What is more damaging mentally, mixed martial arts or boxing?

Question

I am going to start boxing training through a friend, but I really want to do MMA. Which is worse for the brain?

I am talking in terms of brain damage, etc. I know for a fact that physically MMA is worse for the body because you can cut or split things open much easier. In the long run, what is more harmful to the brain, boxing or MMA? Please provide medical evidence, not just your own thoughts.

Answer 1

ANYONE WHO SAYS MMA IS CAUSES MORE BRAIN TRAUMA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO IT A LITTLE MORE DEEPLY PLEASE.

MMA allows for you to grab and hold your opponent in order to protect your head.
MANY MANY MMA fights have been won without any hits to the head, and won on grappling alone etc.

Boxing is an accumulation of blows to the head round after round after round!
A boxer can get punched in the head well over 100 times in just a single match!!!

No MMA fighter has EVER had as many punches landed to the head like that, and usually any clean blows to the head in an MMA match will lead to a speedy victory.

Boxers are forced to LET GO from a clinch and made to hit eachother and stand on their feet. After a boxer is knocked down, the boxer still has the option to stand up and endure more punishment.

Most of the time, MMA fighters who get knocked to the floor end up getting punched only about 2-5 more times before the match abruptly comes to a halt, or the defending fighter is allowed to hold his opponent's arms in order to try and stop the blows.

BOXING IS ENTIRELY MORE DANGEROUS THAN MMA when it comes to brain trauma.

there are only about 3 rounds in any MMA bout as opposed to the 12 round of punishment that boxers must endure.

I have Trained in boxing and MMA, and believe me, my bell has been rung by boxing about 5 times more than any time i trained for MMA.

Answer 2

Specific brain injury, definitely boxing. However, do the boxing training, and incorporate what you learn into MMA events rather than becoming a Pro-Boxer. Do some ameature bouts, certainly, as these will help prepare you.
The reason being, in boxing, you're KOed many times in a bout. Each KO is a concussion. So, after the normal boxing Concussion, you're given 10 seconds to gather yourself so you can get another Concussion. You may have 10 or 20 Concussions in a single bout!
In MMA when you get that first Concussion, your opponent jumps on you and submitts you.
1 Concussion per bout, vs 10 Concussions per bout....
Sometimes you're choked out, or loose by an arm bar, and don't get a Concussion at all.
The human brain can handle a few concussions throughout your life, but it can't handle the hundreds of them you'll have in a Professional boxing career without some Brain injury.

Answer 3

Boxing. Definitely. Its head, head, head, body, head shot one after another. At least in MMA if you don't like getting kicked and punched at you can take it into the ground to nullify most striking. In boxing the ref even keeps the two fighters from each other so as to create more "action", thus means more room to wind up and far more strikes then in MMA.


Alot of times people here don't have too much experience with martial arts and are just here because they've seen a few UFC matches and think its cool. That said, whenever a thread comes up asking the posters to pick between a selection of choices, those "backseat martial artists" will pick anything that has 2-3 letters. Namely "MMA, BJJ, and MT" without even giving it consideration.

Its almost a psychy of hearing MMA and then bowing down to those 3 letters.

Answer 4

I have to agree with Joe Mama although I think that may or could change with time. There have been a number of medical studies done on boxing and its effects by notable doctors and medical organizations that speak out against boxing and its effects on the brain. My wife did medical research in this area for a number of years and it was always interesting conversation at dinner parties and social functions since they knew of my background in martial arts and fighting.

MMA being a newer sport and no pads on the elbows and forearms or knees and the blows to the head I think will in the long run show that a severe blow even if it is only one can cause some damage. I think also something that you have to keep in mind is that you don't always see the amount of blows and severity of them that a fighter receives in training or sparring. I think it is only a matter of time before the medical community will do some studies and come out against it much like they have boxing because of the severity of some of the blows being landed with unpadded portions of the body like knees, elbows. and forearms.

Answer 5

I do'nt deserve 2 points for this Joe Mamma is right on the money.... I would add to it.. in boxing you get hurt severly... the ref stops ... counts to ten... are you ok... can you lift your hands... ok... go get caught with another good clean shot again, before your brain has fully recovered... and in the sport of boxing.. they call that "heart"... I am a HUGE boxing fan... but if you have watched both sports... you will see many fights where a boxer takes clean shot after clean shot... the ref lets it continue, as long as they guy can stand... In MMA when a guy takes one clean shot the fight ends within 10 second at least 75% of the time...

Answer 6

Boxing, why? In MMA once you get knocked out the fight is over, not mentioning the submissions which are quite common and save your head, but if you got kncked out one time your brain should me more or less intact

The damage starts to happon when a person gets KOed and then gets back up to fight then gets KOed again, then gets back up.... and you get the idea

Answer 7

Worse for the brain how?

if you mean damage from punches i would say MMA since the rules are alot different. I mean boxing you cant take a knee to the head.

Answer 8

Knees and kicks to the head hurt alot.

in boxing your oppoent only has 2 weapons,

in MMA your oppoenent has 9 weapons. 2 feet, 2 knees, 2 elbows, 2 hands, and one head.

thats 9X more chances to get hit in the head. u do the math.

Answer 9

HAhA if you want to deal serious mental damage to your friend then mixed martial arts, you can karate chop his neck and break it easily. Or break his nose and then his arm. Then again, you should probably start off with boxing, since it will teach you the basics of punching. Whichever you want, although MMA is more dangerous and you need better control.

Answer 10

mma its kicking and punching and crazy