With the fast-growing popularity of MMA, more and more fighters are cross-training several forms of martial arts. Many gyms are responding to this demand by offering a variety of classes such as Muay Thai, boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and wrestling under one roof. And modern mma brands offer a plethora of products to meet the training needs of each discipline, including classic style punching gloves designed for heavy bag or sparring training.
In case you are scratching your head, this is not a review article of pure MMA gloves with the open-fingered design that you see in UFC. Pure MMA style gloves are designed for both striking and grappling and are inadequate protection for Muay Thai training. These 4- or 6oz gloves offer way too little padding for bag or even pad work. For Muay Thai training, you need the classic style well-padded boxing gloves of at least 8oz and above.
What we will be discussing here are boxing-style gloves by MMA brands (e.g. Venum, Hayabusa etc.).
Muay Thai in MMA
Mixed martial arts combine both elements of striking and grappling. Many MMA fighters train Muay Thai on the side and it’s hardly a surprise since the art of 8 limbs -as it’s commonly called- is arguably the most effective striking martial arts. Muay Thai encompasses the use of fists, elbows, knees and leg kicks, providing the practitioner with almost all weapons of the human body. Some of the more well-known mma fighters who train in Muay Thai include Rafael dos Anjos, Jose Aldo and Anderson Silva.
Gloves Recommendations
There are now many mma brands producing gloves for boxing and Muay Thai training purpose and you will always see a few of these wherever you train. They are a good alternative to traditional Muay Thai and boxing brands with their innovative designs and often striking aesthetics, no pun intended. Here are some of the favorites:
Hayabusa Fightwear T3 Boxing Gloves
Hayabusa T3 Boxing Gloves for Men and Women Wrist and Knuckle Protection, Dual-X Hook and Loop Closure, Splinted Wrist Support, 5 Layer Foam Knuckle Padding - Black, 12 oz
- A Revolutionized Training Glove: You need a glove that checks all of the boxes, from protection and comfort to durability and fit. T3 Boxing Gloves do just that, with a decade of sports science &...
- Built For Comfort With A Tailored Fit: Interior fabric feels smooth and cool on your hands and helps to regulate your hand temperature. Two interlocking velcro wrist straps adjust to fit your hands...
- World Renowned Wrist Support: The dual wrist straps and splinting system work together to keep your wrists aligned with each punch. It locks your wrists in place when you strap up, preventing risky...
- A Revolutionized Training Glove: You need a glove that checks all of the boxes, from protection and comfort to durability and fit. T3 Boxing Gloves do just that, with a decade of sports science &...
- Built For Comfort With A Tailored Fit: Interior fabric feels smooth and cool on your hands and helps to regulate your hand temperature. Two interlocking velcro wrist straps adjust to fit your hands...
- World Renowned Wrist Support: The dual wrist straps and splinting system work together to keep your wrists aligned with each punch. It locks your wrists in place when you strap up, preventing risky...
As far as MMA brands go, Hayabusa is right up there at the top. Hayabusa is known for extensive research and innovation in the design of their products. The T3 is the latest update on their most popular gloves model. It boasts an engineered (synthetic) leather proven to outlast regular leather. The really outstanding feature of these gloves is the dual wrist wrap, which firmly secures them on your wrist and provides ample padding for protection.
Another outstanding features is the inner fabric which boasts an anti-microbial technology that delivers anti-odor properties, improved ventilation, enhanced breathability and thermo-regulating properties. What that means, is that they will keep your hands cool and will dry up fast. The only downside is that these gloves don’t open up as well as traditional Muay Thai gloves so will not suit clinch work. But other than that, these are the perfect training gloves.
With high quality materials, good protection and especially wrist support, it is little wonder that this is a constant feature on our gloves recommendation articles.
>> Click here to purchase Hayabusa T3 at Amazon now<<
Venum Elite Boxing Gloves
Venum Elite Boxing Gloves - Yellow - 12oz
- Microfiber PU casing (made in Japan) for long life
- Four layers of natural foam
- Perforated palm: better breathability
- Microfiber PU casing (made in Japan) for long life
- Four layers of natural foam
- Perforated palm: better breathability
Venum is perhaps best known for their distinct, eye-catching logo, but they actually make pretty darn good gear too. The Elite boxing gloves are a personal favorite for a few reasons. These gloves have an enhanced grip giving it a really good grip when you make a fist. The multi layer foam padding is dense for good knuckle protection, and most of all, they are well ventilated through the mesh panel under the fist. The effective breathability makes them comfortable to wear and easy to dry, reducing odors.
The Elite models are proudly made with good quality synthetic leather in Thailand and offer strong stitching and good wrist support via the wide cuffs and padded protection. They come in both velcro and lace-up versions and ideal as both training or sparring gloves. They come in wild neon colors, handsome black and a really classy white so these not only feel good, but they look really good too. Top choice for the aesthetes and one of the best-selling fight gloves around.
