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There’s no doubt that horse racing and football are the most popular sports among fans and bettors in the UK. However, wagering on combat sports is also popular, with some 86.4% of boxing fans betting on the fights and events that they watch.
You can even bet on sports like MMA and wrestling online, with the latter often unlocking special outright markets. But what are the best combat sports to bet on in 2025, and are there any strategies that you can use to manage your risk and bankroll effectively? Platforms like the Paddy Power blog contains useful insights, including expert tips ahead of the biggest sporting events. However, there are plenty of ways to pick your wager. Let's find out!
Let’s start by looking at the best combat sports and competitions. Although these sports can unlock similar markets and betting lines, there’s enough to keep you interested even as a casual bettor:
Boxing: The most popular combat sport, boxing bouts are held all-year-round and cover up to 17 different weight classes. Boxing betting unlocks a number of markets, including moneylines and method of victory to various round totals. You can also build combination bets that feature two or more fight outcomes and markets in a single wager. Sites like Compubox and Boxrec are highly recommended when picking potential fight winners and determining how bouts are likely to play out.
MMA: There are numerous MMA promotions across the globe, including flagship examples such as the UFC and Bellator. UFC events are also held all-year-round that cover a total of 12 weight classes. You can access a similar range of markets here, with methods of victory and round betting particularly popular. Interestingly, moneyline betting is more popular when wagering on UFC bouts, with draws statistically less likely due to how judges are informed and the odd number of rounds.
Wrestling: Wrestling differs significantly from boxing and MMA, due to its colourful narratives and scripting of fights. However, the WWE promotion has recently benefitted from its move to Netflix, which has granted exposure to approximately 36 million people in the UK. Outright lines for events such as WrestleMania are often categorised as special betting markets, which can unlock highly competitive odds if you’re knowledgeable about the discipline.
The question that remains, of course, is how can you engage successfully in combat sports? Here are some tips and strategies to keep in mind:
Use Trusted Sites for Your Analysis: We’ve already touched on the best sites for analysing boxing statistics, but other sites like Tapology offer extensive data on MMA fighters and upcoming bouts.
Understand the Highest Value Markets: Moneyline betting offers only nominal value in sports such as boxing, due to the prevalence of drawn bouts. So, you may want to create additional value by exploring alternative markets, including the method of victory or the round in which a fight will be ended. You can also back certain bouts to go the distance, depending on your analysis of the competing fighters and their styles.
Consider How Fighting Styles May Gel: In boxing and MMA, there’s an old adage which says that “styles make fights”. This was borne out by the recent clash between unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and IBF king Daniel Dubois. Although Usyk isn’t renowned as a knockout artist, he used his superior skill and handspeed to neutralise Dubois and then KO him within five rounds. So, by analysing each fighter’s style, skillset and record, you can make more informed selections over time.
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