The way I explain it to people is that martial artists can often be divided into specialists and generalists. Specialists focus on excelling in a specific style, combat sport, or martial art. Their training revolves around mastering the nuances of their discipline—whether it’s boxing, wrestling, or grappling—and understanding the rules, scoring, and judging criteria that define success within that framework. They play the game by its rules and strive to be the best at it.

Mixed martial arts (MMA), on the other hand, requires a different approach. While understanding the rules, scoring, and judging is just as important, successful MMA athletes tend to be generalists. They may not be the best in the world in any single discipline, but they excel across multiple ranges of combat. In MMA, you’re only as strong as your weakest link.

That said, we’ve seen mixed martial artists prove they can dominate in specialised systems as well. Fighters like Jeff Monson and Mario Sperry reached the pinnacle of grappling, winning the ADCC and becoming some of the most respected competitors in submission fighting. On the striking side, athletes like Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt, and Alex Pereira have ruled the world of kickboxing, showing that MMA fighters can stand toe-to-toe with specialists at the highest level. These fighters demonstrate that while MMA athletes must be generalists to succeed in their sport, some can still rise to the top of a specific discipline when they focus their skills.

However, this versatility is not always the case. Take Kron Gracie, for example. He’s one of the best grapplers in the world, but his shortcomings in other areas of fighting have been exposed in the octagon. Similarly, when James Toney, one of the greatest boxers of all time, stepped into the UFC, he quickly learned that boxing alone wasn’t enough. He was taken down and submitted in short order by Randy Couture, a fighter who exemplified the importance of versatility.

Randy Couture was a master wrestler, but what made him so dangerous was his ability to integrate other skills. He boxed in the military, mastered clinch fighting, and was exceptional at pinning opponents against the cage and delivering punishment. His clinch game—a combination of grappling and striking—highlighted an area many fighters neglect. In fact, it’s reminiscent of old-school boxing, where clinch work and striking were integral before those aspects