Glossary

Every term, technique name, position, and rule definition you need to follow the sport — from anaconda choke to walkoff KO. 203 entries.

1

10-Point MustRules: The standard MMA scoring system. The round winner receives 10 points; the loser receives 9 (close), 8 (dominant), or 7 (one-sided beatdown). Draws are scored 10-10 only when judges cannot pick a winner.

5

50/50 GuardGround: A leg-entanglement position where both fighters have a leg pinned between the other's legs. Common entry to heel hooks.

A

AmericanaGround: A keylock submission applied from side control or mount, rotating the opponent's arm forward to attack the shoulder.
Anaconda ChokeGround: A blood choke from front headlock position — the attacker threads an arm under the opponent's neck, locks a Gable grip, and rolls to the side, compressing the carotids with the bicep.
Anaconda ChokeGround: A blood choke from front headlock — the attacker threads an arm under the opponent's neck and rolls to compress the carotids.
Ankle LockGround: A leg submission attacking the ankle joint. Includes the straight ankle lock (Achilles lock) and the toehold variation.
Ankle PickGrappling: A quick takedown that attacks the opponent's near ankle while controlling their head with a collar tie. High-percentage in MMA against pressuring opponents.
Arm TriangleGround: A head-and-arm choke usually finished from side control or mount. The attacker traps the opponent's arm against their own neck and applies pressure with the shoulder.
Arm TriangleGround: A head-and-arm choke usually finished from side control or mount. The attacker traps the opponent's arm against their own neck and applies pressure with the shoulder.
Arm-In GuillotineGround: A guillotine variation where the opponent's arm is trapped inside the choke. Higher-percentage from front headlock or sprawl positions.
ArmbarGround: A joint lock attacking the elbow. The attacker isolates the opponent's arm with both legs and hips up to hyperextend the joint.
Axe KickStriking: A downward-arc kick that lands with the heel from above. Rare but devastating when timed against a backing opponent.

B

Back ControlGround: The most dominant position in MMA — chest pressed against the opponent's back with hooks (legs) in.
Back MountGround: The most dominant position in MMA — the attacker has both hooks (legs) in and chest pressed against the opponent's back, controlling all four limbs and the neck.
BackfistStriking: A strike landing with the back of the fist or knuckles, typically thrown in a horizontal arc.
Banana SplitGround: An extreme groin/hip submission where the attacker separates the opponent's legs into a split position.
BerimboloGround: A modern BJJ technique where the bottom player inverts from De La Riva guard to take the back. Rare but seen at lighter weights.
Bicep SlicerGround: A compression submission applied by trapping the opponent's bicep against their forearm using the attacker's shin or forearm.
BMFGeneral: Baddest Motherf---er. A novelty UFC title created for the Diaz-Masvidal main event at UFC 244, later defended by Gaethje, Poirier, and Holloway.
Bob and WeaveStriking: A defensive head movement combining a bend at the waist (bob) and lateral motion (weave) to avoid hooks at head level.
Body KickStriking: A round kick aimed at the liver, floating ribs, or solar plexus. Stéphan Bonnar and Pat Barry-coached fighters built careers on the body-kick attack.
Body LockClinch: A clinch position where the attacker wraps both arms around the opponent's lower torso. Primary chain-wrestling fulcrum in modern MMA.
Body TriangleGround: A back-mount control where one of the attacker's legs locks behind the knee of the other leg, securing the back without needing both hooks.
Bolo PunchStriking: A wide, circular punch that loads with a downward arm pump before snapping up — historically a Filipino boxing setup, occasionally seen in MMA as a feint.
Brabo ChokeGround: A variation of the arm triangle attacked from a kneeling front headlock position.
BridgeGround: A defensive movement from bottom where the defender lifts their hips off the mat to disrupt the top player's base.
Butterfly GuardGround: A bottom guard with the feet hooked inside the opponent's thighs, used to sweep and elevate.

