Looking at who would win in a fight between a bodybuilder Vs. MMA fighter

Undoubtedly, an average Joe would struggle in a fight against a bodybuilder. It goes without saying that bodybuilders are physically very strong and powerful which translates nicely to combat. Whilst this doesn’t make them invincible and even has a few weaknesses, overall it makes for a tough opponent.

Let’s be honest, size does matter and physical strength is arguably the most important aspect of fighting outside of technique. However, in this hypothetical scenario, their opponent wouldn’t be an average Joe. Instead, they would be fighting against a trained MMA fighter. Before continuing, let’s propose the following:

Each fighter starts on their feet and this takes place in the open. So, it’s not an MMA fight, but there are no weapons allowed either. To make things interesting, we’ll be looking at an MMA fighter who weighs significantly less, and a same-weight MMA fighter against the same bodybuilder. We shall also assume that the MMA fighter has trained consistently for three years without being a professional.

Pros and cons for a bodybuilder vs an MMA fighter

Perhaps the biggest advantage that the bodybuilder would possess over an MMA fighter is sheer size. There’s a lot to be said for being bigger than your opponent for several reasons. Firstly, your punches will pack more power even if your technique is sloppy. Secondly, it’s naturally easier to defend takedowns if your limbs are heavier. Lastly, it also helps if you manage to pin your opponent and flatten them out.

Although this is a large advantage against a smaller opponent, this is where their advantage ends, and here’s where the MMA fighter excels:

In favor of the MMA fighter…

Firstly, the MMA fighter may be similar in terms of strength, even if they weigh less. This may sound odd but hear us out. Often, MMA fighters will emulate and partake in fights – which means their strength is directly built around combat. This differs hugely to bodybuilders, whose sole purpose is to lift heavy weights.

In other words, the bodybuilder may be stronger and better at lifting weights which is to be expected, but their strength doesn’t necessarily translate to fighting. A good example of this would be grappling with an MMA fighter. Usually, they are far stronger than they look and their movements are designed with fighting in mind. In this arena, the bodybuilder isn’t as fine tuned, which means their strength advantage can be cut massively.

Another, huge plus for the MMA fighter would be cardio and speed. Typically, bigger, musclebound fighters tire out very quickly and many can barely make it past the first minute. This is because their heart needs to work harder to pump blood to their larger muscles. MMA fighters are known for having a good gas tank and can fight for up to 30 minutes or longer if needed. Therefore, they would certainly have the edge here.

Also related is the speed that the MMA fighter would have. It goes without saying that their punches, kicks, and reactions would be far quicker – meaning they could pick off their opponent and dodge strikes with greater ease.

There is also a huge elephant in the room. This is technique and this would hugely advantage the MMA fighter. Sadly, untrained people often underestimate how effective technique is in martial arts. Here, everything would be better from the MMA fighter, from feints to takedowns to submissions and striking – they would fight much more efficiently.

So, who would win?

Having said this, the fact still remains that size does matter. So, let’s say you had a 60KG MMA fighter who fought a 120KG body builder. Here, the bodybuilder would stand a strong chance of winning and would probably be the favorite. The reason for this would be their natural knockout power, as they could literally land one punch and win in seconds.

For the much smaller fighter, it would require a great strategy to win, such as tiring the opponent out and dodging punches or takedowns. Perhaps, getting to the bodybuilder’s back and choking them would be the best route to victory. Still, against a much stronger opponent, choking them may prove difficult even if they had zero grappling experience. Therefore, in this scenario, the bodybuilder would probably win on sheer physicality and strength.

Examples of a smaller martial artist beating a much bigger fighter

There are some cases where the smaller person wins though, and perhaps we didn’t give the 60KG fighter enough credit in our last take on things. For example, the video below shows a 2nd degree BJJ black belt successfully defeat a bodybuilder. The BJJ fighter weighs 150LBS, whereas his opponent is 250LBS. That’s a pretty huge weight difference as far as size goes.

Nonetheless, the smaller martial artist managed to win after 5 minutes by applying an armbar submission. Even with greater strength, the leverage and lack of defensive knowledge let the stronger opponent down. Interestingly though, it was a pretty even fight for a while. The black belt nearly got knocked out a few times by some big hammer fists but managed to dodge them by a matter of inches.

What should be noted is that your average BJJ black belt has trained martial arts for at least 15 years. Therefore, most MMA fighters of 3 years would be significantly worse on the ground, which is where the bulk of the fight took place. So, this may not be a hugely accurate example but it still gives the smaller fighter hope.

It’s a different story between an MMA fighter vs a smaller bodybuilder

Without there being a freak difference in weight, the outcome leans more in favor of the MMA fighter. For example, let’s imagine a 90KG MMA fighter against a 120KG bodybuilder. Here, the difference in weight goes from 60KG to 30KG. In other words, the bodybuilder is still significantly larger, without having such a huge weight advantage.

In this scenario, the betting money would be placed on the MMA fighter. Here, they would be the perfect blend of strength, speed, athleticism, and technique to beat the bodybuilder. One way of doing this could be to dodge punches whilst slowly jabbing their opponent to grind them down. Similarly, they could opt for leg kicks to weaken the legs of the opponent. Ultimately, if they managed to survive the first minute and avoid getting taken down then they’d probably win.

Of course, the bodybuilder would still have a puncher’s chance, just like the 60KG MMA fighter would. However, we’re talking about generalizations here and not lucky incidents that are rare but can happen.

Conclusion

Overall, bodybuilders are not to be messed with. Not only are they strong but their sheer size and weight gives them a big advantage over most opponents. Having said this, remember than a MMA fighter is the elite of the combat world and their technique should be enough to beat a bodybuilder unless there’s a huge size and weight gap.

In summary, it’s fair to say that size makes up for lack of technique – but only to an extent. Whilst most people may naturally assume the bodybuilder has the best chance of victory due to their look and size, they would probably be wrong. If ever you’d had the pleasure of sparring with an MMA fighter, then you will quickly realize just how important technique is when it comes to fighting.

One of the best ways of winning a fight is by having good footwork. Floyd Mayweather was arguably the master of this which meant he never really got hit during his bouts. If you’d like to learn more about footwork in fights then check out this handy book here.