MMA canvas is made with heavy cotton. The heavy cotton makes it durable to cope with long fights among different weight classes.
The plywood sheet under the canvas is wrapped in a thin foam padding with a metal frame on the bottom level. The unique blend of these materials makes it neither too soft nor too hard.
When I first joined MMA in the gym, it was mostly out of words from my MMA instructor. But it didn’t take me long to be obsessed with it. The unique moves, supportive community, and the thrill of this sport; all hooks you in. So, you gotta know about the MMA canvas where all the things go down, right?
This article will cover every question you have on the MMA canvas. How are they cleaned? What materials are Canvas built with? Whether they are soft or hard and many more. So let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
1. Is MMA canvas Soft? (How Hard Can it be)
MMA canvas is soft. It’s more like a BJJ mat with a bit more foam and padding in it.
MMA canvas is soft in comparison to those in wrestling rings. To give you a more vivid idea, MMA canvas is more like a BJJ mat with a bit more foam and padding in it. While it is not that hard, it certainly isn’t too soft to deform when weight is applied.
Many of the fighters have claimed that the floor is not hard. However, a slam on the floor can definitely hurt. In MMA players fight barefoot. So, having a hard floor would only complicate things for fighters since they’re likely to bounce and move around the octagon for at least 25 minutes.
The softness of the floor comes from the heavy cotton. This has been done keeping the safety of the players in the mind.
2. What is MMA Canvas Made Of?
Heavy duty cotton.
MMA canvas is made of heavy cotton. This type of heavy-duty cotton is designed to prevent injuries from falling and body smashing. Velcro and eyelets are used on the ends of the canvas to attach it securely to the platform.
This canvas is securely enclosed in the foam, plywood, and metal platform layers beneath it. This is done to maintain balance due to the movements of the players. Generally, the canvas consists of very heavy cotton(530 gsm).
The heavy cotton absorbs some of the bodily fluid of the fighter. It also happens to be the appropriate clothes for displaying different brand sponsorship logos.
In case you’re wondering why not opt for regular cotton, then that will cause the canvas to rip as a result of the pressure from the amount of weight of fighters.
As we all know that there are fewer massive body slams in MMA than in professional wrestling. So the canvas is substantially thinner in width than in WWE wrestling.
3. Why Does MMA Use Canvas?
MMA uses canvas for a better playing experience and safety. Canvas is the ground on which the MMA takes place. So without a proper ground, this sport would be uncoordinated.
Canvas is basically fighting area ground. So, they are padded with thick foam lining. These padded canvases are outstretched tightly and lashed to the platform that covers the overall battle area floor.
As a matter of fact, it resembles a trampoline. The sole distinction is that a trampoline’s platform is connected to it by heavy-duty springs or bungee cords, whereas the padded canvas floor of an MMA is tied to it instead.
The padded canvas floor of the octagon is separated from the building’s floor by a hollow area.
4. Are MMA Rings Padded?
MMA rings are indeed padded. Underneath the canvas, there remains a thick foam layer. This aims to absorb more impact and pressure during a fight. That being said, padding is not that thick compared to Boxing and Wrestling rings.
5. What Does a UFC Mat Feel Like?
The UFC mat feels soft. The UFC mat is made of padded foam. The UFC mat is approx. four feet above the ground and made only of the padded canvas. These are then tightly stretched and laced to the platform that surrounds the fight floor.
The UFC mat resembles a trampoline. The only difference between the two is that the trampoline is attached to the platform with heavy-duty springs. The UFC mat, on the other hand, is tightly stretched and laced to its platform.
The UFC mat also loses its appeal. The fights result in the build-up of dirt, dust, and bacteria. Further, the blood and sweat also result in deterioration in its quality.
6. Do They Clean The Mat (Octagon) Between UFC Fights?
UFC Staff cleaning the octagon
The UFC staff cleans the mat (octagon) after one bout between UFC fights. The fights in UFC can leave quite a mark. So, the aspect of hygiene and cleanliness is a priority for UFC for better health of players.
The blood, sweat, and saliva of players not only stain the ground but also may cause other players to slip and get into an accident. While dirty mats are destined for UFC fights, they are thrown away.