C

CageGeneral: The enclosure used in MMA bouts. UFC uses an octagon; other promotions use various shapes including circles, hexagons, and traditional rings.
Cage ControlRules: A secondary scoring criterion — controlling the geographic center of the cage and the pace of engagement.
Cage WrestlingGrappling: Wrestling exchanges along the fence: body locks, knee taps, single-leg drives, and frame-and-circle defenses unique to MMA (no equivalent in folkstyle/freestyle wrestling).
Calf KickStriking: A low round kick aimed at the side of the calf and the peroneal nerve. Compromises the lead leg's mobility within 3-5 exchanges; popularized in the modern UFC era by Pereira, Adesanya, and Volkanovski.
Calf SlicerGround: A muscle/ligament compression submission applied by trapping the opponent's calf against the shin.
CampTraining: The structured training period (typically 8-12 weeks) leading up to a bout.
CardGeneral: A single MMA event consisting of multiple bouts in sequence.
Catch WrestlingGrappling: A submission wrestling style emphasizing painful leg locks and neck cranks alongside pins. Influenced shoot wrestling and early MMA via Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson, and the UWF.
CatchweightGeneral: A bout weight between official weight classes, negotiated when one fighter is unable to make their contracted weight.
Champ-ChampGeneral: A fighter who holds titles in two divisions simultaneously. First UFC champ-champ was Conor McGregor (2016, FW + LW); rare event since.
Check HookStriking: A lead hook thrown while pivoting away from the opponent's forward pressure. Famously used by Lyoto Machida against Quinton Jackson.
ClinchClinch: Any close-range engagement where fighters are touching with hands, arms, or bodies — includes Thai plum, collar-tie, over-under, body lock, and underhook positions.
Closed GuardGround: A bottom position where the player's legs are locked around the top player's torso. Offensive submissions and sweeps originate here.
Co-Main EventGeneral: The second-billed bout of a card, immediately before the main event.
Collar TieClinch: A clinch grip where one hand is on the back of the opponent's neck. Used to control posture and set up knees, dirty boxing, or takedowns.
Corner StoppageRules: A bout outcome where the fighter's corner throws in the towel to protect them from further damage.
CornermanGeneral: A coach or training partner who works the corner during a bout, providing strategic advice and care between rounds.
CrossStriking: The straight rear-hand punch. The primary power strike in boxing; in MMA delivered from the back foot through full hip rotation.
Cross-CounterStriking: A rear cross thrown over the top of an opponent's jab. The most fundamental high-percentage counter.
CrucifixGround: A position where the attacker traps both of the opponent's arms — one with the legs, one with their own arm. Used for ground-and-pound or choke finishes.
CutmanGeneral: A specialist who works the corner to manage cuts, swelling, and bleeding during a bout. Famous practitioners include Jacob "Stitch" Duran and Jorge Klein.

D

D'Arce ChokeGround: A reverse arm-triangle variation where the attacker threads the choking arm under the opponent's far armpit and behind their head. Often hit from front headlock or sprawled positions.
D'Arce ChokeGround: A reverse arm-triangle variation where the choking arm goes under the opponent's far armpit and behind their head.
De La Riva GuardGround: A BJJ open guard where one of the bottom player's legs hooks around the outside of the top player's thigh.
DecisionRules: A bout outcome decided by the judges' scorecards at the end of regulation rounds.
Dirty BoxingClinch: Close-range punching from the collar tie or single underhook position. Pioneered in MMA by Randy Couture; relies on overhooking the opponent's posting hand and short hooks/uppercuts to the body and head.
Disqualification (DQ)Rules: A bout outcome where one fighter is disqualified for an intentional foul that prevents the bout from continuing.
Doctor StoppageRules: A bout outcome where the ringside physician halts the fight due to a fighter's injury or inability to continue.
Double UnderhooksClinch: A clinch with both arms under the opponent's armpits. The most dominant standing clinch position — leads to body locks, back-takes, and trip takedowns.
Double-LegGrappling: A wrestling takedown where the attacker drops level, drives shoulders into the opponent's hips, and grabs both legs to drive them down.
DrawRules: A bout outcome where no winner is declared, either by judges' scores or by promoter scorecard rules.
DrillingTraining: Cooperative technique practice between training partners, repeating specific sequences at controlled speed.
Duck UnderGrappling: A wrestling movement where the attacker ducks under the opponent's extended arm to attack the back or take a body lock from behind.

