If you’re looking to get into Mixed Martial arts then you need to look at the best MMA gloves available on the market. The thing with all combat sports is not to skimp out on the equipment. Buy the best quality equipment for your budget and you can’t go wrong.
From a professional pair of gloves to MMA sparring gloves, we take a look at 10 of the best MMA Gloves available on the market today.
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Best MMA Gloves Reviewed
Best For Grappling – Everlast MMA Pro Style Gloves
Everlast is a brand known for its superior quality boxing gloves. If you have the chance to use their boxing gloves, you get a well-padded glove perfect for boxers suffering from hand injuries or for those who simply want to hit the bag without feeling any discomfort on their knuckles the day after.
The same can be said with the Everlast Pro Style MMA Grappling Gloves. It comes with a decent amount of padding enough to protect your hands. However, these MMA gloves are designed not just for training but for actual fighting considering that it’s a 4oz glove.
These gloves are made of synthetic leather material that’s durable and easy to clean. Everlast made use of their EverDri Technology which is a moisture-absorbing lining that can keep the hands dry that comes in handy when you are grappling. The also feature a quick ez hook closure system that gives some excellent wrist support
What’s not to like with these MMA sparring gloves? The Everlast Pro Style MMA Grappling Gloves are designed more for the actual fight than for hours of long training. If you are looking for something that you can use to protect your hands while you hit the bag, then it might be a good idea to look for something else. If you will be using this as our everyday training gloves, it’s a good idea to wrap your hands well and also not hit the bag hard since your knuckles will not like it the following day. Also, be sure that you don’t have an injury if you are using this for everyday training.
An important detail that Everlast missed is that it doesn’t have any form of thumb protection. If you’re blocking kicks with your hands, you’d most likely injure the thumb because of the lack of coverage from Everlast.
These are the perfect candidate for some of the best MMA gloves on the market.
Pros:
- Moisture absorbing exterior
- Great for grip fighting
- Designed for actual fights than training
Cons:
- Lacks thumb protection
- Thin padding for everyday bag work
All-rounder pick - Venum Undisputed 2.0 MMA Gloves
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All-rounder pick - Venum Undisputed 2.0 MMA Gloves
Venum recently had a deal with the UFC making them the newest sponsor for the largest MMA organization in the world. And you may have seen several Venum products endorsed by some of the best fighters out there.
The Venum Undisputed 2.0 MMA Gloves are great for everyday MMA sparring. It is made of high-quality Napa leather that makes it a bit more elastic than synthetic material. By design, it also promotes great support as it comes with an adjustable strap that is not too snug and not too loose. It feels right plus they have a great size chart as well. The velcro strap system covers a large area that keeps the gloves on whenever you are training or when you are fighting.
As for the aesthetics, Venum has a stand-out design that makes it a great pick for those who also want to look good when they are working on the mitts, grappling dummy, or heavy bag. However, you’d want to pay close attention to wrapping your hands properly when you use the Undisputed 2.0 gloves. These MMA gloves don’t have enough padding that can prevent your hands from hurting if you are going to work on the heavy bag. Might as well switch on a boxing glove or perhaps, go for the hybrid Venum MMA gloves.
But overall, it’s a durable glove that pros can love. It’s made of leather that offers enough coverage for protection and also doesn’t get in the way whenever you are grappling.
Ideal for our list on the best MMA Gloves
Pros:
- Made of leather
- Made in Thailand
- Offers enough protection on your thumb
- Great fit
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer enough padding for long hours of hitting the bag
Excellent Value - Sanabul Essential 7 oz MMA Hybrid Gloves
- Just What You Need: Our Essential Series of MMA gloves provides athletes with the professional gear they need, delivering value day in and day out at the gym. Team Sanabul athletes like champions...
- Complete Fighter's Choice: Sanabul MMA 7oz sparring gloves offer hand protection during striking and modest dexterity for grappling, eliminating the need to switch gloves and ensuring uninterrupted...
- Designed to Endure: These gloves are meticulously designed to provide a snug and secure fit, offering exceptional wrist support and protection. This design feature is crucial for reducing the risk of...
