MMA glossary: striking, grappling, submissions and judging terms

Mixed martial arts combines striking and grappling, so its vocabulary is bigger than most sports'. Here are the essential terms.

Takedowns and clinch

Term	Meaning
Takedown	Bringing the opponent to the ground from standing
Single-leg / double-leg	Takedowns attacking one or both legs
Sprawl	Defending a takedown by driving the hips down and back
Clinch	Grappling standing up at close range
Cage clinch	Clinch against the fence
Trip / throw	Takedowns using the legs or hips

Positions on the ground

Term	Meaning
Guard	Bottom fighter controls the top fighter with their legs
Half guard	Bottom fighter traps one of the top fighter's legs
Side control	Top fighter across the opponent's chest, past the legs
Mount	Top fighter sitting on the opponent's torso
Back control	Controlling from behind, often with hooks in
Scramble	Both fighters fighting for position

Submissions

Term	Type
Rear-naked choke	Choke from back control
Guillotine	Front headlock choke
Triangle	Choke using the legs
Arm-triangle	Choke using the arm and shoulder
Armbar	Joint lock on the elbow
Kimura / americana	Shoulder locks
Heel hook / kneebar	Leg locks (rules vary, especially in amateur MMA)
Tap out	Signal of submission by tapping the opponent or mat

Striking terms specific to MMA

Term	Meaning
Ground and pound	Strikes from a top position
Grounded opponent	Rules define when a fighter is "grounded" and which strikes are then illegal
Elbows	Usually legal in professional MMA; often restricted in amateur rules

Judging

MMA judges typically weigh effective striking and grappling first (impact and damage, near-finishes, dominant positions leading to damage), then effective aggressiveness, then control of the fighting area. Control without damage counts for less than it once did in many judging guides.

Ranking terms

In the KBN ranking, an MMA win by submission earns the same +5 finishing bonus as a KO or TKO, for 30 base points. This bonus exists only in MMA. MMA is ranked separately from other disciplines, and amateur and professional MMA separately from each other.

How to get an MMA world ranking →

MMA vs kickboxing →

Results and officiating terms

Term	Meaning
Submission	Win by tap-out or referee stoppage due to a hold
TKO (punches)	Referee stoppage due to strikes
Doctor stoppage	Stoppage due to injury, recorded as TKO
Technical decision	Scorecards used after an accidental foul ends the bout late
No contest	No result, e.g. early accidental foul; 0 KBN points by default

Training terms

Term	Meaning
Positional sparring	Grappling from a set position
Wall work	Clinch and takedown work against the cage
Drilling	Repetitions of a technique with a partner
Rolling	Grappling sparring
Live wrestling	Takedown sparring at intensity

Cage and ring terms

Term	Meaning
Cage / octagon	Enclosed fighting area with a fence
Ring	Square area with ropes, used by some MMA events
Fence grabbing	Holding the cage: a foul
Centre of the cage	Position of control in many judges' eyes
Corner	A fighter's team area between rounds

Weight and scoring terms

Term	Meaning
Catchweight	A bout at an agreed weight between classes
Missed weight	Failing to make the contracted weight at the weigh-in
10-8 round	A dominant round on the 10-point must system
Effective grappling	Grappling that leads to damage, dominant positions or near-submissions

Remember that in the KBN ranking, amateur and professional MMA are separate tables, and a submission win carries the same +5 finishing bonus as a KO or TKO.

Styles and backgrounds

MMA fans often describe fighters by their base: wrestler, grappler (often Brazilian jiu-jitsu), striker (kickboxing, Muay Thai or boxing) or all-rounder. The terms describe tendencies, not limits: modern MMA athletes train every phase. When reading a fighter's KBN profile, remember that only MMA bouts count in MMA tables; a fighter's kickboxing or boxing record appears in those disciplines' tables separately.

Frequently asked questions