E

Effective StrikingRules: The primary scoring criterion in the Unified Rules — the totality of damage and offensive output.
Ezekiel ChokeGround: A surprise choke from inside the opponent's guard — the attacker grabs their own sleeve to form a choking loop with the forearm.

F

Fight NightGeneral: The UFC's non-numbered, non-PPV event branding — typically Saturday cards on ESPN+.
Fireman's CarryGrappling: A wrestling takedown where the attacker hooks an arm between the opponent's legs, lifts onto their shoulders, and rotates them to the mat.
Flying KneeStriking: A jumping knee strike, often aimed at the head as the opponent shoots or moves forward. Devastating when timed; high-risk if missed.
Foot StompClinch: Legal stomp to the opponent's instep from a clinch or back-control position. Used by Dagestani fighters and Khabib to break posture and force movement.
Foot SweepGrappling: A timing-based unbalancing technique where the attacker sweeps the opponent's foot at the moment they're shifting weight onto it.
Front KickStriking: A linear thrust kick driven from the hip, typically with the ball of the foot. Anderson Silva's front-kick KO of Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 is the signature MMA example.
Full MountGround: Dominant top position straddling the opponent's torso. The most-scored position on the scorecards alongside back control.

G

Game PlanTraining: The opponent-specific strategy developed during camp, covering technique selection, range, and contingencies.
Glove TouchGeneral: A pre-fight ritual where both fighters touch gloves to signal sportsmanship before exchanging.
GOATGeneral: Greatest Of All Time. The perennial fan debate about which fighter has the strongest case for the top historical ranking.
GogoplataGround: A submission from rubber guard where the attacker locks their shin under the opponent's chin and pulls down for a strangle. Hit at the highest level by Shinya Aoki and Brad Imes.
Granby RollGrappling: A wrestling escape where the bottom fighter rolls under their own shoulder to return to guard or recover hips. Common defense to back exposure.
Ground-and-PoundGround: Striking from a dominant top position — mount, side control, full guard, or back. Closes the gap between grappling-only and striking-only fighters.
GuardGround: The bottom player's position with legs wrapped around the top player's torso (closed, open, butterfly, half, X, De La Riva, spider, etc.).
Guard PassGround: The act of getting past an opponent's legs to side control, mount, or back without being submitted or swept.

H

Half-GuardGround: A bottom position where one of the bottom player's legs is wrapped around one of the top player's legs. Most common position in MMA after a takedown.
Harai GoshiGrappling: Judo sweeping hip throw — the attacker sweeps the opponent's leg with their own as they rotate over the hip.
Head KickStriking: A round kick aimed at the temple, jaw, or neck. The highest-reward strike in MMA — and the most defended.
Heavy BagTraining: A hanging punching bag used for developing striking power and combinations.
Heel HookGround: A leg lock attacking the knee by rotating the heel. The fastest-damaging submission in MMA — opponents who tap late often have torn ligaments.
High CrotchGrappling: A wrestling shot where the attacker's arm goes between the opponent's legs from outside, pinching the thigh. Effective head-inside takedown entry.
High KickStriking: Any kick aimed at head level. Includes round kicks, hook kicks, axe kicks, and front kicks to the chin.
High MountGround: Mount variation with the attacker's knees high under the opponent's armpits. Sets up armbars and chokes.
HookStriking: A horizontally arcing punch thrown from either hand. The lead hook is the most-used MMA finishing strike alongside the cross.
Hook KickStriking: A kick that travels in a horizontal arc and lands with the heel — used to attack around an opponent's lead shoulder.
HooksGround: In back control, the legs hooked inside the opponent's thighs that anchor the attacker's position.

