Training, Experience & Personal Standards That Can Save You from a Bad First Fight By Chris Miah Your first MMA fight will change you. It’s more than just a cage and a crowd—it’s an experience that pushes your preparation, tests your character, and reveals your true relationship with adversity. Unfortunately, too many new fighters rush into their first amateur bout with nothing more than gym toughness and a dream. That’s a mistake. Here’s what I believe should be the minimum requirements before stepping into your first amateur MMA fight—based on experience, observation, and a desire to see fighters stay healthy, competitive, and proud of their performance. 🧱 1. Build a Strong Base in Multiple Disciplines At a minimum, you should be proficient in two of the three major MMA components: striking, wrestling, and grappling. This doesn’t mean you’re an expert, but you should have functional skills under pressure. These major components over time through experience become woven into specific MMA components: shoot boxing, cage wrestling and grapple boxing. Personally, I believe you shouldn’t take a full amateur fight until you’ve earned your blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It’s not just about submissions—it’s about positional awareness, defense, and surviving scrambles. On the feet, you need the basics of striking—how to move, cover, clinch, and return fire without panicking. 🥋 2. Compete in a Striking AND Grappling subsport prior to MMA. Before ever fighting in MMA, you should test yourself under real rules, with real consequences—even in a controlled setting. Competing in both a striking subsport (boxing, Muay Thai smoker, kickboxing) and a grappling tournament (BJJ, submission wrestling) gives you vital experience. You’ll learn how you react to adrenaline, pressure, crowds, and timing against a resisting opponent. It’s one thing to dominate rounds in your gym. It’s another to perform in a strange room, under a ref’s watch, in front of spectators. If you haven’t tested yourself like this, your first fight will feel like a panic attack disguised as a sport.