If you’ve ever had to take time off from training for an injury, or if a fight you were looking forward to got canceled due to training injury, you know exactly how FRUSTRATING it is.  


So if you’re experiencing pain in your joints or knuckles, or even just a general soreness in your muscles, it could be a sign of a looming injury.  Which means…




...you’re probably training in the wrong gear.








So in this article, we’re going to discuss:




1. The various features in MMA gloves, and how each could benefit or harm you
   
   

2. The different types of MMA gloves, who each type is for, and who they’re not for
   
   

3. Then we’re going to put it all together and match specific gloves to the different combinations of all these factors, so you’ll know which is the best glove for you based on your training style, genetics, and just your general preferences

Why Choosing The Right Glove Matters




According to 5 different NCBI studies, the vast majority (78%) of all MMA injuries occur during training...not during actual fights.




Think about that.




During the time when you’re supposed to be getting better — NOT when you and the other person are actively trying to hurt each other — this is when athletes get hurt the most.




So why does this happen?




Most people choose their MMA gloves based on how cool they look, what’s popular or, often, whatever brand their favorite fighter wears – none of which are a great way to pick your next pair of gloves.




Or a lot of times, some people just pick their gloves based on the price tag. But the most expensive brands are not necessarily the right glove for you.




There are so many different types of MMA gloves...

...And everything in between.

So depending on your body mechanics, hand size, and training style, you’ll want a specific glove in order to not only perform your best, but also to avoid injuries, aches, and pains.

So let’s get into this.

First, let’s break down the different types of gloves, what features they have, and what they’re typically used for.

Then we’ll get super specific and match the best gloves and glove combos to different fighter circumstances, so that you can pick the best option for your unique needs & goals.

If you'd prefer watching video,
  here you go!  

After you watch the video,
be sure to jump down to the bonus section we added here: 
Best 2-Glove Combos For

Beginner,  Intermediate, and Competition

What are the different types of MMA gloves?

What are the common traits of competition gloves?

• Weight --  4oz - 6oz
  
  

• Padding --  Less knuckle protection, more wrist protection
  
  

• Palm -- Open
  
  

• Thumb -- No, typically
  
  

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.

What are the common traits of sparring gloves?

• Weight --  7oz - 10oz
  
  

• Padding --  Better knuckle protection

• Palm -- Typically open
  
  

• Thumb -- Yes
  
  

Who are sparring gloves for, and why?

They’re pretty versatile like grappling gloves, though the extra padding makes them the best option for sparring sessions where you’ll be doing clinching, takedowns, and light striking.

Who are sparring gloves NOT for, and why?

They’re not for heavy bag work. Could you use sparring gloves on the heavy bag? Of course. But they’ll get beat up quickly because the open-cell foam isn’t designed for repeated heavy blows over time. Once you flatten them, they’ll be useless to you, and you’ll have to buy a new pair.

They’re also not for hard sparring sessions.  If you’re going to be putting any real power behind your strikes, MMA sparring gloves just don’t offer enough protection. In fact, a lot of MMA gyms consider it bad etiquette, or just won’t allow you to use these gloves for hard sparring.

What are the common traits of training & grappling gloves?

• Weight --  7oz - 10oz
  
  

• Padding --  Less knuckle protection, more wrist protection
  
  

• Palm -- Open
  
  

• Thumb -- Some do, some don’t
  
  

Who are training & grappling gloves for, and why?

Training / grappling gloves are ideal for light striking sessions, where you may also be trying to take each other to the mat.  They can also be used for mitt work, or just repeating drills to work on reflexes and timing.

Who are training & grappling gloves NOT for, and why?

They’re definitely not for regular, serious bag work.  

You could do a little work on the heavy bag wearing these gloves, but you wouldn’t want to rely on them for every bag workout. There’s not enough padding, and you’ll increase your chances of injury if you don’t use a heavier Muay Thai or boxing glove. 

Not to mention, you’ll wear the grappling gloves out quicker this way, and have to replace them.

And while some people do light sparring with grappling gloves, you definitely don’t want to go full-contact. There’s just not enough padding to protect you and your sparring partner.

