11 Best MMA Gloves: Expert Reviewed List (2023)
Are you looking to find the perfect yet best MMA gloves? As an MMA boxer, whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, the most crucial aspect of the sport is protecting your hands. That’s why investing in a high-quality pair of gloves is an essential step for every boxer. But with so many options available on the market, choosing the right pair can be a daunting task.
To make it easier for you, we have compiled a list of the top 11 MMA gloves currently available. Our list includes gloves that are suitable for all levels of expertise and are chosen based on multiple factors like weight, material, fit, cost, quality, and intended use whether it’s for competition, training, or grappling. We’ve done the research, so you can focus on what matters most – your training and performance.”
Our Top Picks (Overview)
We have detailed the gloves with pros and cons below but here is a quick summary for those who have limited time.
Best MMA Gloves for Competition
- Best Overall: RDX MMA : Jump to review
- Best leather competition gloves:
Hayabusa T3 Leather gloves : Jump to review - Best budget gloves for Competition: Combat Sports Pro : Jump to review
- Premium Quality: Venum Undisputed : Jump to review
- Best Hybrid gloves: Sanabul Battle Forged : Jump to review
- Best for Beginners: Everlast Pro Style : Jump to review
Best MMA gloves for Training and Grappling
- Best MMA Training Gloves: Fairtex FGV18 Super Sparring gloves : Jump to review
- Best All-Rounder: UFC Pro Sparring : Jump to review
- Best Bag and MMA Sparring: Combat Sports Max Strike : Jump to review
- Best Premium training gloves:
Hayabusa T3 Training : Jump to review - Best Budget gloves for Training: Everlast Train Advanced : Jump to review
Detailed reviews of the Best MMA Gloves for Competition
RDX fan? Check our list of the best RDX combat products
Hayabusa T3 LX Leather MMA Competition Gloves
The Louis-Vuitton of MMA gloves, the Hayabusa T3 LX Leather gloves, are made from high-end hand-crafted Italian leather. It’s not just about the looks, their premium multi-layered foam technology absorbs heavy impacts and offers best-in-class protection for your knuckles and fists. It is also very versatile and allows you to smoothly transition between striking and grappling moves thanks to its Y-volar no-shift design.
We were concerned about durability as this is not genuine leather, but the gloves held up well against the most intense training exercises over a 9-month period and is still going strong. The leather does fade if exposed to extreme heat or if it isn't maintained properly.
- If you are someone that hates wearing hand wraps, these gloves are for you.
- The dual-x closure of these gloves will ensure a snug fit. They are also easily one of the best-looking MMA gloves on the market today!
- If you are someone that likes a looser fit, you may find these gloves very tight especially if you have bigger hands.
- If you don't want to compromise on genuine leather, although the quality of the leather is extremely good and long lasting
Combat Sports Pro Style MMA Gloves
For aspiring boxers on a budget, the Combat Pro gloves offer an excellent entry point to the sport without breaking the bank. Tailored for beginners, these gloves meet state regulations for professional competition, making them a suitable choice for those exploring the sport's fundamentals.
Though these gloves adhere to competition standards, they might not be the best option for senior-level tournaments where higher-grade gear is expected. Designed with safety in mind, their 5-ounce weight and 3/4-inch padding provide a balance between protection for both the wearer and opponents.
Ideal for sparring sessions, the gloves' open palm design enhances grappling and gripping capabilities. While not intended for advanced competitions, they remain a budget-friendly choice for those aiming to dip their toes into the boxing world.
In conclusion, the Combat Pro gloves offer a cost-effective option of decent quality, making them a viable selection for novice fighters seeking to engage in controlled sparring and preliminary competitions.
- These gloves are for you if you are a budget-conscious beginner seeking affordable gloves that meet professional competition regulations, prioritize safety, and allow better grappling during sparring.
- If you're a senior-level or serious competitor, give these gloves a miss. While they meet professional regulations, they might not match the quality expected for higher-level tournaments.
Venum Undisputed 2.0 MMA Gloves
Venum Undisputed 2.0 MMA Gloves are one of the best gloves to come out of the Venum stable. Designed in Thailand, these gloves have been developed with more comfort and premium quality in mind. The gloves almost become an extension of your hands due to the curved shape design and comfortable, perfect fit. You will feel the difference in power when you land your punches. The double-closure system makes it easy to wear and guarantees comfort, fit, and support. The wide leather Velcro strap closure reduces the risk of a wrist injury.
