How does one become a Mixed Martial Artist?

Question

Not a professional one like the ones in UFC. I just simply mean, a mixed martial artist. A karate blackbelt doesn't mean that he/she is a professional martial artist, right? So, anyways, how do you become one? Do you need to go to an MMA dojo/academy/school/whatever or could you become a mixed martial artist even when you just take up BJJ, Muay Thai, and Aikido on the same time for less than a year (say, 2 months)? Even when you're a white belt in all of the martial arts that you went in?

And can you call/consider yourself a "rookie MMAer" when you just took up different styles on the same time without being a professional rookie MMAer?

Answer 1

Many dojos in my area offer classes in mma. Call around your local ones and see if they offer a class. Local colleges may also offer a community class in it.

Answer 2

First thing if find yourself a good MMA/Jiu Jitsu gym in your area, take some intro classes and find one that you really like. If the person who owns the gym or the instructor is of MMA fame, all the better cuz they've been there and they know what it takes to make it, but don't kid yourself bro. It's easy to fall in love with the sport watching it, but being able to put yourself day and day out through the grinding machine of pain for the years it takes to become great, that is where you are gonna separate yourself.

Answer 3

Learn more than one martial art.

Anybody who combines techniques from more than one discipline is performing a mixed martial art.

Answer 4

You just need to learn more than one martial art!

you dont need anything.....Just pick a couple martial arts that contribute to each other and that can be used to gether....

like Jeet kune do, BJJ, muay thai, and judo or aikido......those are good combinations...

or Muay thai, judo, BJJ, and western boxing!