I

Imanari RollGrappling: A spinning entry to leglocks where the attacker rolls into the opponent's legs, named after PRIDE fighter Masakazu Imanari. Modernized in MMA by Ryan Hall and Dominick Reyes.
Inactivity WarningRules: A referee warning given when both fighters are inactive in a clinch or on the ground for an extended period.
Interim TitleGeneral: A title contested when the regular champion is unable to fight (injury, suspension, layoff). The interim winner faces the regular champion when available for unification.
Inverted TriangleGround: A triangle choke applied from an inverted position (head pointing at the opponent's legs).

J

JabStriking: The lead-hand straight punch. The most important strike in striking — used for range, setup, defense, and stopping forward motion.

K

KimuraGround: A shoulder lock attacking the rotator cuff. Named after Masahiko Kimura, who broke Helio Gracie's arm with it in 1951.
Knee on BellyGround: A top position where the attacker has one knee on the opponent's belly and one foot posted. High-mobility scoring position used for strikes and submission entries.
Knee StrikeClinch: A knee thrown from clinch range — to the body, thigh, or (when the opponent isn't grounded) the head. The Thai plum delivery is the canonical MMA example.
Knee Strike to BodyClinch: A clinch knee aimed at the rib cage or solar plexus. Cumulative damage drains cardio and sets up follow-up strikes.
KneebarGround: A leg lock attacking the knee by hyperextending it. Functions similarly to an armbar applied to the leg.
KnockdownRules: When a fighter is dropped to the canvas by a strike but is not knocked out. In some rulesets (ONE) the referee administers a brief grace count.

L

Lateral DropGrappling: A throw where the attacker rotates the opponent laterally rather than backward, dropping them on their hip.
Leg KickStriking: A round kick to the thigh, calf, or hamstring. Cumulative damage limits opponent mobility and stance integrity.
Liver ShotStriking: A body strike landing on the right side of the rib cage at the floating ribs, compressing the liver. Causes immediate cardio collapse and pain that bypasses pain tolerance.

M

Main EventGeneral: The headlining bout of a card — typically 5 rounds and the most-promoted matchup.
Majority DecisionRules: A decision where two judges score the bout for one fighter and the third scores it a draw.
Majority DrawRules: A draw where two judges score the bout a draw and the third scores it for one fighter.
Mat ReturnGrappling: A wrestling technique used when an opponent stands up from bottom — bringing them back down to the mat using a body lock and trip.
MittsTraining: Focus mitts — small padded gloves a coach wears to receive punches in pad-work sessions.
MountGround: Dominant top position straddling the opponent's torso. Allows ground-and-pound, armbars, triangles, and back transitions.
Mount EscapeGround: Defensive techniques to escape from being mounted — bridging, hip escapes, shrimping, trapping an arm.
Mounted CrucifixGround: A crucifix position with the attacker mounted on the opponent. Both arms of the opponent are immobilized.
Mounted GuillotineGround: A guillotine choke locked while the attacker is in full mount. Brian Ortega-style finish.
Mounted TriangleGround: A triangle choke set from mount. Khabib finished Justin Gaethje from a mounted triangle (transitioned to armbar) at UFC 254.

N

No ContestRules: Result classification when a bout ends due to accidental foul, injury, or other non-fight outcome before a winner is determined.
North-South ChokeGround: A choke applied from a north-south position (attacker's head toward the opponent's feet) using the attacker's shoulder against the opponent's neck.
NSACRules: Nevada State Athletic Commission — the dominant US athletic commission for UFC events held in Las Vegas.

