Our guide will provide you with an in-depth look at MMA betting. You’ll discover the sport’s most popular events and numerous methods of victory that you can choose when you place your bet.
We’ll also take a look at the weight divisions for both men and women in MMA, and you’ll also discover some interesting facts about the sport.
You’ll learn where to find reputable sites for MMA betting and what you should look for in an online betting site. Our guide will answer some frequent FAQs that bettors ask about when they place wagers on the sport.
Are you interested in reading about this electrifying sport and why it draws bettors and fans worldwide? Continue reading to find out more.
Contents
Introduction to MMA
The MMA that we know today has taken the world by storm as an exciting, fast-paced contact sport. The TV and internet broadcasts the thrilling matchup of two competitors fighting using mixed methods of martial art forms. The sport has many popular MMA promotions in the US, including most notably UFC and Bellator, but they are watched by spectators worldwide.
MMA is a quick-paced combat sport that combines the styles of many old martial arts to make for a competitive sport. Today, there are numerous men’s and women’s weight divisions in MMA to level the playing field and balance the fights.
The fighters can use one or many different martial arts skills, such as techniques from taekwondo, kickboxing, and jiujitsu. The competitors often will study each other during the match build-up and determine what their strengths and weaknesses are before the fight. They will use their chosen techniques, whether it be striking, grappling, or takedowns, to gain an advantage over their opponent to win the fight.
Continue reading our guide to discover all the different victory methods you can wager on at online betting sites.
Methods of Victory
There are exciting victory methods for you to bet on MMA sporting events. You can place wagers not only on the fighter but also on how you think they’ll win the match. We’ll now take a brief look at these victory methods:
- Decision
When a fight goes the total distance (typically three or five rounds), the judges decide which fighter will win the match. The decision is based on a scoring who wins each round by assigning them points, typically between eight and 10 points depending on how well the fighter did in that respective round. The points are tallied up to determine a winner. If both fighters have the same amount of points from the combined judges’ scores, the match is a draw. - Knockout
The match will end if a fighter makes his opponent lose consciousness through a strike. The winner will have earned a knockout victory. Typically this is down through striking, such as punches, kicks, elbows, or knees. - Submission
If one fighter places a submissive hold on his opponent, forcing them to tap out, the fight will end immediately. The winner will have gained a submission victory. Typically this done through joint manipulations like an armbar or through chokes. - Technical Knockout
The referee can call a stop to the fight if one of the fighters is losing so badly that they are no longer intelligently defending themselves. - Doctor/ Corner Stoppage
A doctor will determine if there’s a health risk to the fighter when returning to their corner. If the athlete is unable to continue, the doctor can end the match. A corner stoppage is when a fighter retires from the match due to an injury and cannot continue the fight. - Disqualification
If one of the fighters continually violates the sport’s rules, the judge or referee can end the match and disqualify the offender. - No Contest
The match will end as a no contest if both fighters continue to break the rules after the use of illegal moves or in otherwise bizarre circumstances.
Main Competitions
MMA holds numerous thrilling events that dazzle spectators worldwide. The fighting leagues of Bellator and the UFC hold the largest events. We’re now going to give you a brief description of the top five MMA promotions that have bettors flocking to their online bookies.
UFC
The UFC is the most popular event in MMA sports, making its event debut in Colorado in 1993, titled ‘UFC 1’. The promotion’s events are now some of the most-watched and popular combat sports worldwide.
Two fighters battle it out using their best mixed martial arts skills in a fenced in Octagon. There are numerous weight classes for men and women, with exciting victory methods and rules. The competition enjoys soaring popularity, and it’s attractive for betting fans who wish to avail of UFC betting deals.
Already, there’s building excitement for the upcoming UFC 264, when Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor step into the octagon for the third time. The match is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, July 10th, 2021.
Bellator
Bellator is the second most popular MMA promotion in the world, just behind the UFC. The promotion has a deal with ESPN in Brazil, and it has held over 265 thrilling events.
Bellator has been around since 2008 and is owned by VicomCBS. Mixed martial arts competitors fight each other in a circular cage, unlike the octagon in UFC. The brand has eight MMA weight divisions. If negotiated successfully, two fighters from different classes can compete in a catchweight match.
Invicta FC
Invicta FC is a women’s American MMA promotional competition. The promotion is owned by Anthem Media group, and Shannon Knapp founded it in 2012. Invicta FC heavily promotes its matches by placing significant emphasis on its posters.
The promotion gained considerable momentum from spectators and fans. The events enjoyed growing success with pay-per-view fights in 2013. Invicta FC is dedicated to pioneering the growth of women’s mixed martial arts in the present and future.
World Series of Fighting
The World Series of Fighting made its debut in 2012, and it’s one of the newer MMA promotions that continuously gains popularity. It has undergone a name change, and it’s now known as the Professional Fighters League. The promotion has held 35 events under the name WSOF.
