The Complete MMA Starter Kit: Everything a New Fighter Needs

A new fighter needs five things on day one: gloves, hand wraps, a mouthguard, a rash guard and a bag to carry it all. Shin guards and headgear can wait until sparring starts. Here’s how to build the full kit with ONX gear, from a first week setup through to a buy once Premium kit and which bundles save the most.

Ask the gym first

Gym rules are different. A lot of gyms have a minimum sparring glove weight (often 16oz), some will require headgear and shin guards for sparring and some won’t. Always check what’s required and what can be borrowed before you go and buy. If you’re shopping for someone else, ask their coach.

Also ask whether the gym is more of a striking or a grappling gym. A striking heavy gym will put more wear on the gloves, wraps and shin guards. A grappling heavy gym is going to be much harder on the rash guards and shorts so the gear is going to be more of an issue there. That one answer will determine which of the columns below is the right one.

Build it by level

Pick the column that corresponds to how they train rather than how much you want to spend.

Gloves. The Ignite is for bag and mitt work and will go over your hand wraps. It’s not a sparring glove at all. When you get into actual MMA sparring you’ll want to step up to an open finger sparring glove and size that by body weight. Refer to the size chart on the product page and size up if you’re between sizes.

Mouthguard. At $9.99 with the vented case it’s the cheapest thing on the list and the one you really shouldn’t be sparring without.

Shin guards and headgear. There’s a bit of a debate as to when a beginner actually needs them so just follow the gym. The Precision shin guards come in S to XL (sized by shin length) and can be bundled with the Knee guards for added value.

Groin protection is also standard for sparring (ONX doesn’t currently sell it so you’ll have to get it separately).

Fit. The gloves, the shin guards and the headgear are the bits where fit makes a real difference to comfort and protection. Gloves that are too tight will cause numbness or pinching. Gloves that are too loose will allow the hand to slide. Break-in takes about two to three sessions so you should assess the fit after that rather than in the first five minutes.

Women, teens and smaller hands

ONX gloves are unisex. Choose by hand size and training type rather than gender and start with the smallest size that fits. The Ignite is the glove you’d naturally go for if you’re doing fitness boxing or cardio kickboxing. For the teen and kid market, check with the gym as to what they require and be prepared to re-size as they grow.

Bundles that save money

Kits are where the savings really add up.

Three ways to put it together

Day one: about $194. Ignite ($99.99), 180″ wraps ($15), mouthguard ($9.99) and a short sleeve rash guard ($69). Shaker to be added later.

Gift ready, $322.66. The Daily Training Kit plus an Ignite. Covers the gloves, wraps, mouthguard, bag, shaker and a course in one order.

Sparring ready at $811.98. The Precision sparring gear kit ($583) plus Sparguard wraps, a mouthguard, a rash guard and the duffle ($228.98). The gloves, headgear and shin guards are all from the same range.

Buy once at $1,065.97. That’s the Premium Complete Fight Kit at $467.97 plus Premium shin guards at $399, Ultralight headgear at $169 and Sparguard wraps at $30. The kit doesn’t come with the shin guards or the headgear so you’ll need to add those on.

Giving it as a gift

Gloves and the majority of the kits have sizes so you’ll need to check before you order. If you can’t then the Daily Training Kit (which has no sized items) or an ONX gift card from $25 is the way to go.

To raise the gift without adding a sizing risk, just add some small pieces: a shaker bottle at $11.99, a stainless steel water bottle at $39.99, an RU1 hat at $20 (while the sale lasts) or Trevor Wittman’s Secrets to Counter Striking at $100.

Care

Air the gloves out after every session and don’t leave them sealed in the bag. Keep them away from extreme heat and direct sun and never soak them. Water resistant shells aren’t designed to be submerged. The duffel has external straps for hanging the gloves and shin guards and a separate vented shoe compartment.

FAQ

What do I bring to my first class?

Water, a towel and whatever the gym says you’re meant to wear. A lot of gyms will lend you the kit for a trial class.

Boxing gloves or MMA gloves?

Ask the gym. A lot of sparring is done in 16oz boxing style gloves and you’ll often see open finger gloves used for MMA specific work.

Do I need headgear?

No on day one. Get it when the gym asks for it or when sparring actually becomes difficult.

How much does it cost to get going?

The day one kit referred to above is around $194 and a full sparring setup is somewhere in the region of $810 to $1,070.

Can I teach myself MMA?

You can certainly build your conditioning and work on basic movement at home (a program like Secrets to Power is very useful in that regard). Sparring and grappling though will require a coach and a training partner so a gym is going to be the basis of your development.

Is it too late to start in my late-20s, or older?

Ask gyms about their beginner or intro classes. A good coach will match the intensity to your experience, and you can build the kit above gradually.