UFC doesn’t allow to reuse of the mats in the next fights because it is unsanitary for players and may affect their health.
7. Do They Clean The Blood In UFC Mats?
They clean the blood off UFC mats and sterilize it. But this doesn’t guarantee that the stains will vanish away.
When fighters spar against each other, they leave a whole bunch of things like hair, fingernails or toenails, and even skin. So, cleaning becomes their top priority. The rise of the Covid-19 pandemic also encouraged UFC to pay more attention to the sanitation of mats and players to stop the spread of the virus.
They had released Covid-19 guidelines and recommendations on how to conduct games amidst the Coronavirus pandemic while adhering to government guidelines, like social distancing, hand washing, and sanitizing surfaces.
8. Why Does MMA Use an Octagon?
MMA uses an octagon to ensure the safety of the players and promote fairness in the game. The UFC has highlighted the purpose behind using an octagon on its website.
The Octagon consists of an eight-sided fence wall that encloses the padded canvas to protect fighters from falling out during a fight. This prevents the fighters from getting any injuries by falling out of ropes in a traditional ring like boxing, kickboxing, or Muay Thai bouts.
The wide angles of the octagon opt away from giving any single martial arts technique an advantage. The fence walls are built with metal chain-link-like material and are coated in a black vinyl color.
The chain-link fence is tightly locked to support the weight of fighters when they are laying on the fence. Every detail of the octagon is designed with fighter safety in mind.
It is important to point out that the octagon has been an intellectual property of the UFC. Thus, other MMA promotions aren’t allowed to build fighting cages to the exact same specification as the UFC Octagon. Other MMA promotions are also restricted from referring their cages to ‘the octagon’.
9. Why Do MMA Fighters Crawl Into The Ring?
The main reason why MMA fighters crawl is to avoid any harmful injury in case they slip. Many MMA fighters do it just to look intimidating. It’s their way of channeling their inner animal and showing dominance over the opponent.
Many MMA fighters actually train with various crawling exercises to prepare for their fight. Crawling exercises assists in developing total body strength, body awareness, control, coordination, and even hard wires the brain with the body.
10. Is a Boxing Ring Smaller Than a UFC Ring?
A boxing ring is smaller than a UFC ring in standard practice. You should know that both of these rings serve their own purpose and have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, comparing these two wouldn’t be a great idea.
A standard boxing ring stands between 16 and 20 feet (4.9 and 6.1 m) to a side between the ropes with another 2 feet (0.61 m) outside. The platform of the ring generally is 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m) high from the ground and is covered by about 1 inch (25 mm) of padding topped by stretched canvas.
MMA cages vary in size. The 750-square-foot Octagon UFC includes 9m (30 feet) breadth and 1,85m (6 feet) height. A standard catwalk measures 1m (4 feet) all the way around. They are built with the highest-grade steel and padded with top-quality foam products.
11. Is Bellator Cage Bigger Than UFC?
The Bellator cage is bigger than UFC. Since Bellator and UFC are rivals, their guidelines on the layout and structure of the cage also vary. Bellator does this to promote its own unique identity independent of the UFC.
The Bellator cage is a lot bigger and has a circular shape. It is 36 feet across with 1020 square spaces of fight area. There aren’t any corners in the cage which makes it easier for players to move freely.
The UFC uses a steel cage and has eight corners, hence the famous name ‘Octagon’. The size of the octagon can vary as per the events. They have both smaller and larger versions. The standard version of the octagon is 30 feet across, 5’9″ inches high, and has approximately 746 ft2 of interior area.
The smaller version consists of around 518 ft2 of an interior area with 25 feet across.
Both Bellator and the UFC have adopted the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts with some slight changes. While there remain differences in cages and rules, MMA lovers generally consider Bellator as second fiddle to UFC.
Conclusion
This wraps up my top 11 questions on the MMA canvas. If you’re looking for a top-quality MMA canvas, make sure to consider the above-mentioned factors in your mind.
Personally, I would recommend following the UFC’s guidelines on the MMA canvas. These guys have been in the game for a long time and it would give you the real feel of the MMA fight.