O

Oblique KickStriking: A push kick aimed at the opponent's knee or quad to disrupt their stance. Controversial for knee-injury risk. Notably used by Jon Jones.
OctagonGeneral: The eight-sided cage used in UFC bouts. 30 feet across; 6-foot tall fence. Trademarked design.
OmoplataGround: A shoulder lock applied with the legs — the attacker triangles their legs around the opponent's arm and rotates the shoulder.
Open GuardGround: A bottom position where the legs are around the opponent but not locked. Active position with grips and entries to butterfly, X, De La Riva, etc.
Ouchi GariGrappling: Judo major inner reaping throw — hooking the opponent's inner thigh with the same-side leg and driving them backward.
OverhandStriking: A looping power punch from the rear hand that travels over the opponent's lead shoulder. Effective vs a high jab guard.
OverhandStriking: A looping rear-hand strike that travels over the opponent's lead shoulder, attacking the temple or jaw from above. Effective against a high jab guard.
OverhookClinch: A clinch grip where one arm is over the opponent's arm. Less dominant than the underhook but used to defend takedowns or set up throws.

P

Pad WorkTraining: Striking practice using focus mitts, Thai pads, or kick shields held by a coach or partner.
ParryStriking: A defensive redirection of an incoming strike using the hand or forearm.
Penetration StepGrappling: The deep stepping action that drives a wrestler's shoulders into the opponent's hips during a takedown attempt.
Peruvian NecktieGround: A choke from front headlock — the attacker traps the opponent's near arm, threads their leg over the back of the head, and pulls down with both hands.
PivotStriking: Rotating on the ball of the lead foot to change the angle of engagement, opening new strike paths and defensive lines.
Plum ClinchClinch: Alternate name for the Thai plum / double collar tie.
Position of DominanceRules: A judging factor — the time spent in dominant grappling positions (mount, back control, side control) is weighted in scoring.
Pound-for-Pound (P4P)General: A hypothetical ranking that compares fighters across weight classes by removing the size variable. P4P #1 is the consensus best fighter regardless of weight.
PPV (Pay-Per-View)General: The premium broadcast model for major MMA events, requiring a separate purchase from the standard cable or streaming subscription.
Pre-Fight Press ConferenceGeneral: The promotional event where fighters publicly hype the bout. Famous moments include the McGregor-Khabib dolly-throwing incident and the Diaz vs McGregor exchanges.
PrelimsGeneral: The preliminary bouts of a card — typically broadcast on a free platform before the main card.
PummelingClinch: The act of swimming arms inside the opponent's arms to convert from over-under to double underhooks (or vice versa) in the clinch.
PummelingClinch: The constant work of swimming arms inside the opponent's arms to convert from overhook to underhook or maintain dominant clinch position.
Push KickStriking: A linear front kick (teep in Muay Thai) used to control distance, disrupt forward pressure, and set up follow-up strikes.

Q

Question Mark KickStriking: A kick thrown as if it will land low, then rerouted at the last moment to land high — confusing the opponent's defensive height read.

R

Rear-Naked Choke (RNC)Ground: The signature back-mount finish — the attacker wraps a forearm across the front of the neck and locks a figure-four to compress the carotids.
ReversalGround: A change of positions from being controlled on the ground to controlling.
Reverse CrucifixGround: A position where the defender's arms are immobilized while the attacker has back control.
Reverse TriangleGround: A triangle choke variant where the legs lock around the opponent's neck from the opposite side, often hit from side control.
RingGeneral: The boxing-style square enclosure with ropes used by PRIDE, RIZIN, and some other promotions.
Roundhouse KickStriking: A horizontally arcing kick where the shin strikes the target. The most common kick in MMA across all targets (legs, body, head).
Rubber GuardGround: A flexible closed-guard variation where the attacker pulls their leg behind the opponent's neck to break posture. BJ Penn popularized it in MMA.
Russian TieClinch: A wrestling grip where the attacker controls the opponent's wrist and triceps from outside, used to set up duck-unders and throws.