The often-overlooked feature in these gloves is the reinforcement provided on each finger and thumb opening. This protects your fingers and absorbs continuous shocks, especially if you practice for longer durations. At a mere 0.31kilograms, 7 cm cup width, open palm, attached thumb, and 0.75 inches of padding, these gloves strike the perfect balance between agility and security.
The other Venum MMA gloves you should also check are the Venum challenger MMA gloves. They are an exceptional pair for any MMA practitioner.
- If you are someone that puts protection and security above everything else, these gloves are tailor made for you.
- With features like a double-closure system and reinforced finger and thumb openings, these gloves prioritize your safety and longevity.
- If you are someone that is just getting started in the sport, these gloves might appear slightly more expensive.
- You are probably not ready to appreciate all the advanced features that these gloves offer. That said, it is not a bad idea to own higher quality gloves even if you are just getting started especially if you do not have budget constraints.
Everlast Pro Style MMA Grappling Gloves
Product Description
The Everlast Pro-Style MMA Grappling Gloves are the perfect sparring gloves for both beginners and professionals. Crafted from premium synthetic leather, these gloves showcase exceptional construction, ensuring longevity and functionality. Elevate your training sessions with the full wrist wrap strap that offers unparalleled wrist support and a customizable fit, guaranteeing security during every move.
Innovative EverDri Technology sets these gloves apart, featuring a moisture-absorbing lining that keeps your hands dry and your equipment in prime condition, enhancing their lifespan. The gloves boast a sleek new design, incorporating a refined MMA grappling glove padding silhouette that strikes the perfect balance between protection and agility.
Designed for comfort and flexibility, the gloves feature an ergonomic fist shape that adapts to your hand's natural curvature, reducing strain during intense sessions. Whether you're honing your grappling skills or engaging in mitt work, these gloves cater to your needs.
Overall, the Everlast Pro-Style MMA Grappling Gloves are the ultimate companion for those who demand durability, functionality, and comfort in their training gear.
- Perfect for general use and exercise
- Best suited for amateur fighters
- The padding on the knuckles is sufficient
- The thumb is open for greater flexibility
- Heavy-bag training is not recommended
- Knuckle protection is insufficient for rigorous training
- Finding the ideal size could require some effort
- The absence of leather may reduce user confidence for prolonged use
Want to up your MMA game? Learn how to go from beginner to professional in our detailed article here
Sanabul Battle Forged MMA Grappling Gloves
Product Description
The Sanabul Battle Forged MMA Gloves are meticulously crafted for both aspiring novices and seasoned professionals. They are ideal for training, sparring, and competition. These gloves boast the iconic Muay Thai compact shape, providing an intentionally snug fit that mirrors traditional Muay Thai-style gloves while delivering unmatched enhancements in performance.
Crafted with SBL engineered leather and three-layer foam, they offer elevated comfort and durability. The entire Battle Forged Series embodies the ethos that small details make significant differences, showcased through subtle exterior designs and high-performance composition, solidifying the Battle Forged line as a favorite choice.
Designed to seamlessly transition between grappling and striking, these gloves are perfect for MMA training and sparring. The performance premium lining averts excessive moisture absorption, extending the glove's lifespan. The hook-and-loop closure system enables easy on-and-off, even while wearing hand wraps, while the extended overstrap ensures a secure training fit.
Detailed reviews of the Best MMA Gloves for Training and Sparring
Fairtex FGV18 Super Sparring MMA Gloves
The Fairtex Combat Sparring Gloves are one of the finest creations ever for MMA training. These gloves are relatively expensive, but if you are looking for something durable for your training, these are highly recommended. They come with a top-grain leather shell and offer complete protection for sparring and bag training. These are probably the only gloves that have an all-black look and are sure to turn heads at the gym.
We found the foam to be extra thick but not so thick that your movements are affected. Their ergonomic built-in curve in the foam ensures good movement and protection. It also has a full wraparound wristband and a hook and loop closure for added wrist protection.
