MMA round format
Most professional mixed martial arts bouts are three rounds of five minutes with one minute of rest between rounds. Title fights and many main events are five rounds of five minutes. Amateur bouts are often three rounds of three minutes. Check the rules of your promotion or commission.
Training with rounds
- Sparring: match your fight: 3 × 5 minutes, then build to 5 × 5 before a title fight.
- Grappling and rolling: 6 × 6 minutes with 1 minute rest, rotating partners.
- Wrestling drills: short, intense 2-minute rounds with 30 seconds of rest.
- Conditioning: 5-minute rounds of bag work, sprawls and ground and pound.
The timer rings a bell for each round and claps 10 seconds before the end. For 3-minute rounds use the boxing timer, or set your own format on the round timer.
Questions and answers
How long is an MMA round?
Five minutes in most professional bouts, with one minute of rest. Some amateur bouts use three-minute rounds.
How many rounds are in an MMA fight?
Usually three. Title fights and some main events have five.
Can I use it for jiu-jitsu?
Yes. Use the grappling preset or set your own roll length and rest.