- Locked in Place: The comfortable design and hook & loop closure system make these kick boxing gloves for men and women an extension of your hands, ensuring they stay securely in place throughout your...
- Please note: Not recommended for punching bags to prevent hand injury; suitable for cardio kickboxing, krav maga, or punch mitt training with caution and experience. Hitting a punching bag with these...
Sanabul should be at the top of any serious MMA enthusiast’s list. It offers gear that can make you feel comfortable sparring, doing mitts, or working on your power on a bag. Of all the MMA glove designs that we’ve covered, the Sanabul Essential 7 oz MMA Hybrid Sparring Gloves is a good choice if you are more of a striker than a grappler. It offers slightly better protection on a person’s hands that it feels close to wearing boxing gloves. Just imagine having the chance to swing hard and also grapple without worrying about your hands.
This is the type of gloves for sparring that will also prevent the user from straightening his or her hands towards the opponent. This can build good habits inside the cage. It means that you won’t feel comfortable stretching your fingers that could accidentally poke your opponent’s eyes. It can lessen injuries inside the gym if you are training.
However, there’s a downside to this, you won’t be able to straighten your hands limiting your grip fighting ability if your training day involves some nogi MMA grappling where you are made to wear gloves.
This glove is made of leather material that is both easy to clean and durable at the same time. Just spray some cleaning agent every now and then and air it out. As far as protection coverage is concerned, it covers the thumb as well which can protect the thumb from strikes.
Pros:
- Enough coverage for protection
- Good for building the habit of not extending the hands
- Great for striking and sparring
- Made of leather
Cons:
- Hard to grapple with
Hayabusa T3 7oz Training MMA Sparring Gloves
If you are worried about hurting your hands when you are throwing punches on a bag or a grappling dummy, then you might seriously want to consider the Hayabusa T3 7oz Training MMA Sparring Gloves. There’s a huge difference between actual fights and training. During training, you want to be able to come up with a plan that you can use during the actual competition. However, without the right gloves, your hands might feel sore on the night of your fight.
These hybrid gloves offers a pre-formed curve that reduces fatigue on your hands. It can significantly minimize soreness the following day thanks to its proprietary technologies. Its dual-x closure provides stability in the hands of the user. Plus, it offers enough padding to keep your hand free from injury as it dissipates the energy as it comes in contact with your opponent.
For environmentally-conscious consumers, the Hayabusa 7oz Hybrid Gloves can be quite appealing as it is made of microfiber vegan leather. It has everything you love about leather, only that it didn’t make use of real animal skin. It is superior against abrasion and resistance. Plus, it can smell fresh even if you use it for long hours in the gym.
However, there are a few design flaws with these gloves. For starters, it is quite a struggle to make a fist. Also, some users find the padding a bit soft for their taste.
Pros:
- Provides great coverage for impact protection
- Great for grappling
- Made of environmentally friendly materials
Cons:
- The padding is a bit soft
- Struggle to make a fist
This Pro Style MMA glove from Everlast is one of the best entry-level gloves available and will give you a great start on your MMA journey.
This Pro Style MMA glove from Everlast is one of the best entry-level gloves available and will give you a great start on your MMA journey.
Everlast Train Advanced MMA 7oz gloves give users the confidence that they need whenever they are training. It promotes enough protection with minimal obstruction when it comes to grip fighting. For starters, it is made of synthetic leather that makes these gloves more affordable than other training gloves in the market.
Does it last? We’ve tried it for a couple of months. And so far, it does a good job at providing the same amount of protection even after 6 months of training 3-4 times a day. However, the exterior already starts to peel, which is expected given that it is made of synthetic leather and not real leather.
It is a good deal for its price. However, the design is a bit too wide for some users. Women find these gloves to fit a bit weird for them. Unfortunately, these gloves are supposed to work well for both male and female users. Be sure to check the measurement they provided to be sure.