S

S-MountGround: A mounted position where the attacker's legs form an S shape around the opponent's body, allowing armbar entries.
ScrambleGround: A high-energy positional exchange on the ground where both fighters fight for control without clear dominance.
Seoi NageGrappling: Judo shoulder throw — the attacker rotates the opponent over their shoulder via an arm grip.
Shadow BoxingTraining: Solo striking practice without a target, focused on form, footwork, and combinations.
ShotGrappling: Informal term for a takedown attempt — most commonly a double-leg or single-leg.
ShrimpGround: A hip escape movement on the ground — the defender pushes off the mat with their feet while turning their hip away from the opponent.
Side ControlGround: A top-position pin where the attacker is perpendicular to the opponent, chest-to-chest with their head controlled. Setup position for arm triangles, americanas, and kimuras.
Side KickStriking: A linear kick where the kicking foot turns sideways and drives through the target. Anderson Silva and Stephen Thompson use this to disrupt the opponent's lead leg.
Single UnderhookClinch: A clinch with one underhook and one collar tie (or one underhook with the other arm free). Common position for dirty boxing.
Single-LegGrappling: A takedown attacking one of the opponent's legs. Higher percentage than double-leg against fighters who sprawl well; common entry in MMA.
SlipStriking: A defensive head movement where the defender moves their head off the centerline to avoid a straight punch.
Snap DownGrappling: A wrestling technique where the attacker pulls the opponent's head down sharply, breaking their posture and creating openings for front headlocks, chokes, or back-takes.
Solar PlexusStriking: The nerve cluster behind the sternum. A clean strike here causes diaphragm spasms and brief loss of breath.
SparringTraining: Live training exchange between two fighters, typically at reduced intensity to develop technique without injury.
Spinning Back ElbowStriking: A 270-degree spin where the rear elbow lands on the opponent's temple or jaw. Made famous in MMA by Anthony Pettis, Jorge Masvidal, and Aljamain Sterling.
Spinning Heel KickStriking: A 270-degree spinning kick that lands with the heel on the temple or jaw. Edson Barboza's spinning heel KO of Terry Etim (UFC 142) is the canonical MMA example.
Split DecisionRules: A decision where two of three judges score the bout for one fighter and one judge scores it for the other.
SprawlGrappling: A defensive reaction to a takedown attempt — the defender throws their legs back and drops weight on the attacker's head and shoulders.
Standing Eight CountRules: A boxing-derived rule (not used in MMA) where the referee gives a brief count to a fighter after a knockdown. ONE Championship uses a similar grace count.
Standing TKORules: A TKO where the fighter is stopped while still on their feet due to inability to intelligently defend.
Stare DownGeneral: The pre-fight ritual where opponents face each other after weigh-ins, often producing the bout's most-circulated photograph.
Stuffed TakedownGrappling: A takedown attempt that is defended successfully — usually via sprawl, frame, or whizzer — without the attacker scoring control.
Superman PunchStriking: A jumping rear-hand strike where the rear leg kicks back to load extra distance and power. Popularized by Georges St-Pierre and Lyoto Machida.
SuplexGrappling: A throw where the attacker lifts the opponent vertically and drops them on their head, shoulders, or back. Greco-Roman roots; rare but devastating when landed in MMA.
SuplexGrappling: A throw where the attacker lifts the opponent vertically and arches backward to drop them on their head or shoulders. Khabib's suplex of Edson Barboza at UFC 219 is a notable MMA example.
SweepGround: A technique where the bottom player reverses position to end up on top. Multiple varieties: scissor sweep, hip bump, butterfly sweep, X-pass reverse, etc.
Switch KickStriking: A round kick thrown from the lead leg after a quick stance switch to load power. Adesanya and Volkanovski use it to attack the lead leg with their stronger rear-equivalent shin.
Switch KickStriking: A round kick thrown after a quick stance switch to load the rear-leg power into the new lead leg.