It has eight weight classes, from women’s strawweight to men’s heavyweight. It’s a regular fighting season, with rankings and playoffs. The winner of each weight division will earn $1 million and carry the division champion crown.
ONE Championship
ONE Championship is based in Singapore, and it blends a combination of top practices from Asian and non-Asian rules. It possesses top talent from fighters using mixed martial arts, and its popularity has significantly risen in the last few years.
There are eight weight classes in ONE Championship, ranging from atomweight to heavyweight. The weight divisions are unique as it has a program that bans fighters from using dehydration to cut their weights.
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You can bet on all sporting events and matches on reputable online betting sites for MMA. You can also walk into a local bookmakers establishment and check out the current MMA betting odds on upcoming fights.
You can keep up to date on match build-ups and check out the MMA betting odds influencing by the media coverage and news. You can also take advantage of handy betting features, such as in-play betting, odds calculators, and cashout functions when the fight is taking place. Many online betting sites also have online streaming services so you can watch the event at the same time.
The best bookmakers will have helpful MMA betting tips and tricks on sporting competitions. Some bookies have podcasts that’ll give you expert betting advice on how to bet on UFC fights and other promotions. Websites with dedicated MMA betting sections usually heavily promote the sport, and you’ll find competitive odds for upcoming fights on these sites.
We’re now going to briefly explore the different weight classes that are in MMA events. You can place wagers on fights for both male and female contenders.
Male and Female Weight Classes
MMA has numerous weight classes for both male and female competitors. The sport ensures it promotes integrity and fair play by categorizing fighters by weight. The following weight divisions for both male and females in MMA sports:
- Atomweight: Weight of 105lb for women
- Strawweight: Weight of 115lb for women
- Flyweight: Weight of 125lb for men and women
- Bantamweight: Weight of 135lb for men and women
- Featherweight: Weight of 145lb for men and women
- Lightweight: Weight of 155lb for men and women
- Welterweight: Weight of 170lb for men
- Middleweight: Weight of 185lb for men
- Light-heavyweight: Weight of 205lb for men
- Heavyweight: Weight of between 206-265lbs for men
MMA Facts and History
Here are some interesting facts and a brief look at MMA’s history in our guide for your enjoyment.
Facts
- Abu Dhabi owns 10% of the UFC organization.
- Pankration prefaced competitive mixed martial arts and was featured in the Olympic Games, 648BC.
- Jason Cusson created the famous octagon ring from watching a Chuck Norris film called ‘The Octagon’ in the 1980s.
- The Shooto organization from Japan is the longest-running MMA brand, standing tall since 1986.
History
Leitai is the oldest known instance of a sport similar to MMA, where fighters combined different sets of skills from Chinese martial arts, boxing, and wrestling. In ancient Greece, the Olympic sport Pankration involved similar striking and grappling techniques.
Competitive mixed martial arts took on numerous forms during the 19th – 20th century and spread across the continents. Savate rose in popularity in France, but it was the formation of Brazilain jiu-jitsu that inspired the roots for modern grappling in MMA, thanks to the Gracie family. Soon many different forms of martial arts (from grappling, to takedowns, to striking) started to compete and then merge together.
No-holds-barred underground competitive fights spread all over Brazil and the US. When Rorion Gracie moved to the US in 1970, he started organizing more ‘everything goes’ fights and eventually helped to found the UFC in 1993.
The rapid ascent of the UFC’s popularity spawned rival promotions and superstar martial artists. The electrifying media attention of upcoming matches, the betting market opportunities, and the fast-paced action has placed MMA as one of the most popular sports worldwide.
Conclusion
More and more people are jumping on the MMA bandwagon, and the sport continues to thrive. It’s entertaining, exciting, and full of colourful fighters with dynamic personalities. MMA promotions have perfected the marketing of their brands by using significant media coverage.
Online bookies always rush to advertise competitive UFC betting odds, among other MMA promotions. There’s no doubt the sport offers numerous exciting betting markets for bettors. Online MMA betting is simple, quick, and entertaining. If you take a bit of time browsing, you’ll find deals on UFC betting lines and many more MMA betting promotions.
FAQs
How to bet on MMA?
You can register a new account at an online betting site and navigate to the MMA betting section. Browse through the odds on upcoming fights. For example, select the UFC odds on a fight that tickles your fancy and deposit your chosen amount of funds to complete your bet.
Is it legal to bet on MMA?
Yes, it’s legal to bet on MMA in all 50 states.
How do I find the best MMA odds?
You can register with online bookmakers that may offer you new member deals on MMA upcoming fights.
In what ways can I bet on MMA?
There are several ways to bet on MMA. You can place money line bets, wager the winning method, and round betting across all weight divisions.
Elica Martinova
Betting expert
Certified Betting Expert
Ellie is in charge of writing, editing, and publishing reviews in Bulgarian, English, and German. She has a long track record as a journalist and is passionate about writing. Also, she is quite experienced when it comes to bookmakers as well.