Pros:
- A good amount of padding for heavy bag work
- Allows fingers to freely stretch for grappling
- Does a good job at staying clean
Cons:
- A bit wide for smaller hands especially for women
Combat Sports Max Strike MMA Training Gloves
- 2" of molded foam padding-- making it the safest training glove in MMA.
- Comfortable-- ergonomic fit.
- Hinged knuckle allows for a full range of motion.
- Wrap around wrist strap for lockdown wrist support.
- Fully open palm allows for skin on skin contact to g
Should you give lesser-known brands a chance if you are looking for new MMA gear? In most situations, that’s a gamble that we wouldn’t suggest. However, when we tried out the Combat Sports Max Strike MMA Training gloves, we’re convinced that it’s one of the best picks for both MMA enthusiasts to professional fighters. It is made of real leather making it a durable gear that could tolerate a good amount of beating.
You get 2” of moulded foam on top of the knuckles extending on your fingers keeping your hand protected if you are looking to throw heavy punches on a bag. It comes with a wrap-around wrist wrap that gives users the support that they need to keep the wrist straight as it comes in contact with the bag.
The only downside to these Combat Sports MMA training gloves is that you might notice the 2-inch padding slowly get worn out after just a few months. If you’re the type who trains every day, then you might find yourself feeling your punches more after a month or two.
Pros:
- Great fit
- Great support for the wrist
- 2” padding
- Made of leather
Cons:
- Padding wears out quick
Hayabusa 4oz Pro Style MMA Gloves for Men and Women
- Provides state of the art injury prevention
- Developed From World-Leading University Research
- Perfect fusion of protection and performance
- Patented Dual-X Wrist Close and Fusion-Zone Wrist Splinting Designs for Perfect Hand/Wrist Alignment
- Maximizes Punching Power by Removing Energy Leaks
If you’ll ask pros about proper training MMA gloves, the knee-jerk answer would most likely be 7 oz MMA gloves that offer enough padding on your hands that will allow you to throw strong punches on a bag. However, as the fight nears, you also have to get used to having the same gloves like the ones used by the organization. If not, you want to transition to something that has thinner padding. This allows fighters to have less time adjusting with their grappling and punches.
The Hayabusa T3 4 oz Pro Style MMA gloves are close to what the UFC and other top organizations are using. It allows you to fully extend your fingers and have an easier time whenever you are grappling against opponents. However, since it doesn’t give you a good amount of padding to protect the hands, you might want to use it for MMA-specific grappling where you don’t need to hurt your training partner.
It comes with a pre-curved design that can help reduce hand fatigue. Just like the other Hayabusa gloves that we’ve featured, it has a dual-x closure that promotes great wrist stabilization. Women also love to use these gloves because it gives them a better fit than other gloves.
Pros:
- Offers wrist stabilization
- Great for grappling
- Close to what organizations use
Cons:
- Doesn’t have a good amount of padding for bag work
Venum Challenger MMA Gloves - Without Thumb
The Venum Challenger MMA Gloves is a highly popular glove that is used by smaller organizations for actual matches. It is a 4 oz glove that makes it possible for the fighters to punch and grapple without any problem. It is layered with shock-absorbing foam that can lessen the instances of injuries plus it has an adjustable strap that can keep the user’s hand in a neutral position.
If you will also look at the details of the Venum Challenger MMA Gloves, you will notice that superior workmanship was used by Venum. It has great stitching that won’t come undone in case you are going to use this as your everyday MMA gloves for training. Venum made use of high-density thread for its needle works to ensure that it meets the expectations not only by novice MMA enthusiasts but even by professional fighters too. And to top it off, it looks very stylish.
Once you lock the velcro, you will feel that the gloves are already going to stay in place regardless if you are going toe to toe against an opponent in the stand-up or you are grappling on the ground. However, some fighters who tried this felt that the design of the gloves was not for those who have large wrists.
If you are using it for your daily training, make sure that you are not going to go all out on a bag because of the relatively thin padding that you will get from the Venum Challenger MMA Gloves.
