The Modern Martial Artist

At a glance

• YouTube channel created in February 2016
• Step-by-step breakdowns of the world's best fighters' techniques
• About 901,000 subscribers as of September 2026

Overview

The Modern Martial Artist is a YouTube channel created in February 2016 that breaks down, step by step, the techniques and strategies of the best fighters in the world. It is independent and had about 901,000 subscribers as of September 2026.

The channel posts almost every day, alternating short clips and long videos. It covers MMA and boxing, with a focus on striking. Titles name the principle being studied, such as "Anderson Silva's Ali-Like Defense" or "Topuria's Black-Line Knockout Zone."

What you'll find

The channel works in series built around one fighter. In late September 2026 an Anderson Silva series ran through several videos: his Ali-like defense, how he turned defense into counters, the feints he used to enter dangerous range, his famous front kick and the instinct that made him a legend.

Just before that, a series on boxer Xander Zayas covered his left hook, his defensive movement, his foot feints and level changes, and how he turns an opponent's reactions into counters. The channel also broke down Ilia Topuria's bodywork and punching system, and released a long video on the science of the setup among boxing's highest IQ fighters.

Why follow

Each video isolates one principle and shows it across several sequences with a clear structure: the situation, the move, the result. The series let you understand a fighter's complete style one piece at a time.

The short clips take a minute and stick with you; the long videos pull the principles together into a full analysis. It's a solid base for planning a striking session or for reading a fight better on screen. Because the series come out over consecutive days, you can follow one fighter for a whole week.

MMA Official's take

The Modern Martial Artist is for people training MMA, boxing or kickboxing and for fans who want to understand what makes a fighter hard to hit or hard to counter. The channel rarely covers upcoming cards, so pair it with a news outlet for results.

Start with the September 2026 Anderson Silva series, in the order it was posted, then move on to the Ilia Topuria videos to compare two different ways of managing distance and landing punches. The long video on boxing's highest IQ fighters is a good next step once you know the format.