What are the common traits of boxing gloves?

• Weight --  10oz - 16oz
  
  

• Padding --  Mostly knuckle protection
  
  

• Palm -- Closed
  
  

• Thumb -- Yes
  
  

Who are boxing gloves for, and why?

Boxing gloves come in two different types: one with dense padding for heavy bag work, and one with soft padding for your harder sparring sessions. 

One thing to note though:  Because of the extra padding in boxing gloves, you can hit a heavy bag much harder.  And while your knuckles might be protected, a lot of athletes may experience aching in their elbows and shoulders. This is because they haven’t conditioned those joints to the extra power behind their shots. Just something to keep in mind when hitting the heavy bag with boxing gloves.

Who are boxing gloves NOT for, and why?

If you’re working on your grappling and BJJ, or if you’re doing sparring sessions where takedowns are allowed, you'd be very limited in boxing gloves. They’ve got a closed palm, closed fingers, and a grip bar. You can’t even grab your water bottle, let alone your sparring partner’s leg, while wearing boxing gloves.

What are the common traits of Muay Thai gloves?

• Weight --  14oz - 18oz
  
  

• Padding --  More padding, even than boxing gloves
  
  

• Palm -- Closed
  
  

• Thumb -- Yes
  
  

Who are Muay Thai gloves for, and why?

Muay Thai gloves can be used for hitting the heavy bag as well as sparring. In fact, for sparring, they can sometimes be better than boxing gloves, since they’re designed for clenching, and they can protect you from a wider range of different strikes.

Who are Muay Thai gloves NOT for, and why?

Like boxing gloves, you won’t be able to do much grappling with thick Muay Thai gloves on your hands. Although you could get away with some sparring where clinching is allowed. But if the fight goes to the ground, you’ll be very limited with Muay Thai gloves on your hands.

Okay, now that we’ve covered the different types of gloves, and the features they have,

let’s get to the fun part.

What are the best MMA gloves for: grappling, sparring, heavy bag, and competition?

Let’s break down the best MMA gloves by category, for grappling, light sparring, hard sparring, heavy bag, and competition.

And within each category we’ll list:

• The best all-around glove _

• The most heavily cushioned glove, or glove with the best protection _

• The premium, or highest quality glove _

• And the lowest priced glove (but still decent quality), for anyone on a budget 

Let’s start with grappling gloves.

** Quick Note **

The links in this article are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, we get a commission. BUT this doesn't mean that we didn't work extremely hard to research and organize this info to help you make the absolute best decision.  

Nothing sketchy here. 
Just trying to make a buck talking about what we love, while bringing value to others.

So if you appreciate this content -- thanks! -- and you plan on buying MMA gloves, then please consider using our links so that we can afford to keep creating content like this for you!

If you don't buy your gloves through our affiliate links, well, we still love ya anyway :)

Best MMA gloves for grappling and general training

The best all-around grappling glove would have to be the Century Drive MMA Training Gloves -- In case you didn’t know, Century was the manufacturer of the UFC’s official fight gloves up until the 2021. 

These gloves are sort of the jack-of-all-trades for grappling gloves.  They’re light with moderate padding. They’ve got an open palm and protection over the thumb, which means you won't have full freedom of motion for grappling. They’re polyurethane which won’t be as durable or last as long as leather, or even many synthetic leathers. But it’s the easiest material to keep clean. And they’re pretty inexpensive for such a great all-around grappling glove. 

These tend to be a bit more durable than similar models from companies like Everlast or Elite Sports, and for only a slightly higher price. They’re great for drilling and grappling training.

The most heavily cushioned grappling glove would easily be the RDX T3 MMA Grappling Training Gloves. If you haven’t heard of RDX, they are rapidly carving out their space in the MMA apparel world. Probably the main thing they’re recognized for is their innovative padding technology.

These gloves are very high quality, and especially for the price. They’re 100% leather meaning they’ll last you a long time. They’ve got more padding than your typical grappling training gloves.  