Pros:
- Designed for professional fighters
- Shock-absorbing padding
- Lightweight design but durable
- Allows grip fighting
Cons:
- Relatively thin padding for everyday training
The RDX MMA Training Gloves come in as a pick for those who love to invest in long-lasting MMA gear. It’s the type of gloves that look stylish and badass at the same time. Made of authentic Italian leather, this stands out from the rest of the other MMA gloves that we’ve featured.
Since it is made of Italian leather, you can also expect these gloves to be more expensive than your regular gloves in the market. You can consider these are premium gloves. However, since it is made of high-quality Italian leather, you’ll feel the difference right from the start. You can expect the exterior to last for a long time. It can tolerate humidity and could feel more comfortable the more that you use it. It comes with multi-layered padding that can provide your hands with sufficient protection in case you are looking to throw combinations on mitts. However, since these are 4oz gloves, expect minimal padding that won’t offer you enough support in case you want to hit the bag hard.
If you’re wrestling or grappling, these gloves are easy to use allowing users to grip fight efficiently and more effectively compared to other MMA gloves.
Pros:
- Made of Italian leather
- Provides multi-layered padding good for actual fights
- Easy to maintain
- Excellent Hook and Loop closure system
Cons:
- More expensive than the average MMA gloves
The Best MMA Gloves FAQ and Buying Guide
MMA has grown over the last decade that it has successfully stepped out of its “underground fight” persona into the mainstream. Nowadays, you get to enjoy MMA as a sport even if you don’t have any plans of becoming a professional. And with this, you get different brands that catered to different MMA gloves for the MMA market.
What makes the best MMA gloves different from boxing gloves?
First, let’s take a closer look at what makes the best MMA gloves unique compared to traditional boxing gloves. MMA gloves are specific for mixed martial arts. Some even call it grappling gloves. However, it is misnomer considering that grappling sports don’t have a striking aspect unless you are doing Sambo which is a different form of mixed martial arts.
MMA gloves are different than your typical boxing gloves because of their open finger design. And also, most MMA gloves have thinner padding on the knuckle. Some parts of the glove won’t have any padding such as the side of your hand which comes in handy when throwing hammer fists against your opponent.
How much padding on your is enough?
When it comes to padding, it ultimately depends on the person using the gloves. MMA gloves, by design, have minimal padding compared to your traditional boxing gloves. Also, different brands will provide different amounts of padding on your knuckles.
If you are dealing with injuries on your knuckles, and you need to work on the bag, it might even be a good idea to train using boxing gloves for striking and simply have separate training for grappling. However, if you don’t have the luxury of having two separate sessions and you need to spar in MMA and you are dealing with an injury, it might be a good idea to just use hybrid MMA gloves.
Over the years, some brands have come up with “hybrid” MMA gloves where they offer more padding. This is designed for those who love to focus on their striking and hit the bag regularly. These are usually 7oz gloves and provide soft padding by the knuckles.
You also have to remember that the padding is usually an inch thick or even thicker. There are new technologies that will also use gel padding that comes with shock absorption features.
Is it better to go for leather than synthetic?
When it comes to the material used on the glove, you can choose either leather or go with synthetic leather. Most of the time, leather is more expensive than synthetic leather material. Japan and Thailand-made gloves (both boxing and MMA) are known for their high-quality leather. However, these gloves are also pricey compared to synthetic ones.
So what are the advantages and disadvantages aside from the price? Leather is known to be more flexible and more durable than your typical synthetic leather. It is also better when it comes to handling moisture and odor. Some people would also consider leather to be more stylish and premium.
Does it mean that synthetic materials are not that good? That’s not the case. Technology has improved over the years to the point where there are materials that are more breathable and lightweight as well. It only means that you don’t need to always stick with leather if you want to have good quality gloves in your hands.
How many times a week do you train?
Another important consideration is the frequency of your training. If you are the type who trains once or twice a week, then you don’t necessarily have to buy expensive leather MMA gloves for your training. However, if you are a pro fighter who stays for hours in the gym to train, then you might want to stick to an expensive leather MMA glove that can handle moisture and odor well. At the end of the day, you’ll find leather to be worth the investment if you tend to spend lots of hours training every week.
