What are MMA shorts called?
They are usually just called MMA shorts or fight shorts. You will also hear board shorts, because the cut grew out of surf shorts, and grappling shorts, because they are made to move on the mat. They are longer than Muay Thai shorts, with splits up the sides of the legs, and usually close with a hook-and-loop waistband that stays put when you scramble.
What shorts do boxers wear? Boxing trunks: loose shorts with a wide elastic waistband that sits high on the waist, so the belt line is clear to see. They have no splits, because boxers do not kick or grapple.
What is the difference between Muay Thai shorts and MMA shorts? Muay Thai shorts are much shorter, with wide legs and an elastic waistband, so the knees can rise high for kicks and knees in the clinch. MMA shorts are longer and closer to the leg, with side splits for the same kicks, but cut to cover the thigh through grappling and ground work.
Three styles of fight shorts compared
Each style is cut for what happens in the round. The lengths below are from our standard patterns in size M, measured flat. MMA shorts have 8 in side splits; Muay Thai shorts are short and wide in the leg; boxing trunks are measured from a high waistband and have no splits.
| Style | Length (M) | Waistband | Made for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MMA shorts | 17.5 in | Hook-and-loop | Striking and grappling |
| Muay Thai shorts | 14 in | Elastic | Muay Thai, kickboxing |
| Boxing trunks | 21.5 in | Wide elastic | Boxing |
How long are MMA shorts?
On our standard pattern, MMA fight shorts run from 17 in long in size S to 20 in in 3XL, sized by waist from 29–30 in to 39–40 in. The side split is 8 in on most sizes, which is what lets the leg lift for a kick without the shorts riding up.
Muay Thai shorts are 13 in long in size S and 18 in in 3XL, sized by waist from 26 to 36 in.
Boxing trunks run from 20.5 in in S to 24.5 in in 2XL, sized by waist from 26–29 in to 42–46 in. Their length is measured from a high waistband, which is why they look shorter on the body than the figure suggests.
Size S in Muay Thai shorts and boxing trunks suits juniors up to 14. Measure the waist where the shorts sit and choose the size that covers it.
Sublimated or printed fight shorts?
Most fight shorts are sublimated: the design is dyed into the polyester, so a full-colour pattern runs from seam to seam without cracking or peeling, however hard the shorts are worn and washed. A one or two-colour logo on plain shorts can be screen printed or applied by DTF instead.
For a club, sublimation is what lets the shorts carry the same colours and pattern as the rash guards, and match the gloves, from one colour reference.
Sizing a team in one order
A club rarely needs one size. The minimum of 50 pieces per design is per design, not per size, so one design of shorts can be split across every size the team needs, juniors in S alongside heavyweights in 3XL.
- Collect each member's waist measurement, and name the style: MMA, Muay Thai or boxing.
- Count the sizes per style: each style is its own product with its own minimum.
- Split a design across colourways if you need to, for example a fight team colour and a members' colour, with at least 25 in each.
- Order a few spares in the middle sizes for new members.
How clubs order custom fight shorts
You send your logo, colours and rough quantities, and we make a free mockup of the shorts, with as many changes as you need. A sample pair follows in 7–10 days, so you check the cut, the waistband and the colours on the real fabric before bulk.
Once you approve the sample, bulk is made and checked against it, and the approved sample stays in our workshop, so next season's shorts match this season's.