T

Tai OtoshiGrappling: Judo body drop throw — the attacker blocks the opponent's lead leg and rotates them over it.
Tap OutRules: Submission signal — the fighter physically taps the mat or opponent (or verbally taps) to end the bout.
Tap OutRules: Submission signal — physical tap, verbal tap, or any submissive vocalization to end a bout.
TaperTraining: The reduction in training volume during the final 2-3 weeks of camp to allow full recovery before the bout.
TeepStriking: Thai term for the push kick (front kick). Functions as a long-range distance-control jab thrown with the foot.
Thai PlumClinch: A double-collar tie position with both hands behind the opponent's head and elbows pinched together. Sets up knee strikes and off-balancing.
Throw-ByGrappling: A wrestling technique where the attacker throws the opponent's arm across their body to access the back or the side.
Title ShotGeneral: A bout where the championship title is on the line. Earned via contender rankings or promotional booking decisions.
Toe HoldGround: A leg submission where the attacker grips the opponent's toes and rotates the foot inward, attacking the ankle and lower leg.
Top ControlGround: Dominant top-position grappling — riding the opponent without necessarily passing guard, used to score rounds and accumulate damage.
Triangle ChokeGround: A blood choke from guard — the attacker triangles their legs around the opponent's neck and one arm, compressing the carotid against the opponent's own shoulder.
TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption)Rules: A USADA/regulatory exemption allowing a fighter to use an otherwise banned substance for a medical condition.
TurtleGround: A defensive position where the bottom player is on their hands and knees with their head down. Common when the opponent stands up from guard.
TwisterGround: A spinal lock applied from a truck position. Hit in the UFC by Bryce Mitchell (vs Matt Sayles, 2019) and Chan Sung Jung (vs Leonard Garcia, 2011).
TwisterGround: A spinal lock applied from a truck position. Bryce Mitchell's twister finish of Matt Sayles in 2019 was only the second in UFC history.

U

Uchi MataGrappling: Japanese judo throw — the "inner thigh throw" where the attacker hooks the leg between the opponent's legs and rotates them over the hip.
Unanimous DecisionRules: A decision where all three judges score the bout for the same fighter.
UnderhookClinch: A clinch grip where the attacker's arm is under the opponent's armpit. Used to control posture, attack the back, or set up takedowns.
UnderhookClinch: A clinch grip where one arm is under the opponent's armpit, with the hand on their upper back. Used to control posture, attack the back, or set up takedowns.
UppercutStriking: A rising punch thrown vertically up the centerline, typically from close range against an opponent whose chin is lowered.
USADARules: United States Anti-Doping Agency — the UFC's anti-doping partner from 2015 to 2023. Now replaced by Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) under Drug Free Sport International.

W

Walk-Off KORules: A knockout punctuated by the winning fighter walking away before the opponent has hit the canvas. Holloway-Gaethje at UFC 300, Edwards-Usman 2 at UFC 278.
Walking WeightTraining: A fighter's natural weight outside of a cut — typically 10-20 lbs above their contracted weight class.
Walkoff KOStriking: A knockout punctuated by the winning fighter walking away before the opponent has hit the canvas — confident finish; sometimes criticized as showboating.
WalkoutGeneral: A fighter's entrance to the venue before a bout, typically accompanied by their chosen walkout music.
Weight ClassTraining: The contracted weight limit for a bout, used to match fighters of similar size.
Wheel KickStriking: A jumping spinning kick where the leg travels in a full vertical wheel pattern.
WhizzerGrappling: A defensive grip in which the defender overhooks the attacker's shoulder during a takedown attempt to keep their body upright and circle out.

X

X-GuardGround: An advanced bottom guard where the attacker's legs form an X around one of the opponent's legs. Used for sweeps that elevate the top player.