How To Become A Professional UFC Fighter

The UFC has taken over the combat sports world by storm. Millions of fans tune in every week to watch their favorite fighters in an action-packed bout. UFC fighters have become celebrities and have amassed unthinkable fame.

Superstars such as Conor McGregor have become a household name, with the ‘Notorious’ undoubtedly one of the most famous athletes in the world.

MMA has become a viable opportunity for many to earn their livelihood. And, with the sport and the promotion growing in popularity, millions of people are now looking for an opportunity to get into the biggest promotion on earth.

Here are the steps to potentially get into the UFC-

1. Training

Perhaps the most fundamental aspect of all of this is proper training. To get into any local competition, let alone the UFC, an aspirant must equip themselves with all the skills they can grasp early on.

This includes developing a strong base in kickboxing for a start. Given the high level of competition, fighters must train in various martial arts as well. This includes studying and practicing Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, or any other martial art that’ll help develop a strong ground game. Other than just this, a lot of emphasis must be placed on diet, nutrition, and recovery.

Conditioning is also extremely important, and building a strong base in all of this could potentially launch you into superstardom.

2. Competing

After building a strong enough base in various martial arts, the next step is to start competing on the local circuit. This will give you an idea of the competition out there, as well as an indication of where a person stands and the chances they have to get to the UFC.

There are several local leagues present in many countries. Many of these local leagues are usually connected with the UFC, as many fighters are often signed from small promotions.

Once a fighter makes a name for themselves at local leagues and competitions, they can potentially start signing contracts at many lower-tier promotions or even UFC feeder promotions.

3. Connections

After making a name in the local circuits, the next step is to build a social media platform and connect to individuals who are already in the sport. Connections are essential to make the next jump. By building an active profile, various agents and managers can easily contact you and offer contracts that can lead you to the dream UFC path.

An impressive portfolio will help make those connections faster and is essential to make it to the big leagues

4. Getting to the bigger leagues

After a fighter makes a name at the lower leagues, they must make the necessary connections to get into a professional organization. This will help the fighter string together a couple of fights with the higher-level competition. This experience is essential, given the level of competition of fighters in the UFC.

Putting together solid wins is also extremely important to move up the ladder and attract the attention of the UFC.
Some examples of feeder promotions are the World Series of Fighting, Cage Warriors, and Titan fighting championship.

5. Making a name in  different promotions

The path to the UFC is not done just yet. To make it to the best promotion you need to prove yourself in lower-tier promotions.

Conor McGregor was a two-time cage warriors champion before he got the big call up to the UFC. Similarly, any prospect must work tirelessly to get a contract with the UFC.

6. Fighting for the UFC

Now that a fighter has gone through all the blood, sweat, and tears to make a name for themselves. It’s finally time to make it to the big stage. The UFC is always looking for fresh talent and they host the contender series every year, in search of the next big thing. Fighters such as Sean O’Malley, Dan Ige, and Geoff Neal have all taken part in the series and have gone onto make a name for themselves in the sport.

Another way of getting into the UFC is to be recruited directly. A perfect example of this would be Conor McGregor. He had generated enough hype and had built a large following in Ireland and was directly recruited by Dana White.

This is but a simplified version of what it takes to get to the UFC. However, with hard work, dedication, and perseverance, the sky is the limit.

Would you like to fight in the UFC? Let us know in the comments below!

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