swords, it’s not officially part of fighting styles martial arts.
NinJitsu
Also called exotics because of its relative newness, NinJitsu is often employed alongside other fighting styles of martial arts by fighters. Steve Jennum listed it as one of the styles that gave him the UFC tournament titles.
Aikido
Aikido is a 21st-century Japanese martial art with many branches. It is not a karate or kicking fighting style that hurts the opponent. Instead, Aikido aims to defend the victim while ensuring the assailant is minimally affected. Many Filipino UFC fighters use this technique with others to achieve success.
Hapkido
Many prominent Filipino mixed martial artists have been successful in using this technique. It’s a kicking fighting style that utilizes punches, throwing, and grappling to overcome opponents.
Many artists believe that hapkido has the upper hand over karate fighting styles due to its focus on joint-lock and grappling techniques. So, if your hapkido player is confronting a karate fighter, you can comfortably place a bet they would win.
Kendo
Ever witnessed a UFC with fighters wielding bamboo swords? That’s Kendo. Japan has modernized martial art, which is now practiced in many countries, including the Philippines.
Capoeira
I can almost guess that for many people, Capoeira is the most unfamiliar martial art on this list. It is a striking and kicking fighting style that originated in Brazil. It utilizes different types of dancing as part of its styles, and fighters who use it combine it with other disciplines.
The other martial art techniques that Filipino UFC fighters have used to record tremendous success include-
- Taekwondo
- Karate
- Sambo
- Silat, and
- Goju Ryu
Most of these are non-native to the Philippines but have been adopted and demonstrated to be successful.
Bottom Line
What is unique does not have to be unknown. As such, you might be familiar with some of the martial arts expounded in this piece. For instance, karate fighting styles and Jiu-Jitsu fighting styles are not unknown. Yet, years of UFC hostings have proven them as successful techniques that have brought success.
So, when next you wish to place a bet on any UFC website, you can use the information here to guide your moves. And if you are an aspiring martial artist, you can draw inspiration from this list for your specialization.