And one thing that makes the T3 unique for this type of glove is they have a little foam grip bar in the palm.  This makes them great for mitt work, and even some heavy bag work.  And yet they don’t really hinder your grappling ability like you might expect.  

That being said, if you have a wrestling-heavy or BJJ-heavy fighting style, you’d probably want an open-palm pair of grappling gloves to train in.

But this is a very good glove, great quality, and amazing cushioning over your knuckles. 

And the grip bar makes it more dynamic than your average training glove -- meaning you can use it for more than just grappling.

If you’re looking for a top-shelf, premium grappling glove, then you’ll want to check out the Hayabusa T3 4oz Pro Style MMA Gloves. This is technically a fight glove, but because of their design, and Hayabusa’s quality padding, they make a great training / grappling glove. 

Hayabusa’s known for their unique wrist structure, which keeps your hand in the ideal punching position.  And they have a dual velcro system that really straps your hand in. A lot of people don’t even use wraps with this glove because of how good it locks your wrist in.

They’ve also got a pre-curved design that keeps your hands from getting tired during sparring sessions.

They’re not as heavily padded as the RDX T3’s, but the padding lasts longer and won’t get worn out over time.

Even though their made with a synthetic material, these gloves still tend to last even longer than most genuine leather MMA gloves.

They’re quite expensive for a grappling training glove, which  means they’re certainly not for everyone. But you will notice the difference in quality.

If you’re looking for a more affordable grappling glove, you should check out the Everlast MMA Grappling Gloves. This is a great glove if you’re on a budget, or maybe just figuring out your fighting style before investing in a more specific pair.

For the price, these are definitely a great entry-level training glove. And even though they’re a smaller 4oz glove, they’re really great for drilling and mitt work.  

You can use them for light grappling, but one thing to be aware of is that the padding stops before the wrist.  When you have a drop-off in padding that creates a groove like this, it can make it easier for your hands to get trapped. Just something to keep in mind.  And of course, if you’re not planning on much or any grappling, this would be a non-issue.

They don’t have the best wrist support, so you would definitely want a solid hand wrap under these gloves. And they’re also not the most durable glove. Again, a nice entry-level glove while you’re figuring out your style, before upgrading to a different model.

Best MMA gloves for [LIGHT] sparring

RDX T6 MMA Gloves for Martial Arts Training & Grappling  

The RDX T6 is designed for light sparring sessions, especially when grappling is allowed.

They’ve got a solid piece of padding that covers the outside of your fingers. And the material inside the glove is RDX’s gel technology and layered foam that do an amazing job of protecting your hands. 

This glove hits the trifecta for sparring grappling gloves: it’s got amazing knuckle protection, it has an open palm for easy grappling, and it’s very inexpensive.

And even though it’s not genuine leather, you can tell it’s still a high-quality glove.

The T6 does have great padding to protect your knuckles, though they’re not cushioned enough to protect your sparring partner. So this wouldn’t be your go-to glove for sparring sessions where you and your partner are actually hitting each other with force.

But if you want a heavily cushioned glove for light sparring where takedowns are allowed, the RDX T6 is probably what you’re looking for.

If you want a premium glove for light sparring, and even some moderate heavy bag work, then the Hayabusa T3 LX 7oz Hybrid MMA Gloves is about as premium as it gets. 

They’re made of full-grain Italian leather, which means they’re not only fancy, but also very durable. They’ve got Hayabusa’s unique wrist structure and a dual velcro strap, which keep your wrist sturdy (even if you’re not wearing hand wraps). They have a pre-curved design in the fingers, which helps fight hand fatigue. And they’ve got excellent padding.

Though as great as the padding in this glove is, you still wouldn’t want to hard spar in them. They’ll protect you, but could still cause unnecessary damage to your opponent.

One thing to keep in mind, this glove is an investment. It’s a high-quality leather glove that needs care and cleaning. So if you’re looking for a glove you can just toss into your bag and not think about it again until your next session, you probably won’t want to spend the extra money on this glove.

But if you’re looking for the best quality light sparring glove, there is no other option.

