MMA gloves or grappling gloves are small, open-fingered gloves optionally used in mixed martial arts bouts. They usually have around 4–6 oz of padding and are designed to provide some protection to the person wearing the glove, but leave the fingers available for grappling maneuvers such as clinch fighting and submissions.
History
Small, open-fingered gloves were first mandatory in Japan's Shooto promotion and were later adopted by the UFC as it developed into a regulated sport. Gloves were introduced to protect fighters' fists from injuries, as well as reduce the number of facial lacerations (and stoppages due to cuts) that fighters experienced without gloves. The introduction of gloves was also intended to encourage fighters to use their hands for striking to allow more captivating matches for fans. There are some similarities to the wrist-supporting, closed-thumb, broken-knuckle kempo gloves popularized by Bruce Lee's 1973 movie Enter the Dragon.
Types and use
Competition gloves - Most professional fights have the fighters wear 4 ounce (110 g) gloves, whereas amateurs may wear a slightly heavier 6 ounce (170 g) glove for increased protection. According to the rules, UFC allows gloves between 4-6 ounces, and even heavier for certain larger sized gloves, e.g. 2 XL – 4 XL.
Sparring gloves - Generally speaking MMA sparring gloves weight is usually 7 ounces. When sparring there is obviously a lot of punching involved, from working the bag to actual sparring with a partner. Both of these require that your knuckles are adequately protected and cushioned from the forces put upon them. The 7oz refers to the weight of the padding inside the gloves and not the overall weight.
Grappling gloves - Otherwise known as hybrid or training gloves these are used mainly for clinch work/grappling.This type of glove has less padding than sparring or competition gloves. In addition each finger can be moved independently allowing for more gripping ability.
Impact of gloves on safety and injuries
The impact of gloves on the injuries caused during a fight is a controversial issue, mostly looked at in relation to boxing. The use of padded gloves in fights protects the fists of the wearer but doesn't prevent brain injury unless they are so large that they become difficult to use. These gloves protect the fists of the wearer and allow stronger punches than in bare-knuckle fights, and it is the changes in acceleration to the head as a whole that tears the blood vessels, not the impact with the glove.
List of MMA Gloves Approved by Associations
| Association | Approved Gloves for Professional MMA | Approved Gloves for MMA Class-A, MMA Class-B, MMA Class-C |
|---|---|---|
| SWEDISH MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FEDERATION - SMMAF | RDX Sports Pro glove T1
RDX Sports Pro glove F2 RDX Sports Pro glove F3 BAD BOY Pro Series MMA Gloves (all models) BAD BOY Pro Series Gel MMA Gloves (all models) BAD BOY Legacy Series MMA Gloves (all models) Kenka MMA Gloves 2.0 OMPU MMA Competition OMPU Fight glove Open Thumb UFC Official Fight Gloves Adidas Professional MMA Glove: ADICSG041 Adidas professional MMA competition glove: ADICSG04 Adidas professional MMA competition glove: ADICSG09 Superior Gear MMA Competition Gloves (Art. Name: MCGB) Fighter Gear: Fighter Hornet, professional MMA glove (15032-000) Askari MMA Gloves (Pro) |
RDX Sports GGR-T6
BAD BOY Training Series MMA Safety Gloves (all models) BAD BOY Pro Series MMA Safety Gloves (All Models) Adidas competition glove ADICSG061 Slayer OMPU MMA Top Sparring Fighter Gear: Fighter Combat IMT (art 15024–000) Superior Gear MMA Sparring Gloves (Article title: MSGB) Chokem MMA Safe Sparring Glove (article number: CHO406) Askari MMA Gloves Shootfighter BLACK WOLF Askari MMA Gloves Shootfighter HUNTER Top Rank Eq MMA Gloves |
See also
External links
Media related to MMA gloves at Wikimedia Commons
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