The Best Base for MMA: Wrestling, BJJ, or Striking?

Is wrestling the undisputed king of the cage, or has the rise of elite strikers changed the game? We analyze the data, the champions, and the evolution of the “best base for MMA” debate.

The Age-Old Debate: Which Style Dominates?

Walk into any MMA gym from Tallinn to Las Vegas, and you will hear the same argument: “What is the best base for MMA?” For decades, the answer seemed simple. Wrestlers dictated where the fight took place, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) specialists finished the fight if it hit the ground, and strikers provided the highlight-reel knockouts.

But as we move through 2025, the landscape of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has shifted. We have seen double-champions who started as strikers, and we have seen wrestlers with heavy hands. To understand the true hierarchy of martial arts in modern MMA, we need to break down the “Big Three”—Wrestling, BJJ, and Striking—and see what the numbers (and the belts) actually say.

1. Wrestling: The King of Control

Historically, wrestling is statistically the most successful base in UFC history. Data analysis from the last two decades suggests that nearly 40-50% of UFC champions came from a collegiate or freestyle wrestling background. Why is this?

The answer lies in autonomy. A superior wrestler decides where the fight happens. If they are winning on the feet, they keep it there (like Kamaru Usman or Justin Gaethje). If they are losing the striking exchange, they can drag the fight to the canvas (like Khamzat Chimaev or Islam Makhachev).

Why Wrestling Works

• Top Control: In the Unified Rules, “effective grappling” and ground control are major scoring criteria. Wrestlers excel at grinding out round wins.
• Cardio & Conditioning: The “wrestler’s grind” builds a gas tank that is notoriously difficult to break.
• Transition Speed: Modern wrestlers successfully mix striking with takedown threats, making their overhand punches harder to predict.

2. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ): The Art of Survival

In the early days of UFC 1, Royce Gracie proved that BJJ was the only necessary base. Today, you cannot win a title with just Jiu-Jitsu, but you certainly cannot win one without it. BJJ is no longer just about submission hunting; it is the “fire insurance” of MMA.

Fighters like Charles Oliveira have shown that a dangerous guard can neutralize a wrestler’s pressure. If a wrestler is afraid to take you down because they might get submitted, their greatest weapon is nullified.

The “Modern” BJJ Base

Pure BJJ players often struggle with takedowns. However, when paired with competent wrestling or Muay Thai, BJJ becomes lethal. The modern meta favors the “submission wrestler”—someone who can force the takedown and immediately threaten the neck or limbs, rather than just holding position.

3. Striking: The Path to the Highlight Reel

For years, the adage was “Striker vs. Grappler = Grappler wins.” That is no longer the default truth. The rise of champions like Alex Pereira's, Israel Adesanya, and Ilia Topuria has proven that an elite striker with anti-wrestling (takedown defense) is arguably the most dangerous profile in the sport.

Striking bases usually come from:

• Muay Thai: The “Art of Eight Limbs” (fists, elbows, knees, shins). Ideal for the clinch and distance management.
• Boxing: Focuses on head movement, footwork, and hand speed. Boxers like Petr Yan have shown how crisp punching can disrupt a grappler’s rhythm.
• Kickboxing: Offers range and dynamic attacks.

The key for strikers is Distance Management. If a striker can keep the fight at range and punish the wrestler for entering, the wrestler wilts. This was the blueprint used by Alexander Volkanovski to dominate the featherweight division for years.

The Verdict: What is the Best Base in 2025?

If you had to pick one single martial art to start with, the statistics still favor Wrestling. The ability to dictate the fight’s location is the single most powerful attribute in MMA.

However, the pure specialist is extinct. The best base for MMA today is arguably MMA itself—training all disciplines concurrently from day one. But if we look at the current crop of champions in late 2025, we see a hybrid trend:

1. The Grappling-Striker: Wrestlers who developed KO power (e.g., the Dagestani wave).
2. The Anti-Wrestler Striker: Elite kickboxers who cannot be taken down (e.g., the Pereira archetype).

Conclusion: Wrestling gets you to the dance, but Striking closes the show. BJJ keeps you safe while you’re there.

FAQ: Choosing Your MMA Base

Is it too late to start wrestling for MMA?

High-level competitive wrestling is hard to pick up as an adult compared to BJJ or Muay Thai. However, you can learn “MMA wrestling” (wall walks, sprawl-and-brawl) effectively at any age.

Why are there so many champions from Dagestan?

The Dagestani style is often a mix of Freestyle Wrestling, Judo, and Combat Sambo. This blend emphasizes control, trips, and heavy top pressure, which translates perfectly to the UFC scoring criteria.

Which martial art causes the most knockouts?

Statistically, Muay Thai and Boxing techniques account for the vast majority of KO/TKO finishes in the UFC.

Does a BJJ Black Belt matter in MMA?

Yes, but not as much as it used to. A “sport BJJ” game often fails in MMA because of strikes. MMA-specific grappling (valuing top position over guard) is preferred.

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