This Everlast 7oz glove was built for light sparring, for beginners, or fighters on a budget.

This glove has decent protection over the fingers. And they even have extra padding over the thumb which can be nice for blocking certain shots.

It’s made of Polyurethane which definitely won’t last as long as many other synthetic leathers or, of course, real leather. But the one upside to this is that they don’t require as much cleaning and care as those other materials, which some people may prefer.

They’re also very inexpensive. This could be ideal for anyone new to the sport who’s learning their fight style and preferences. Once you know what you’ll want in a glove, then you can level up and invest in a more premium model.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to do any hard striking with your sparring partner in these gloves. They’re simply not going to have enough protection. And you could use these for mitt work, and some bag work, but if you constantly whale away on the heavy bag with these, they’re not going to last very long.

Okay, now that we’ve covered the best gloves for light sparring,

Best MMA gloves for [HARD] sparring

If you ever forgot your hand wraps, this might be the one glove you could hard spar in without wraps, and not have to worry about wrist injuries.

The Hayabusa T3 is designed for hard, full-contact sparring.  And it’s the perfect sparring glove for people with weaker wrists or who are concerned about wrist injuries.

It’s got Hayabusa’s internal wrist splint, which naturally holds your hand in the most efficient, and safest, punching position -- a slight downward bend.  And the double velcro locks your wrist in better than a lot of lace-up gloves. And even though a lot of fighters prefer lace-up, the velcro is also extremely convenient for taking off your glove to get a sip of water.

And one thing that everyone seems to love about this glove is the thumb.  Hayabusa made the thumb out of a microfiber material that you can use to wipe sweat from your brow during sessions.  Just a nice little luxury.

The Hayabusa T3 boxing glove isn’t as heavily cushioned as a model like the Winning MS 600.  So if you’re a very heavy hitter, you may want to step it up to the most pillowy glove on the market.  

But for the best overall glove with the most useful features for hard sparring, the T3 is quickly becoming a fan favorite.

This is probably the most popular glove in all of boxing.

The Winning MS 600 is often referred to as the “Japanese Pillow”, because they literally feel like you taped a pillow to your knuckles. You can punch your sparring partner, a heavy bag, or a concrete surface with these gloves, and you’ll barely notice.

When all the other boxing gloves used to be made with latex and dense foams, this Japanese company decided to flip the industry on its head and switch to memory foam.  

This lighter, open-cell foam absorbs the impact of your strikes, as opposed to a dense, closed-cell foam which just bounces your hand back. 

One other feature you can’t help but notice is the premium price tag. You do pay more for a pair of Winnings than almost any other model, but when you spar in them, you’ll know why. And the quality craftsmanship, and genuine leather ensure this glove is a long-term investment.

The one thing you wouldn’t want to use this glove for is regular heavy bag work. Yes it’s got plenty of cushioning and will protect your knuckles. But heavy bag gloves are made with dense, springy foam that can take a beating. The MS 600 is made with memory foam, which will lose its ability to return to its original form after extended, repeated abuse.

The Hayabusa S4 was essentially built to be an affordable version of their T3 bloxing glove. And it’s especially good for athletes who haven’t learned perfect punching form yet.

It’s got the solid inner splint that secures your hand in the proper punching form. This prevents you from bending your wrist and getting injured. This is why many fighters will wear this glove without wraps.

Now you need to know: this model doesn’t have the dual wrist velcro strap like the T3 boxing glove, but it still locks your hand in pretty well.

The S4 is also a very comfortable glove. The lining on the inside is smoother than a typical boxing glove, which just feels nice.

It also has a mesh palm which most boxing gloves don’t have.  This let’s air in and out so your hands won’t get as sweaty, and the inside won’t need as much cleaning.

And one little bonus is that once the foam on the S4 is broken in, it becomes much more flexible. This allows you to open your hands and grab better.  Which means you could also use this glove for a little Muay Thai sparring.

You could use the S4 on the heavy bag, though if possible, I wouldn’t make it your primary heavy bag glove.

But if you’re looking for a very dynamic, a very safe, and an affordable sparring glove, you’ll be hard press to find a better choice than the Hayabusa S4.

