MMA glossary
The language of mixed martial arts, explained in plain English — from how fights end (KO, TKO, submission, decision) to positions, techniques and weight classes. Every term links to itself, so you can share a definition directly.
Armbar
A submission hold that hyperextends the opponent's elbow joint. The attacker traps the arm between their legs and lifts the hips against the elbow, forcing a tap-out.
Bantamweight
A men's weight class with an upper limit of 135 lb (61.2 kg). Women's bantamweight shares the same limit.
Catchweight
A bout contested at a weight agreed between the two fighters that falls outside the standard divisions — often used when one fighter misses weight or the matchup crosses classes.
Clinch
Close-range grappling while both fighters are standing, gripping the head, neck or body. Used to control posture, land short strikes and knees, or set up takedowns.
Co-main event
The second-most prominent bout on a card, fought immediately before the main event.
Decision
A result determined by the judges' scorecards when a fight reaches the end of its scheduled rounds without a finish. It can be unanimous, split or majority.
Disqualification (DQ)
A loss awarded when a fighter commits an illegal action serious enough for the referee to end the bout, such as repeated fouls or an intentional illegal strike.
Doctor stoppage
A fight ended on the advice of the ringside physician — usually because of a cut, swelling or injury that makes it unsafe to continue. Scored as a TKO.
Flyweight
A weight class with an upper limit of 125 lb (56.7 kg), the lightest of the common men's divisions and a women's division.
Ground and pound
A tactic of taking an opponent to the mat and striking them from a dominant top position, often to force a stoppage or set up a submission.
Guard
A ground position in which the fighter on their back controls the opponent using their legs. From the guard a fighter can defend, sweep, or attack with submissions.
Guillotine choke
A front-facing choke that wraps the opponent's neck from underneath, typically applied when they shoot for a takedown or drop their head.
Heel hook
A leg lock that twists the heel to torque the knee and ankle. One of the most dangerous submissions because damage can occur with little warning.
Kimura
A shoulder lock that rotates the opponent's arm behind their back using a figure-four grip, named after judoka Masahiko Kimura.
Knockout (KO)
A finish in which a fighter is rendered unconscious, or unable to intelligently defend themselves, by a legal strike.
Lightweight
A men's weight class with an upper limit of 155 lb (70.3 kg).
Main card
The featured portion of an event, containing the main and co-main events, usually broadcast on the primary platform after the preliminary bouts.
Main event
The headline bout of a card — the last and most prominent fight, and the one contests are built around. Main events and title fights are scheduled for five rounds.
Mount
A dominant ground position in which a fighter sits on the opponent's torso, freeing both hands to strike or attack submissions.
No contest (NC)
A result in which a bout is nullified — commonly after an accidental foul that ends the fight, or a failed drug test — leaving neither a win nor a loss.
Octagon
The eight-sided fenced competition area popularised by the UFC. "The cage" is used generically for any fenced enclosure; some promotions fight in a ring.
Orthodox stance
A stance in which the fighter leads with the left hand and foot, keeping the stronger right side back. The mirror of southpaw.
Pound-for-pound (P4P)
A notional ranking that compares fighters across weight classes by asking who would be best if all competitors were the same size — a measure of overall skill rather than division.
Preliminary card (prelims)
The earlier bouts on an event, fought before the main card. Also called the undercard.
Rear-naked choke (RNC)
A choke applied from behind the opponent, wrapping an arm around the neck to cut off blood flow. One of the most common MMA submissions.
Reach
The distance from fingertip to fingertip with the arms outstretched. A longer reach lets a fighter strike from farther away.
Referee stoppage (TKO)
A finish called by the referee when a fighter can no longer intelligently defend themselves, though they may not be unconscious. Recorded as a TKO.
Split decision
A decision in which two of the three judges score the fight for one competitor and the third scores it for the other.
Southpaw stance
A stance in which the fighter leads with the right hand and foot, keeping the stronger left side back — the mirror of orthodox.
Sprawl
A defensive movement that drives the hips down and legs back to stop an opponent's takedown attempt.
Submission
A finish in which a fighter forces their opponent to concede — by tapping, verbally, or through a referee stoppage — using a choke or joint lock.
Technical knockout (TKO)
A stoppage victory where a fighter is unable to continue safely but is not necessarily unconscious — called by the referee, doctor, or corner.
Takedown
A technique that brings a standing opponent to the mat, such as a double-leg, single-leg or trip, to move the fight to the ground.
Triangle choke
A choke applied with the legs, forming a triangle around the opponent's neck and one arm to cut off blood flow, most often thrown from the guard.
Unanimous decision
A decision in which all three judges score the fight for the same competitor.
Undercard
The bouts fought before the main event; the earliest of these are the preliminary card.
Weigh-in
The official measurement of each fighter the day before a bout, confirming they are within the limit for their contracted weight class.
Welterweight
A men's weight class with an upper limit of 170 lb (77.1 kg).