Gifts for MMA Fighters: What to Buy Someone Who Trains

You don’t train, and the person you’re shopping for does. Buy the wrong glove size or the wrong kind of glove and it ends up in a closet. This guide is built to prevent that.

It comes from ONX Sports, the gear brand whose gloves are designed by Trevor Wittman, three-time MMA Coach of the Year. The sizing and use guidance comes from ONX’s own glove buying guide. Because this is a brand guide, every pick is an ONX product, and we’ll tell you where a gift card or a gym session is the smarter move.

Three questions decide almost every purchase: how long have they trained, do they spar, and do you know their sizes? Answer those and we can narrow down this list and find you the perfect gift.

Quick picks

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Before you buy: three questions

How long have they trained? Someone in their first few months needs a comfortable, durable glove and a good pair of wraps. Someone sparring every week needs protection built for a partner on the other end of the punch. Those are different gifts.

Do they spar? Sparring changes which glove is safe. A bag glove is not a sparring glove, and giving one as the other is an easy mistake to make. If you can’t find out, ask a training partner or the coach.

Do you know their size? Gloves are the risky item. Wraps, hats and a lot of apparel are not. Here is what’s safe to guess:

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Gloves: the gift that matters most

ONX builds gloves in four lines, and each one has a specific job. Match the glove to how the person trains, not to how much you want to spend.

For someone who just started MMA training

Get them the Ignite and a pair of wraps. The Ignite uses shock-absorbing foam and a pre-curved comfort fit, and it costs the least in the lineup. It’s meant for bag and mitt work, which is what a new fighter spends most of their time doing. They don’t need the most expensive glove yet.

One limit: the Ignite is not built for full-contact sparring. If they’re about to start sparring, ask their coach before buying anything.

For someone training several days a week

The Forge is the step up. It adds a structured layered EVA foam core, a power-grip palm and a premium PU leather composite exterior. It’s still a bag, mitt and speed glove, so it’s the right gift for a striker who trains a lot but doesn’t spar hard.

For someone who spars

MMA sparring takes place in open-finger gloves so the athlete can grip, clinch and grapple. ONX makes two, and both are built to protect a training partner.

• The Precision glove has multi-layer foam with dense internal reinforcement, extended knuckle coverage and a ventilated palm and thumb. At $145, it is a serious sparring glove, not a compromise.
• The Premium glove uses dual-density foam and is built for high-level sparring and professional camps. It costs $74 more than the Precision.

If the person spars a few times a week, either is a good gift. Choose Premium for someone in a hard camp or sparring at high volume. The Freedom 250 edition has the same construction as the Premium. Buy it for the colors, not for any performance difference.

When an upgrade makes sense

Upgrade when the gear no longer matches the training. Three signs:

• They’ve moved from bag work to regular sparring and are still using a bag glove.
• They’re training at high volume and the padding or wrist support feels worn out.
• They’re tired of wrapping their hands before every session. That’s the case for the X-4, which is the only ONX glove with internal wrist strapping that replaces wraps.

Don’t upgrade someone who hasn’t outgrown their glove. A beginner in a $319 glove isn’t training any better.

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Protective gear: the gifts people forget to replace

Protective gear is easy to overlook when you’re shopping for someone who trains, and it’s the gear you most want them to have. These make good gifts because the recipient uses them every session.

Hand wraps are the safest gift in this guide. They cost $15, the standard wraps don’t need sizing, and every fighter uses them. If you buy one gift to go with a bigger one, make it wraps. ONX says to wear them under the Ignite and Forge, and the Sparguard version is a natural add-on for someone moving into sparring.

Headgear and shin guards are a size-and-fit purchase. ONX’s headgear uses adjustable straps and multi-density foam, and the shin guards use multi-layer foam with a reinforced leather shell and anti-slip lining. Both are designed to stay locked in during training. Because fit matters, ask before buying, or give a gift card toward them. The Precision shin guards are part of the Precision line, which ONX positions at a lower price than Premium. They match the Precision gloves and headgear. Check the product page for current pricing.

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Training essentials

These are the gifts for the person who already has gloves and wraps. They’re also the easiest category to buy without knowing anyone’s size.

• ONX Equipment Duffle Bag & Backpack, Gray, $119.99. A dedicated bag keeps gloves, wraps and shin guards in one place on the way to the gym. ONX advises airing gloves out after every session and not leaving them sealed in a bag, so the recipient should still take them out at home. At the time of writing the Black version ($139.99) is sold out, so the Gray is the one to order.
• ONX Stainless Steel Water Bottle, $39.99. A bottle they’ll carry to every session.
• ONX Protein Shaker Bottle, $11.99. A small add-on for a stocking or a bigger gift.
• MMA Training: Secrets to Power and Secrets to Counter Striking, $100 each. Training programs taught by Trevor Wittman, who has coached champions including Justin Gaethje, Rose Namajunas and Kamaru Usman, according to ONX. This is the gift for someone who wants to get better, not just have better gear, and there’s no size to get wrong. Browse the full training programs collection.