>> Click here to purchase Venum Elite at Amazon now<<
Bad Boy Strike Boxing Gloves
Bad Boy Strike Training Boxing Gloves Silver/Grey - 12 oz
- Ultra durable gloves built to handle bags, pads or sparring
- Injected EVA foam that holds up to punishment better than others' "carpet padding"
- Ergonomic design for optimal hand fit and reduced impact stress
- Ultra durable gloves built to handle bags, pads or sparring
- Injected EVA foam that holds up to punishment better than others' "carpet padding"
- Ergonomic design for optimal hand fit and reduced impact stress
The San Diego-based alternative sport and lifestyle brand has been around for a while so I was initially surprised these aren’t as popular as many of the other gloves on the list. Turns out, these synthentic leather gloves really aren’t as good as any other on the list in terms of features.
These gloves are adequately padded so you are guaranteed reasonably good protection for your hands for basic mitt training and maybe padwork. Add in moisture-wicking inner lining, and long cuff for wrist support, you have yourself a feature-packed modern boxing gloves. Affordably priced too.
However, in terms of quality, these don’t hold up well compared to the prior recommendations. For beginners, these are okay. But those looking for intense Muay Thai training or sparring, you will do better skipping these.
>> Click here to purchase Bad Boy Gloves at Amazon now<<
Sanabul Essential Gel Kickboxing Gloves
Sanabul Essential Gel Boxing Kickboxing Punching Bag Gloves, for Men and Women, Black, 8 oz
- Confused about which boxing glove to buy? Don’t waste time browsing because the Sanabul Essential Gel boxing is the perfect glove for beginners and people looking to start training today. There are...
- Just What You Need: The Essentials Striking Series was created to give you professional gear at entry level affordability. Our gloves keep your hands snug and protected inside, with vivid Sanabul...
- Tested by Pros, Created for You: From UFC champions like Michael Bisping, to pro boxers like Mike Lee, Team Sanabul athletes demand the best. We make the same gloves for you as we make for them. Built...
- Confused about which boxing glove to buy? Don’t waste time browsing because the Sanabul Essential Gel boxing is the perfect glove for beginners and people looking to start training today. There are...
- Just What You Need: The Essentials Striking Series was created to give you professional gear at entry level affordability. Our gloves keep your hands snug and protected inside, with vivid Sanabul...
- Tested by Pros, Created for You: From UFC champions like Michael Bisping, to pro boxers like Mike Lee, Team Sanabul athletes demand the best. We make the same gloves for you as we make for them. Built...
Sanabul is a mma brand that offers the whole shebang of mma-related training gear and equipment for BJJ to Muay Thai and more. These Essential Gel gloves are one of their bestsellers and actually one of the top selling boxing gloves on Amazon. The number one reason is the affordability and they are actually pretty decent gloves at their price point.
The use of synthetic leather is expected at this price tag and these certainly aren’t the most durable gloves. But they hold up reasonably well and offer better breathability -over most gloves- via the mesh panels. I’m on the fence when it comes to gel padding but they seem to be rather effective in terms of shock absorption compared to foam padding.
They have a nice modern feel in terms of the looks and I would readily recommend these as beginner’s gloves or for the more casual gym goer.
>> Click here to purchase Sanabul Gel Essentials at Amazon now<<
Elite Sports Muay Thai Gloves
Elite Sports Muay Thai Gloves for Men & Women - Kickboxing Punching Sparing & Muay Thai Specific Training - Pre-Curved Breathable Cooling & Lightweight - Double Layer Wrist Straps -10 oz - White
- ✅ MUAY THAI SPECIFIC GLOVES: Stop Using Boxing Gloves for Muay thai or kick boxing, these are Muay thai gloves specifically designed for Muay thai or kick boxing. Unlike Boxing gloves these Gloves...
- ✅ INCREASED PERFORMANCE W/ ADDED PROTECTION – The high-density gel and impact foam added on the area of impact results in best Muay Thai gloves offering great protection you need to train and...
- ✅ UNMATCHED COMFORT – These ultra-lightweight muay thai gloves for men and women are super durable. The lightweight and durability with functional design is the key to fast precise punches and...
- ✅ MUAY THAI SPECIFIC GLOVES: Stop Using Boxing Gloves for Muay thai or kick boxing, these are Muay thai gloves specifically designed for Muay thai or kick boxing. Unlike Boxing gloves these Gloves...
- ✅ INCREASED PERFORMANCE W/ ADDED PROTECTION – The high-density gel and impact foam added on the area of impact results in best Muay Thai gloves offering great protection you need to train and...
- ✅ UNMATCHED COMFORT – These ultra-lightweight muay thai gloves for men and women are super durable. The lightweight and durability with functional design is the key to fast precise punches and...
Our other choice as entry-level gloves. Again, for gloves at this kind of pricing, you will be expecting synthetic leather and durability that doesn’t quite measure up to the more established gloves models. If you are going to be training Muay Thai intensively 4-5 times a week, these will not be my recommended option.
These Elite gloves went straight to work upon purchase and did not require much time to break in. They are also a bit flimsy around the wrists with little padding and would not be suitable for sparring. Elite Sports has some really amazing products especially as their gym bag. But in terms of boxing gloves, these don’t quite match up to the other brands. You get what you pay for, and for around $30, these are reasonably good.
>> Click here to purchase Elite Sports Gloves at Amazon now<<
Conclusion
While traditional brands like Fairtex and Twins Special are most suited for Muay Thai training, MMA brands are a welcome alternative with their innovative designs and modern good looks. I’m pretty sure you are already thinking about adding one of these to your training arsenal.
Chok dee!