If you are training more than three days a week, it might be a good idea to have at least two gloves. Keep in mind that just like any sports gear, MMA gloves will show signs of wear and tear the more you use them.
Do you need to wrap your hands when you use MMA gloves?
If you’ll ask hand doctors and orthopedics, they’d say that the bones in your hands are among the most fragile. The hands are not designed by nature to hit something hard. And though gloves offer some protection on your knuckles, you also have to take into account the joints. The wrist can easily get sprained or get dislocated if you don’t provide the right amount of support to it.
Wraps are designed to keep your wrist in a neutral position especially when you are going to hit the bag or when you are punching your opponent. There are instances when a person will relax his forearms and therefore allowing the wrist to tend to bend. You can get injured in this situation without the aid hand wraps.
MMA gloves should allow you to grip comfortably
Since a large chunk of MMA is not only striking but also grappling, you must have an easy time gripping against your opponent when you are wearing the gloves. There are different MMA gloves by design. If you will look at some MMA gloves that are marketed as “training gloves”, some of these gloves don’t allow the fingers to fully stretch out.
Depending on who you are going to ask, this is a good and a bad design. One of the benefits of gloves that these types of gloves have padding that reaches to the middle of the fingers. It prevents the hands from sticking out and therefore minimizes injuries such as eye pokes especially if you are just training. Plus, it also offers some form of protection on your fingers since these aren’t fully extended. However, the downside is that you don’t get to grapple as comfortably as say compared to the type of gloves used in the UFC.
The UFC gloves have been heavily criticized for their design “flaw” that allowed fighters to stick their hands out and even poke their opponent’s eye. However, this also makes it easier not only to grapple offensively but also to defend against your opponent.
Should you stick with the UFC-type MMA gloves that allow you to extend your fingers or go with the more padded version just like the ones in Pride? It’s a matter of preference. As a rule of thumb, you want to close and open your hands whenever you try out different gloves. This will allow you to feel if it is the right one for you.
Do the best MMA gloves fit well?
Another important question that should be answered is the fit. You don’t want gloves that are too loose or too tight. As a rule of thumb, you want to look at the padding. Gloves that extend to the joint of your finger could feel uncomfortable. This can feel abrasive on your skin after a few rounds of pad work. You want to have wraps to protect the joints.
You want to also make sure that you are going to give elbow room on your hand wraps. You shouldn’t be shopping for MMA gloves and just buy them without any hand wrap. You could be buying something that is too snug if you do so. Also, try to ask MMA fighters who have more or less the same size of hands as you. Ask what they use and what size they use. It is even better if you can see and feel the gloves that they use to give you a better idea of what you should be going for.
How much money are you willing to spend?
A lot of MMA enthusiasts are easy to sway by a brand’s marketing ploy. Big brands will use MMA stars to promote their gloves and to get customers to invest in them. And often, these brands promoted by big names in the sport are sometimes pricey.
You don’t have to spend a large amount of money on good MMA gloves. Some can match your needs even if you don’t have a large budget.
Though there are brands that are offering gloves at a low price, keep in mind that it also doesn’t mean that these are sub-par quality gloves. The same goes for the most expensive brands that might disappoint once you start using them. Be sure to be objective if you are going to invest in your gloves. Try to always ask yourself if it fits your needs and if there is another good option in the market.
Are the gloves secure?
Unlike boxing gloves that are either using a rope or a velcro, MMA gloves are locked secured using velcro. The velcro must not be going to be abrasive on your skin or your training partner. Plus, the gloves should hold despite getting soaked in sweat and sometimes even with blood.
Don’t be impulsive when buying MMA gloves/gear
MMA is an exciting sport that a lot of novice MMA enthusiasts tend to buy the first brand that comes their way. Be sure to compare the brands and see what your options are given the budget that you have. On most occasions, you will be surprised by how many gloves you can choose from especially now since MMA is now a sport you regularly see on ESPN and other mainstream channels.