Crafted in the heartland of muay thai, Thailand, this boxing gear embodies the essence of quality, these weighted gloves come in sizes ranging from 8 to 16 oz.
- If you are someone that always values quality and value for money, these gloves are for you. They are not relatively expensive, but their quality justifies the price.
- With complete protection in mind, these gloves excel in both functionality and style. Their all-black design sets them apart, ensuring you not only stand out at the gym but also have the confidence of adequate protection during intense training
- These gloves might be an overkill if you are novice and just getting started in the sport.
These are hands down one of the best gloves for bag and sparring use. A 2" layer of molded foam padding ensures maximum safety during training. We thought the thick padding would interfere with mobility, but the gloves felt so comfortable due to their ergonomic fit and the hinged knuckle design allows for a full range of motion. These gloves also offer amazing wrist support with their wrap-around wrist strap that keeps them tight and secure. Our boxers liked the fully open palm design that allows for skin contact and better control. It has a good quality striking surface built with leather and can easily last more than 6 months for heavy to intense trainers.
- If you are focused on stand-up training like punching bags, these gloves offer the best protection for your hands overall.
- If you are someone that is used to loose-fitting and flexible gloves, you might find these gloves uncomfortable.
- Do not buy these gloves if your training is focused on grappling!
Hayabusa T3 Training Sparring MMA Gloves
Just like their competition counterparts (T3 LX MMA gloves), these gloves have a premium feel to them. They also feel incredibly comfortable to wear and spar with. It is designed for the boxers’ comfort and has a pre-formed curve to reduce hand fatigue and an open palm design with a fully-adjustable velcro wrist wrap closure. They are built with microfiber vegan leather that provides superior tear, crack, and abrasion resistance and helps them last longer than most other sparring gloves. The Dual-X Closure provides hand and wrist stabilization and the high-density padded foam absorbs impact and dissipates energy so your hand is protected and you can train longer.
- If you are not budget constrained and are a Hayabusa loyalist, go for these gloves. Otherwise, these gloves are way too expensive for what they offer (our opinion)
- They do offer best in class comfort and durability
- At over $100, these gloves are one of the most expensive in the market, there are other options that are cheaper and offer more.
Everlast Train Advanced MMA Training Gloves
The Everlast training MMA gloves are probably one of the best training gloves under $40 on the market today. They are made of 100% Polyurethane (PU) that provides decent durability. They have reinforced finger loops with anatomical thumb padding for increased protection while only mildly compromising mobility. They also come with an 18” hook & loop wrist strap and a tri-sect closure for extra support and protection. These are a must-have for any budget-conscious beginner who is trying to get into MMA.
- The Everlast training MMA gloves stand out as one of the top training options available for under $40.
- The Everlast training MMA gloves are constructed from 100% Polyurethane (PU), which might not offer the same level of durability and quality as gloves made from more advanced materials like genuine leather.
Everlast fan? Check our list of the best Everlast combat products
UFC Pro MMA Sparring Gloves
The latest entrant to our elite list of the best MMA gloves for sparring, these stunning gloves from UFC feature an injection-molded foam knuckle with a pre-curved single-mold design. These could compete with any other regular boxing gloves for impact dispersion and yet offer the mobility of an MMA glove. The D-ring allows boxers to pull the strap snugly for maximum security to minimize shifting while sparring. These gloves offer less finger coverage, but they are awesome for gripping and grabbing opponents while sparring. They come with independent EVA foam segments on the thumb for extra protection while maintaining flexibility. They have been constructed from super soft grade A leather for a premium feel and long-lasting durability.
- I would recommend these gloves for fighters across all experience levels, these are great even for beginners as they are very forgiving to mistakes and protect your hands.
- The D-ring system while innovative, may not be to everyone's liking, especially for athletes who are used to the traditional hook-and-look closure systems.
MMA Gloves size chart guide
You can use the sizing chart below to estimate the gloves that would fit you, but we suggest reviewing the size guide from the individual brands to make sure they fit your hand size.
| Size | Hand Circumference (in) | Hand Circumference (cm) |
| S | <8 | <20 |
| M | 8-8.5 | 20-21.5 |
| L | 8.5-9.5 | 21.5-24 |
| XL | 9.5-10.5 | 24-26.7 |
How do you choose MMA gloves – Best Buying Guide
What are the different types of MMA gloves?
