With EA Sports UFC now available on next generation consoles, fans and combat gamers from all parts of the globe are kicking each other in the face for bragging rights. While there is no question that a good old fashioned button mashing brawl between friends is hard to beat, the winner tends to be the one with the solid game plan and skill to back it up. With that in mind, before you jump into the game’s Rivalry mode, take a few moments to read through our UFC beginner’s tips. After all, as every mixed martial arts fan knows, fights are won and lost in preparation, long before the octagon door closes behind you.
Play the In-Game Tutorials
Seriously, if you plan to walk into the cage, punching and kicking without a solid idea of all aspects of the fight game, expect to lose. Just like the old days of the UFC, where one-trick ponies used to be able to hold their own, those days are gone. Today’s fighters, both real and digital, must be proficient in every aspect of the fight game if they hope to enjoy longterm success. Granted, you may have knocked out a few guys with your boxing skills, but ignore Jiu Jitsu and sooner or later you’re going to find yourself on the wrong end of a nasty Kimura.
With that rather long introductory lecture out of the way, make sure you spend some time learning the ropes in the game’s tutorials. While they don’t give you all the tools you need to succeed, they provide a solid base from which to develop skills. From takedown defense to counter-striking, the more time you spend perfecting those basic skills, the better off you’ll be come fight night.
Learn the Ground Game
Casual fans who play combat sports games are fond of punching people in the face. Aren’t we all? That, however, is exactly why you need to become a grappling master. For one, it will give you a massive advantage over most of the people you play against online. Second, when do come across people like us, you’ll know how to get back to your feet, or at least avoid letting us grind your face from full mount.
Take some time to learn the basics of the ground game. Focus on how to stand up, how to block people from completing transitions and even how to transition yourself. Just like we mentioned above, spend some time in the game’s tutorials, even repeating them if necessary. Trust us, trading shots on your feet is the easy part. If you master the ground game, you’ll win far more contests than you lose.
Don’t Let the Big Guy Hit You
You would think this goes without saying, but apparently it doesn’t. So many people are concerned with throwing Hendo’s H-Bomb that they forget to avoid getting punched. Not only is it wise to avoid getting punched, but making your opponent miss is hugely beneficial. Whether you manage to block or dodge a strike, your fellow octagon warrior is never more vulnerable than when they just missed landing a haymaker. Not only that, but letting them hit you is a really fantastic way to ensure you wake up staring at the pretty lights of the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.
Leg Kicks for Days
Did you ever see that picture of Urijah Faber’s leg after his WEC bout with Jose Aldo? Well, just so you’re aware of how devastating leg kicks can be, Have a Look for Yourself. We’ll wait here while you do.
Although you can’t expect to get the same results as Aldo did, leg strikes are very effective in EA Sports UFC. The first reason is that it actually does have an impact on your opponent’s takedown offense and defense. Second, most people assume you’re going to punch them in the face and throw up a high block. This leaves their legs completely open to attack. If you want to get fancy, try throwing a left, then right punching combination, finishing with a leg kick. Even if the punches don’t land, your foe will be so busy not getting their Nose Rearranged like Shogun Rua, there’s little to no chance they’ll have the awareness to block the leg kick. Honestly, though, isn’t that nose just all kinds of messed up?
One Step at a Time
When we first started playing, we scrambled to figure out every move, foolishly thinking we could put it all together for our first fight. We couldn’t, and you probably can’t either. Rather than try to learn about stopping a takedown and figuring out how to sweep your opponent while in full guard, just work on one move at a time.
Try stepping into a Career mode. Not only do you get three very helpful training sessions before each fight, you can pause the game during your fight to work something out. If your opponent goes in for the double-leg takedown every five seconds, check the button layout to figure out how you can stop it. Once stopping takedowns become a matter of muscle memory and reflex, move on to the next skill. Let’s hope that your opponent isn’t the Jon Jones of EA Sports UFC. In that case, it might be beneficial to learn how to tap out using a series of blinks directed at the referee.
Now that’s you’ve learned the basics, check out our Advanced Tips and take your fight game to the next level.
