Grapplers Graveyard

Author name: Jay Durden

Jay is a news reporter for Grapplers Graveyard who trains both MMA and BJJ.

Muay Thai Basics for Beginners
Striking

Muay Thai Basics for Beginners

Starting Muay Thai can feel overwhelming, but progress begins with mastering the fundamentals. Proper stance, footwork, and controlled strikes form the foundation, while consistency and a focused mindset help beginners build skill, confidence, and discipline step by step.

how to mix punches and kicks
Striking

How To Mix Punches And Kicks

Learning to mix punches and kicks is a process, not a trick. It starts with balance, builds through smart setups, and comes together when you stop rushing your strikes. When you focus on clean transitions and simple combinations, your hands and legs begin to work as one, making your striking more effective and easier to control.

How to Improve Your Roundhouse Kick
Combat Sports Training, Striking

How to Improve Your Roundhouse Kick

The roundhouse kick is one of the most effective strikes in any striking art, but only when it’s built on sound mechanics. Power doesn’t come from forcing the leg through the target—it comes from the ground, the hips, and the way the body moves as one unit. Without balance, rotation, and control, even a hard kick becomes unreliable. This article breaks down the roundhouse kick step by step, focusing on stance, hip engagement, clean contact, and recovery, so the technique holds up under pressure, not just on pads.

Combat Sports Training, Striking

How to Improve Your Shin Conditioning

Shin conditioning is often misunderstood. It is not about smashing your legs until they go numb or pushing through pain for the sake of toughness. In reality, it is a slow process of adaptation. When the shin is exposed to controlled, repeated impact, the body responds by strengthening bone, toughening surrounding tissue, and reducing sensitivity over time.

how to fight a grappler if you're a striker
MMA, Striking

How To Fight A Grappler If You’re A Striker

Striker versus grappler is one of the toughest matchups in MMA. This article breaks down how strikers can manage distance, defend takedowns, and stay composed when the fight hits the ground. It focuses on smart movement, calm decision-making, and practical adjustments that help turn difficult style clashes into winnable fights.

Paddy Pimblett
MMA, News

Paddy Pimblett Cancels Celebrations for UFC Focus

Paddy Pimblett is all business as UFC 324 approaches. The popular Liverpool lightweight has scrapped his birthday celebrations to stay locked in on preparation for his interim title fight against Justin Gaethje, a matchup that represents the toughest test of his career and a potential turning point in the UFC lightweight division.

balance in striking
Combat Sports Training, MMA, News

Why Balance Matters More Than Speed in Striking

Speed may look impressive in striking, but it is balance that determines real effectiveness. Without proper balance, fast punches and kicks lose power, accuracy, and control, often leaving a striker vulnerable to counters. Balanced movement allows fighters to generate force from the ground, recover quickly after attacks, and maintain strong defense. By prioritizing balance over speed in training, strikers build a more reliable, efficient, and sustainable skill set that performs under pressure.

Islam Makhachev
MMA, News

Islam Makhachev Turns Down UFC 324 Title Fight

Islam Makhachev, the UFC welterweight champion, has turned down an offer to defend his title at UFC 324 in January 2026. After winning the belt at UFC 322, Makhachev said the quick turnaround didn’t give him enough time to prepare. The card’s main event will now feature an interim lightweight title fight, while Makhachev plans to return for his first title defence in spring 2026 against a top contender.

UFC Lawsuit
News

Dana White Set to Testify in UFC Antitrust Lawsuit Proceedings

UFC President Dana White has been ordered to testify under oath as part of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against the promotion, marking a key development in the case known as Cirkunov v. Zuffa. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware, schedules White’s testimony for a February 2026 spoliation hearing that will examine discovery and evidence preservation issues. The outcome of the hearing could play an important role in shaping the direction of the lawsuit and future legal challenges involving UFC contracts.

Tony Ferguson
Boxing, News

Tony Ferguson Defeats Warren Spencer Unanimously

Tony Ferguson continued his late-career resurgence on Saturday night in Dubai, defeating Warren Spencer by unanimous decision at Misfits Boxing 23. The former UFC interim lightweight champion controlled the fight from start to finish, scoring a key knockdown in the second round and outworking Spencer over five rounds to capture the vacant Misfits Middleweight Championship. The win marks Ferguson’s second straight victory in the promotion and another positive moment after a difficult final stretch in the UFC.

acbjj 20
BJJ, News

ACBJJ 20: Arman Tsarukyan’s Amazing Victory

Arman Tsarukyan earned a late submission victory over Mehdi Baydulaev at ACBJJ 20 in Moscow on December 17, 2025, capturing the promotion’s Stars Belt. The grappling main event was briefly halted after an illegal knee prompted referee intervention, but Tsarukyan regrouped and secured a rear-naked choke in the final seconds to close out the contest.

ufc vegas 112
MMA, News

UFC Vegas 112: Main Card Recap and Fight Results

UFC Vegas 112 was full of action from start to finish. Manel Kape knocked out Brandon Royval in the first round, while Kevin Vallejos and Melquizael Costa also scored big wins. The night had a rare draw and a close split decision, leaving plenty of questions for future matchups.

why bjj is humbling
BJJ

This Is Why BJJ Humbles Everyone

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has a quiet way of humbling people. It does not shout or embarrass. It simply places you in positions where strength fails, ego disappears, and patience becomes your only option. On the mats, excuses do not survive contact with reality. Every mistake is answered immediately, and every improvement must be earned. Over time, you stop trying to prove who you are and start learning who you need to become.

UFC Qatar Results
MMA, News

UFC Qatar Results: Arman Submits Hooker

Discover the complete UFC Qatar Results including Arman Tsarukyan’s submission win over Dan Hooker, Ian Machado Garry’s decision victory against Belal Muhammad, and every knockout and finish from the main card. Get full fight details, analysis and rankings impact.

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