Best MMA Gloves for Beginners in 2025
A pair of good MMA gloves for beginners can go a long way. In training, MMA gloves are small gloves with open fingers. These tend to be small in comparison to normal boxing gloves. They serve the purpose of protecting the hands, while also letting you clinch and grapple with ease.
The options given to you may be overwhelming, especially as a beginner. Thankfully, we have got you covered. Here is a list of the best MMA gloves for beginners on the market in 2021!
Quick Overview of Top 3
Buying Guide
Here are the most basic issues you should concern yourself with when buying a pair of gloves for MMA.
Knuckle Padding
For your hands to stay protected during fights, you need to buy gloves with good padding. Padding comes in different types in gloves. For example, some paddings will cover your fingers individually, while others are just one big chunk protecting all of them.
Usually, it’s better to buy gloves that have finger paddings individually, as it allows more room for flexibility. However, for heavy hitters, thick, singular paddings might be more preferable. If for nothing else, then just for the weight.
Interior Lining
Next, the interior lining is one of the key factors for comfort. Without competent interior lining, you will not only be uncomfortable during performing in the ring, but it may leave your hands with rashes and blisters. Comfort is important here.
The density and weight of the material also factor into this. The interior lining will go hand in hand with how heavy your gloves feel. Overall, the smoother your interior lining is, the more likely you will be left with comfortable hands.
Foam
Another important factor to look into, because the foam is also essential to protecting your hands. Moreover, the foam also deals with how you will deal out your punches, and how effectively you will be able to deliver them.
When looking for well-done foaming, you want something that maintains thickness that is layered in a twice to thrice factor. These extra layers will be able to help you absorb shock and this can be crucial when performing in a fight.
7 Best MMA Gloves for Beginners
For a beginner, the best MMA gloves should be versatile and under a budget. These gloves deliver the quality you are looking for at a very affordable price. There is a good selection of colors to choose from, and the synthetic hides they have make them durable too.
In addition, they also have padding over every individual finger for some extra flexibility. An important factor is that while keeping variety in color, these gloves also come in many sizes, such as small, medium, large and extra-large.
A Velcro strap lets the wearer stay in good grip with the gloves. It also reassures that you can throw that extra hard punch without having to worry about it slipping off. Is any sweatiness worrying you? That is also solved with the holes in the palm.
Pros:
- There are multiple colors that these glove pairs are available in
- Different sizes allow for a broader reach of customers and buyers
- Ample holes inside the gloves allow room for better cooling
Cons:
- The padding is very thick and can cause issues in terms of flexibility
For those of you who love leather, here is another banger pair of gloves by RDX. These ones cost slightly more, and are available in black, red and blue in order to increase the customer range.
They are available in various sizes to fit the majority of you, namely small, medium, large and extra-large. So if you are worried about being unable to find your size, this one probably has you covered.
All of the fingers are padded individually with separate protection, to give you the maximum force absorption in the ring. Regardless of where your hand lands during a punch, you will notice that these gloves have you covered.
Pros:
- Extra padding for individual fingers in order to absorb shock
- Large strap lets you adjust accordingly to the size and stay secured
- Proper airflow and comfort is given by the mesh on the palms
Cons:
- The extra padding might make it a little difficult for the user to wear
More on the medium side for a price tag compared to the others here. These gloves provide a layered foam in order to protect your hands better. They are available in multiple colors, such as black and neo yellow.
The gloves are made of PU leather, adding to the durability of them. You will find it difficult to look for a glove that provides this facility in this particular price range.
Additionally, a long Velcro strap is integrated into the glove, which allows for better fit and adjustment. The layered foam beneath it also provides better protection for you when you wear it.
Pros:
- Additional durability for you by the PU leather build
- Extra layered foam gives better protection for hands
- Velcro strap gives more room for adjustment and fitting
Cons:
- Air flow is not maintained well as there is no mesh or holes
For a beginner, these are the best to start off with if you are going to be a heavy hitter. These gloves will be able to provide you with greater protection, with a price tag that is affordable. Unfortunately, these gloves are only available in black.
There are some variety of sizes, so that is a great plus point. Instead of individual paddings for each finger, there is one large piece of padding that is able to cover all the fingers simultaneously.
For better comfort and fit, a Velcro wrist strap helps your hands stay stable. This is overall a good standard for starting if you want to be a heavy hitter, as these gloves are slightly weightier than the average.
Pros:
- Velcro wrist strap for better comfort and fit when you throw punches
- Better padding for the fingers providing maximum shock absorption
- Better inner lining in order to prevent terrible odors from developing
Cons:
- The bulky covers are not for everyone, as they can be rather heavy
Sanabul’s Essential series is created for those who want professional quality gear at affordable prices. This is about what most brands would aim for, but then there are others who tend to aim for professional gear at professional prices!
These gloves are quite durable, and Sanabul has a high number of reviewers amongst MMA gloves on Amazon. Moreover, it ranks quite high in terms of ratings there.
The gloves weigh around 7 oz, as the name suggests. They tend to give quite a bit of protection for your hand. So when you punch, you will be able to add that additional dexterity. Additionally, if you are a grappler, you can also get that extra friction.
Pros:
- Good leather build to keep your hands protected and durable
- Additional dense layers of foam for better shock absorption
- Velcro strap for a better adjustment of your hand and fitting
Cons:
- Use of these gloves on punching bags can reduce their longevity
Slightly higher than the other items on this list, but has the quality to back it up. There are a wide variety of colors that you can find these gloves in, such as neo orange and neo pink.
The three sizes you can find these gloves in the market are small, medium and large. A stylish design is contained in the gloves with a logo of the Venum brand, along with the overall visual appeal of the design.
For protection, layered foam is added for significant shock absorption. The Nappa leather here gives your wrists great support, with an additional Velcro strap to adjust with most wrists.
Pros:
- Nappa leather gives these gloves and your hands good durability
- A lot of colors and sizes are provided to add to the audience range
- Layered foam is able to offer good shock absorption on impact
Cons:
- Not much room for airflow, due to lack of mesh or netting
Average in terms of price, and fairly monotonous in color, these gloves come in black or grey. For sizes, there are four available, namely, small, medium, large and extra large.
An important thing about these gloves is that they are the usual 4 ounce in weight, which is standard in mixed martial arts. Additionally, these gloves also include a Velcro strap.
The padding is provided for each finger individually, leaving room for flexibility and comfort. You will notice that there is no thumb protection on these gloves and a lot of thick foam is provided.
Pros:
- Standard weight for MMA standards for a pair of gloves
- Leather is engineered for attaining good durability
- Average price range, but can be higher with increasing quality
Cons:
- The open palm is not something that all buyers might like
Frequently Asked Questions
Does thicker padding mean more protection?
Not at all. If the padding is thicker than what it should be, it may end up causing more problems than not for you when you perform. Good padding is one that matches the size of your hands while remaining flexible.
How important is the brand value when it comes to MMA gloves?
No direct answer to this, but some brands are definitely more credible than others. All of the item brands listed here are reliable. However, there are plenty of brands out there who are trying to provide you with poor quality for the money.
Is it important to have air ventilation in the gloves?
Yes, some additional air ventilation can help you quite a bit. Not only for when you are in the ring, but also for what comes afterward. Good air ventilation reduces the chances of odor and keeps it clean too.
Conclusion
Those were our picks for the best MMA gloves for beginners in 2021. If you are looking to get into MMA, any one of these gloves will be great for you. However, make sure that you choose according to your size and comfort for the best results. We hope this list was able to help you out.