The three key types are Fighting or Competition gloves, sparring gloves, and Grappling gloves.
Fighting gloves: MMA competitions have strict rules on the weight of gloves; therefore, most competition gloves are lightweight and fingerless offering the best freedom of movement among the three.
Sparring gloves: protection is the name of the game when you are getting sparring gloves. The objective during sparring sessions is to enhance your techniques while minimizing injury to yourself or your sparring partner. These gloves usually have more padding and are bulkier.
Grappling gloves: These are hybrid gloves, and they provide both fighting and sparring capabilities. The key difference with these gloves is that they allow for better finger mobility as compared to traditional sparring gloves but also have more padding as compared to traditional fighting gloves.
Pro Tip: Most boxers have gloves dedicated for bag practice, punching a heavy bag repeatedly means you will need that extra protection for your wrists and fingers. Having separate gloves for bag practice will also enhance the life of your fighting gloves which you typically grow into
What material should MMA gloves be made of?
Most MMA gloves are designed with leather or synthetic leather (PU leather). Leather gloves are more durable but also more expensive. Real leather is more expensive and offers greater comfort, but if you’re not willing to spend too much for your first pair of gloves, there are really good synthetic options too.
Leather vs Synthetic Leather – Leather is an obvious first choice for most boxers, but these leather gloves come with a premium price tag. It does offer better durability, fit and feel as compared with cheaper alternatives for the price tag. There are fantastic synthetic material options these days which almost have the same features, but they will never look as good as hand-crafted leather gloves.
What type of padding should my gloves have?
The most common type of padding used is foam. Many brands use layered foam while others use regular foam. It all comes down to quality, the cheaper gloves will usually be less durable and less likely to hold up over months of use. In general, competition gloves have 4oz padding while training gloves have more than 7oz padding.
What type of straps should I consider while buying MMA gloves?
We have seen some gloves that come with really weak wrist straps or are missing them altogether! We highly recommend buying gloves with a solid strap because this is what holds the entire gloves together and in place. Your wrists will thank you long-term if you invest in a pair of gloves that offer solid wrist support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Summary: The Best MMA gloves are
Best MMA Gloves for Competition
- Best Overall: RDX MMA : Jump to review
- Best leather competition gloves:
Hayabusa T3 Leather gloves : Jump to review - Best budget gloves for Competition: Combat Sports Pro : Jump to review
- Premium Quality: Venum Undisputed : Jump to review
- Best Hybrid gloves: Sanabul Battle Forged : Jump to review
- Best for Beginners: Everlast Pro Style : Jump to review
Best MMA gloves for Training and Grappling
- Best MMA Training Gloves: Fairtex FGV18 Super Sparring gloves : Jump to review
- Best All-Rounder: UFC Pro Sparring : Jump to review
- Best Bag and MMA Sparring: Combat Sports Max Strike : Jump to review
- Best Premium training gloves:
Hayabusa T3 Training : Jump to review - Best Budget gloves for Training: Everlast Train Advanced : Jump to review
Do you already have MMA gloves? Tell us more in the comments section below.
Are you looking for other MMA Products? Look at our other posts on MMA gear
Looking to buy other boxing products, for boxing visit the following best list articles best boxing headgear, best boxing gloves overall, best boxing gloves for competition, best boxing shoes and best boxing shorts. We also have some great reviews written by experts for MMA & BJJ enthusiasts as well, best MMA gloves, best MMA headgear, best BJJ headgear, best BJJ accessories & best BJJ knee brace.
For those who of you that practice combat sports for fitness, here are some must have products best free standing punching bags, best supplements, best martial arts weapons.
For some of us that love good products without having to break the bank best boxing gloves under $100, best boxing shoes under $99, best boxing headgear under $50, best boxing bags under $50.
For brand related articles, check Best Hayabusa | Best Winning | Best Everlast | Best Cleto Reyes | Best RDX | Best Rival | Best Venum | Best Ring to Cage
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hi …. I bought a pair of these gloves for Krav maga and they are great , they feel like you have wood on your hands they are tought on the outside and soft for your hands . A light punch is painful for the opposition , your fingers have good movement , good for punching pads ……….. i have nothing to compare them with but i like them alot