Best MMA glove for heavy bag

The all around best glove for heavy bag work would have to be the Title Boxing’s Pro Mex Professional Bag Gloves V3.0.

The Pro Mex is designed to be a bag glove, especially for heavy strikers. And for a heavy bag glove, this one is rare because it doesn’t require any break-in time (most heavy bag gloves do).

Unlike a firmer glove like a Cleto Reyes, the Pro Mex has some memory foam padding in the knuckle. This means a little more of the impact will be absorbed before it makes its way to your fist.

If you’ll be doing plenty of bag work, and you want a slightly more cushioned glove, but that still has plenty of bounce-back, this is probably your glove.

The Rival RB10 was built for maximum hand protection against the heavy bag.

Most boxing gloves use either latex, open-or-close foam, and some even use gel. But what makes the Rival RB10 unique to the rest on this list, is its use of d3o foam (often used in hockey body armor). 

What makes d30 interesting is that it’s engineered to become stronger the more impact it receives. So the harder you hit, the more this foam tenses up and protects you.

Even though it’s got a lot of padding, this was intended to be a bag glove. So you’d probably still want a different model for sparring.

If you want a glove with a bouncy rebound effect with each punch, this probably isn’t the best model for you either. This is because the foam in the RB10 is soft at first, until you really smack it. Only then does it become firmer like a typical bag glove.

But if you want a protective glove that, because it’s not a firmer foam, doesn’t require any break-in time, this is the glove you’re looking for.

This is popularly known as “The Punchers Glove.” 

The Traditional Cleto Reyes has the stiffest padding in the boxing world.

Here’s how to think about it:  If Winning gloves feel like taping a pillow to your knuckles to absorb all the shock. Cleto Reyes is more like taping a fully-inflated basketball to your knuckles. It’s going to hit hard and quick, and then rebound back.

If you want a glove that doesn’t require any break-in time, the Cleto Reyes is not your glove.  Remember this is a punchers glove. It’s firm and bouncy (NOT shock absorbing), which can often feel rough on your knuckles at first.

But if you want a premium heavy bag glove, and especially if you’re a volume striker, the Cleto Reyes is right up your alley.

 The Fairtex BVG1 is a Muay Thai glove built specifically for the heavy bag.

It’s a little different than the heavy bag boxing gloves, mainly in the lack of wrist support and increased hand mobility. This means a couple things. If you’re using it on the heavy bag, be sure to use hand wraps to hold your wrist in place. And since this is a Thai glove, you could also use it for your light sparring.

Because of the design, there’s not quite as much room inside, so if you’ve got really big hands, you might find it a bit snug.

The padding isn’t quite as dense as some of the other boxing gloves. But the BVG1 is a great bag glove that can also double as a light sparring glove.  

So when you factor in the low price tag, the high-quality Fairtex design, and the fact that you can use it for numerous types of training, the value of this glove is hard to beat.

Best MMA glove for competing

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.

Also, even though it’s not on the expensive side, this is a leather glove which means it’ll last a long time, but will require some care. After training, you don’t want to just toss this glove bag into your gym bag and forget about it till your next session.

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 BEGINNERS

If you're just getting started in MAA training,  you probably won't be doing any sparring until you've worked on your fundamentals and conditioning.  You won't need a sparring glove yet, and certainly not a competition glove at this stage.

You'll likely want a dense heavy bag glove and a hybrid training glove, with maximum protection as your main goal.

Best All-Around Combo

Most Heavily Cushioned Combo

Premium Combo

Budget-Friendly Combo

Best 2-Glove Combos For INTERMEDIATES

Once you learn the MAA fundamentals, this is usually when you'll begin training with sparring partners.   By now you likely already have a heavy bag glove with springy foam. 

To protect your sparring partner you'll now want a boxing glove with memory foam.  And as you're moving past the basics in your groundwork, you'll probably want a grappling glove with better finger mobility.

Best All-Around Combo

Most Heavily Cushioned Combo

Premium Combo

Budget-Friendly Combo

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