How Do I Compare MMA Gloves?

Mixed martial arts, or MMA, was made popular by the Ultimate Fighting Championship franchise. Durable and comfortable gloves are essential in MMA fighting as the sport consists of using combined martial arts techniques, where participants of many disciplines engage in bloody pounding bouts until the referee stops the fight, or an opponent is knocked out or submits to applied force. The gloves used in MMA offer a layer of padding to protect the knuckles, though offering little protection for an opponents face. Choosing a glove should be done by careful comparison of gloves and through user reviews.

Instructions

    • 1

      Read user and coach reviews of MMA gloves. Some reviews are available online at MMA-Glove.com, and at RenegadeMMAGear.com. Reviews offer user ratings for many gloves, statistics and comparisons. You'll be able to read real athlete reviews and the pros and cons of gloves used in MMA fighting such as grip, security, hand fatigue and durability.

    • 2

      Look to see if the glove offers a thumb support, or a thumb protection. Some grappling gloves do not offer a thumb protection. This is typically based on personal preference, training and comfort. If you're a stand up fighter, then thumb protection may not be an issue, but does offer added security if you haven't learned to keep your thumbs across your knuckles while punching. If you're a ground fighter, then having an unrestricted thumb may be an asset for applying extra force and gaining a better grip.

    • 3

      Inspect the glove fingers. Look to see if the gloves are contoured, pre-curved or straight. Check to see if they have any rigidity or flexibility. Pre-curved glove fingers are great for reducing hand fatigue because they keep your fingers from having to constantly squeeze the glove into a fist, and create more of a natural fist within the glove.

    • 4

      Check the glove to see if it has an open palm design. An open palm allows for a great amount of dexterity, which is especially useful when grappling or ground fighting. Closed palm gloves can create a problem for those needing maximum dexterity.

    • 5

      Check to see if the glove has a quality wrist strapping. This all depends if you wear tape or wrist wraps aside from gloves. If so,the glove strap should easily accommodate your wrist straps, or this will create a security problem, causing the strap to come undone while in a fight. Ensure that the straps protect and reinforce the wrist if you don't wear independent wrist straps. Wrist support is critical especially for stand up fighters who perform a great deal of striking.