What is your FIGHTER STYLE?

The Pen and Sword Journal - Vol 70

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You can learn so much about someone’s personality when you exchange fists with them.

Hi everyone! This article is inspired by a request from several people who wanted me to expand on a topic I posted about recently in 👉this post on Instagram.

It’s a topic that reveals a fascinating connection between combat sports and the essence of who we are as individuals.

When we first step into the world of combat sports, especially sparring, our natural instincts tend to take over. Sparring puts us under a kind of pressure that our minds aren’t yet trained to handle, and as a result, we react instinctively rather than RESPOND with intention.

These instinctive reactions usually fall into one of three categories:

1. Rushing in wildly, throwing chaotic punches.

2. Freezing up.

3. Turning away or avoiding the confrontation altogether.

This is the fight-or-flight response in action. Beneath this surface-level reaction, however, lies something deeper: a personal fighting style that begins to mirror your natural tendencies. These early patterns aren’t random, they’re reflections of your personality at work.

Your fighting style isn’t random, it’s influenced by your personality.

As you progress in combat sports and sparring, something remarkable happens. You begin to train your mind and body to handle the stress of sparring more effectively. The brain adapts, no longer seeing sparring as an overwhelming threat. The flood of stress hormones becomes manageable, producing just enough to keep you sharp and alert.

Also, we mature psychologically and the meaning we attach to sparring changes. It gradually becomes less of something to rush, freeze and avoid, and more something that gets us excited. It becomes less and less an urge to quickly escape pressure, and more a tendency to deal with it.

Not only that, but it gradually becomes something that fuels our Warrior Spirit and a competition like a game of chess, but with more emotional and physical 'heat' on it. This is where the shift start to happen: you move from merely Reacting to Responding.

As this transformation takes place, your fighting style—the way you naturally approach sparring—begins to emerge. While it’s still unrefined, it starts to resemble the way your personality interacts with challenges and obstacles in everyday life.

Sparring and Personality: The First Glimpses

Even during your first sparring sessions, your personality traits start to show:

Do you prefer keeping your distance, maintaining control, and waiting for the right opportunity to strike?

Or do you dive straight in, pressing forward with relentless energy?

Are you quick to react, or do you take your time to adapt and strategize?

These tendencies may be raw at first, but they’re rooted in the core of who you are. With time and training, they evolve into something sharper, clearer, and more deliberate—just as our personality traits grow and refine over the course of our lives.

At their core, fighting styles are not just about technique—they’re about how you naturally respond to pressure, obstacles, and uncertainty. Just like in life, we all have strengths and weaknesses, tendencies that make us difficult to handle for some but vulnerable to others.

Let’s explore each of these fighter styles further and the personality traits that each one tends to have.

Before we dive deeper, let’s take a moment to set the stage and clarify a few key points:

1️⃣ First, these fighter types are broad categories, each with its own personality-driven tendencies. Within these categories, there’s plenty of room for variation and subcategories—shaped not only by the specific martial art but also by personal nuances. While the styles may take on different forms, they remain rooted in the core fighter archetypes, each linked to distinct personality traits.

2️⃣ Second, there are always exceptions. Personality and fighter style tendencies generally align, but people are complex, and there’s no one-size-fits-all rule.

3️⃣ Third, most fighters naturally gravitate toward one primary style. Many may blend two or three styles, but even then, one often dominates. This article focuses on those natural tendencies that align most closely with a fighter’s personality.

4️⃣ Fourth, while physical attributes do play a role in shaping fighter styles, personality has an even greater influence on your approach. For example, someone with long reach and a strategic mindset often excels as an Out-fighter, while someone with a compact build and relentless drive may thrive as a Pressure fighter.

5️⃣ Finally, it’s entirely possible to cultivate a style that doesn’t initially align with your natural tendencies. With deliberate practice and effort, you can shape your approach. However, the most important thing is to find a style that feels authentic to you, a way of fighting that reflects not just your skills, but who you truly are.