The bundle option. If you want to buy a full setup in one go, the ONX Premium Complete Fight Kit is listed at $467.97, marked down from $613.96. Check the product page for exactly what’s in it and which sizes you’ll need to choose.

If you can’t choose at all, an ONX gift card starts at $25. It lets them pick the right glove size and fit themselves. We’d rank it behind a specific gift, but ahead of guessing a size wrong.

If they need mat time more than gear, lessons or a month at their gym are good gifts too, and ONX doesn’t sell those. Ask the gym to credit their account so autopay doesn’t charge them twice.

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Apparel: the gift when you don’t know their gear

If you don’t know their glove size, what they already own, or what their coach recommends, buy apparel. It’s the one category that works for a beginner and a veteran, and a quick look at what they already wear gets you the size. People who train wear rash guards and shorts every session.

The ONX apparel collection describes its pieces as built for training, recovery and life outside the gym, with breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics and a tailored fit.

The Freedom 250 limited-edition apparel matches the limited-edition sparring glove: a Performance Shirt at $49, a long-sleeve rash guard at $85 and compression fight shorts at $79. They’re a strong pick for a fan who wants to show where they train and what they follow.

Pair apparel with a safe add-on. A rash guard plus a $15 pair of wraps is a complete gift for under $90, and neither one needs a measurement you don’t have. ONX is also adding more training and lifestyle apparel this season, so check the collection for new arrivals before you buy.

 

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Gifts by training level

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What not to buy

• A bag glove for someone who spars. The Ignite and Forge are built for bag, mitt and speed work. ONX says technical sparring in them should happen only with a coach’s approval, and full-contact striking sparring calls for the X-4 in 16 or 18 oz.
• A sparring glove for the heavy bag. ONX sparring gloves are built for partner sparring. For regular bag work, choose the X-4, Forge or Ignite.
• A 10 oz glove as the only glove. It’s a speed weight, not a sparring weight. If it’s one glove for everything, ONX recommends 16 oz.
• A guessed sparring glove size. Sizing runs by body weight. If you don’t know it, ask, or buy something else.
• Novelty memorabilia. People who train want gear they’ll use. A rash guard, wraps or a training program beats a poster.
• Premium for a first-timer. It’s a great glove, and the wrong first one. Save it for when they spar.
• Anything before checking gym rules. Many gyms set a minimum sparring glove weight, often 16 oz. The gym’s rule overrides any chart.

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FAQ

What is a good gift for an MMA fighter?

Match it to how they train. A beginner gets the Ignite and hand wraps. Someone who spars gets a Precision or Premium sparring glove, sized by body weight. If you don’t know either, a rash guard and a pair of wraps is a safe gift.

What are cool or unique gifts for MMA fighters?

A training program taught by Trevor Wittman is a gift most people won’t think of, and there’s no size to get wrong. The Freedom 250 limited-edition glove and apparel are the pick for someone who wants something that stands out.

What do you get someone who trains if you know nothing about it?

Start with apparel and wraps. A Combat Rash Guard is $69 and hand wraps are $15. Skip gloves, headgear and shin guards unless you can find out sizes and what they already own. A gift card from $25 is the fallback.

What’s a good gift for a beginner?

The Ignite at $99.99 and a $15 pair of wraps, about $115 together. It’s built as a first glove and it isn’t a stretch for a first purchase. Add a mouthguard at $9.99 if they’re about to start sparring.

What’s a good gift for a coach or instructor?

Look at the ONX Coaches Line, which includes Air Mitts, Heavy Hitter Punch Mitts, Big Kicker Thai Pads, a Punch Pillow, a Body Armor Shield, Leg Shields, Micro Mitts, Punch Paddles and Panther Mitts. Check the product pages for pricing. If you want to keep it simple, a hat or a performance shirt from the apparel collection works.

What should I get a fighter after a fight?

Something comfortable they’ll wear out of the gym, like an ONX Performance Shirt or a hat. ONX doesn’t currently list recovery products such as massage tools, so for that you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Is it okay to give a gift card?

Yes, and it’s the best choice when you can’t find out sizes. ONX gift cards start at $25. If it feels impersonal, pair it with a smaller gift, like a $15 set of wraps or a $20 hat.

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Keep reading

• ONX Glove Buying Guide: sizing, weights and the full glove comparison
• How to Choose an MMA Gear Bag
• Shop by category: gloves, headgear, shin guards, hand wraps, apparel