What are MMA gloves called?
They are usually just called MMA gloves. You will also hear open-finger gloves or fingerless gloves, because the fingers stay free to grab and grapple, and, for the slim 4 oz glove worn in bouts, fight or competition gloves. Within the family each glove is named for its job: fight, sparring, hybrid, grappling (also called shoot gloves) and heavy bag gloves.
What gloves do MMA fighters use? In a bout, fighters wear 4 oz open-finger fight gloves, and the event's rules decide which glove is allowed; some events supply or approve the model. In training they switch to thicker 7–8 oz sparring gloves to protect their partners, and to 8–10 oz gloves for heavy bag work.
How much do MMA gloves weigh? From about 4 oz for a fight glove to 10 oz for a bag glove. The weight follows the padding, and the padding follows the job, as the table below shows.
Six gloves, one family
An MMA glove has to let a fighter strike and grapple in the same round, which is why it looks so different from a boxing glove: an open palm, exposed fingers and much less padding. Within that family, the glove changes with the job. A gym that runs fight-team sessions, sparring nights and bag classes is really ordering three different gloves, and a brand building an MMA range usually sells more than one.
| Glove | Typical weight | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Fight (competition) | 4 oz | Bouts, with minimal padding and full grappling mobility |
| Amateur and hybrid | 4–7 oz | Amateur federations and recreational fighters |
| Sparring | 7–8 oz | Training with partners, with much thicker foam over the knuckles |
| Grappling and shoot | 4–6 oz | BJJ and wrestling sessions, with the most palm freedom |
| Heavy bag and technical | 8–10 oz | Pad and heavy bag work, with firm wrist support |
| Kids' MMA | Sized by age and hand | Junior members, with smaller sizes and softer padding |
Which gloves does a gym need?
Most gyms plan MMA gloves by session, not by catalogue. As a starting point:
| Session | Glove | Typical weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fight team, for bouts | Fight gloves | 4 oz |
| Sparring nights | Sparring gloves | 7–8 oz |
| Bag and pad classes | Heavy bag and technical gloves | 8–10 oz |
| Grappling and BJJ sessions | Grappling and shoot gloves | 4–6 oz |
| Junior classes | Kids' MMA gloves | Sized by age and hand |
Fight gloves: 4 oz, made for the bout
The fight glove is the one most people picture: typically 4 oz, minimal padding over the knuckles, an open palm, exposed fingers with finger loops, and a hook-and-loop wrist strap. It is the flagship of most MMA ranges and the glove a gym orders in team colours for its competing fighters.
Sanctioned events
Governing bodies set the gloves allowed in their bouts, and some require approved models. We make fight gloves to your specification and do not claim any governing body's approval, so check the rules for the events your fighters enter and tell us in your brief.
Sparring gloves: 7–8 oz, to protect a partner
A 4 oz fight glove lands hard on a training partner, so gyms keep a separate set for sparring. A sparring glove is typically 7 to 8 oz, with much thicker foam over the knuckles, while keeping the open palm and finger loops so members can still clinch and grapple.
Made in our workshop: the injection-moulded knuckle padding in our MMA sparring gloves is made in-house, so the padding profile you approve on the sample is the one that goes into bulk.
Hybrid, grappling and bag gloves
Amateur and hybrid, 4–7 oz. These usually have a segmented knuckle, which balances striking protection with submission handling. They suit amateur federations and recreational fighters who want one glove between a fight glove and a sparring glove.
Grappling and shoot, 4–6 oz. Usually stripped down, often without finger loops or thumb padding, for maximum palm freedom in BJJ and wrestling sessions where striking is light or absent.
The exact build of each glove, the knuckle, the loops and the thumb, is set in your specification and confirmed on your sample.
Heavy bag and technical, 8–10 oz. A flat, wide striking surface and firm wrist support shield the hands and wrists through intense pad and heavy bag work, where a fight glove would leave the hands exposed.
Kids' MMA gloves. Smaller sizes and softer padding for junior members, matched to the club's adult kit.
Sizing: S to XL by hand
MMA gloves are sized by hand circumference, measured around the knuckles, rather than by ounce weight. As a starting point:
- S: 15–17 cm
- M: 18–20 cm
- L: 21–23 cm
- XL: 24–25 cm
S and M are recommended for juniors up to 14.
The size range and split are confirmed with your order, and one design can be split across sizes in any mix, so a fight team or a gym's membership is covered by one design rather than one per size.
Shell and branding
Genuine cowhide is the usual choice for a premium fight glove and an elite gym line. Microfibre or Maya hide gives long-lasting sparring and gym stock, and PU suits entry-level, retail and youth gloves. The padding and the palm stay the same whichever shell you choose, and the shell is confirmed on your sample.
Your logo goes on the back of the hand or the wrist strap, by DTF, heat transfer or screen print, the method chosen for the shell. Labels are printed, not woven.
Ordering more than one type
Each glove type is a different product with its own patterns and set-up, so each needs its own minimum of 50 pairs per design, split across sizes in any mix and across colourways with at least 25 in each. What several types can share is the look: one colour scheme and one logo treatment, agreed on your mockups, so a gym's fight and sparring gloves, or a brand's whole MMA range, read as one identity.
From our workshop
Athlomax, a UK boxing, MMA and activewear brand, sells MMA gloves made in our workshop in two colourways, black and red, and black and gold, alongside shin guards in the same range.
“We sell boxing, MMA and strength gear under the Athlomax name, so consistency matters more to us than anything. Sparwright made our wrist wraps, knee wraps, lifting straps, boxing gloves, MMA gloves and shin guards. We saw a mockup first, then a physical sample before committing to bulk. What arrived matched what we approved. Communication was straightforward despite the time difference. We've since reordered.”
Athlomax (opens in a new tab)Boxing gear, MMA equipment and activewear, United KingdomYou see a free mockup first, then a sample delivered in 7–10 days, with half its price credited against bulk, and bulk production typically takes 4–6 weeks from sample approval, plus courier transit. Your exact dispatch date is confirmed in writing with your quote.
