Best MMA Competition Gloves

MMA Competition / Fighting gloves are likely the gloves you’re most familiar with because they’re the ones you see your favorite fighters wearing on TV.

What are the common traits of competition gloves?

Who are competition gloves for, and why?

Competition gloves are designed with just enough padding to protect your hands over the course of a fifteen to twenty-five minute fight, while allowing for maximum damage to your opponent. 

 If you’re on a budget, and just starting out, you might not need these lighter fighting gloves right away, because you probably won’t be competing just yet. Also, some gyms have community gloves you can borrow if needed (just don't expect them to be the cleanest gloves you've ever worn).

But if you're ready to compete, you may want to consider spending a bit more on your competition gloves.  You don’t want to be distracted by a broken strap, or have anything to worry about other than fighting your opponent.

Who are competition gloves NOT for, and why?

Competition gloves are not for heavy bag work, or sparring. They simply don’t have enough padding to protect your hands from repeated combos on the bag, nor your sparring partner's face.

If you’re looking for the best all-around competition glove, that also happens to be the most heavily cushioned model, there’s no debate, the RDX T2GL is that glove. 

The RDX T2GL was designed to be the most protective competition glove on the market. It’s especially great for anyone concerned with knuckle or hand injuries. 

The knuckles are packed with layered foam and RDX’s gel which disperses impact evenly. And they’ve even got a robust layer of padding over the wrist which is great protection for blocking shots. 

This glove is so heavily cushioned, even though it’s for competition, you could absolutely use it for grappling training, and maybe even some light sparring. 

If you want a minimalist glove that’s going to stay out of your way, this probably isn’t it. But if you’re looking for a heavily padded glove to protect your knuckles, this might be the best competition glove on the market.

If you want the top-shelf MMA competition glove, you’ll probably be interested in the Hayabusa T3 4oz Pro Style.

Hayabusa designed this to be a high-end competition glove. It’s also great for anyone with weaker wrists, or previous wrist injuries.

It’s genuine leather. It weighs in at 4oz. And as with all Hayabusa gloves, the T3 competition glove is designed to hold your wrist in the optimal striking position.

So where the RDX T2GL is best at protecting your knuckles, the Hayabusa T3 is superior at protecting your wrists.

Though to be clear, both gloves are great at protecting both areas. But if you’re more concerned about wrist protection, or you don’t plan on using hand wraps, the Hayabusa T3 would probably be best for you.

Keep in mind: This is a premium glove, which means it’ll last you a long time as long as you take care of it.

For a more affordable, though still decent quality competition glove, you should check out the Combat Sport Pro MMA Glove.

The Combat Sport Pro is a great entry-level glove, at an affordable price.

These are genuine leather, so they can take quite a beating. They’ve got decent padding over the knuckles and the wrist. And yet they’re only $30. You’re going to be hard pressed to find a glove of similar quality for this low a price.

If possible, you may want to spend an extra $15 and go for the RDX T2GL. They’ve got better protection, and just feel a little nicer on your hands. Plus they could double as a grappling glove.

Though if you’re on a strict budget, the Combat Sports Pro is the perfect glove because it’s also real leather, has good padding all around, and won’t hit your wallet too hard.

Best 2-Glove Combos For COMPETITORS

As you become more advanced, and especially if you're prepping for a fight, you'll want to get used to the actual gloves you'll be fighting in.

You'll want a pair of 4oz - 6oz competition gloves to train in. And you'll want gloves with memory foam for HARD sparring. This way you can get used to striking with more power, without worrying about breaking your hand or any other injuries.

Best All-Around Combo

Most Heavily Cushioned Combo

Premium Combo

Budget-Friendly Combo

Hopefully this guide has helped you identify the absolute best glove[s] for you.

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