👊 ↔️ OUT-FIGHTERS:

Element (Figurately Speaking): Air🍃 ༄ – Symbolizing lightness, movement, + Earth🪨 that symbolizes the frame or rigorous distance limitations they tend to impose towards the opponent in the form of distance. Just like the Unorthodox Fighters we will see later that combine water + fire, Out-fighters combine seemingly contraditory elements (air + earth).

Approach: Out-fighters use agility, footwork, and precision to control the distance and pace of a fight. They keep their opponents at bay with speed and strategy, making them hard to pin down.

Great users of Out-fighting (but not limited to): Muhammad Ali, Lyoto Machida, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.

Out-fighters values strategy and precision over raw aggression.

Thoughtful and methodical, they prefer to control the fight from a distance, keeping opponents at bay with strikes like sharp jabs, footwork, and an acute sense of timing.

Their focus isn’t on overpowering their adversary but outmaneuvering them. They mind is conditioned to exploiting openings, dictating the pace, and setting traps to create opportunities.

Their calculated approach makes them seem untouchable at times, like a chess player always thinking three moves ahead.

They like to keep the pace of the fight structured according to their pace and frame, and often dislike when this structure gets destroyed. Their relationship with the chaos of the fight is more that of someone who aims to limit+control it in a cage of limitations, just like a tamer taming a wild beast.

This is in contrast form the next fighter style, the Pressure fighter or the Brawler, who thrives on chaos, seeks to immerse in it and use it. Either one is not perfect, they all have their cons and pros.

Lastly, the Out-fighter’s reliance on strategy can leave them vulnerable if forced into close-range exchanges where brute power sets the pace. Therefore they must refine their sense of timing, space management and footwork, in they what to keep their frame and ‘cage of limitations’ towards the opponent strong.

🔻Personality traits:

In life, out-fighters embody the same thoughtful and cautious traits. They approach challenges methodically, analyzing every angle before making a move.

These individuals excel in environments that reward planning and forethought, such as strategy-based careers or complex problem-solving situations.

They avoid unnecessary risks, seeking solutions that minimize potential downsides while maximizing gains.

They control the pace of the debate with well-timed interjections and calculated responses. While their thorough preparation impresses, they might struggle if the debate becomes a rapid-fire exchange.

However, their inclination to weigh options can sometimes slow them down when decisiveness is needed, making it vital for them to strike a balance between preparation and action.

👊💥 THE PRESSURE FIGHTER:

Element: Fire 🔥 – Representing intensity, relentlessness, and overwhelming offense.

Approach: Pressure fighters thrive on closing the distance, overwhelming opponents with relentless combo attacks and smothering energy. Their fiery style doesn’t allow their adversaries a moment’s respite.

Examples (but not limited to): Julio César Chávez, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Rafael Aghayev.

Pressure fighters tend to be relentless. They thrive on intensity.

They close the distance with unrelenting attacks, aiming to suffocate their opponents with constant pressure. They like to use pressure to place opponents into a place where they make mistakes, which they can use to their advantage.

Their style is built on breaking their adversary’s spirit and capitalizing on physical and mental fatigue.

Pressure fighters thrive in chaos, where their sheer grit and determination can shine. While their relentless approach can overwhelm opponents, it also leaves them vulnerable to counters if they charge in recklessly without setting up their offense.

That’s why they must refine their setup skills, hone their bobbing and weaving techniques, defense, keep a tight guard, along with footwork. This allows them to occasionally step back or to the side and regroup effectively.

🔻Personality traits:

In life, pressure fighters like to tackle challenges with the same head-on determination.

They are more straightforward and agressive (in a good sense) in getting what they want. Whether it’s pursuing a goal, navigating adversity, or managing conflict, they like to impose their will or point of view in a straightforward way.

Unlike the Out-fighter, they don’t rely on waiting for the perfect angle or opportunity to strike. Instead, they prefer to assert themselves and use psychological pressure to shape the situation to their advantage.

In debates, this means applying consistent pressure with a series of solid arguments, one after another, forcing their opponent into a corner. Their goal is to push their adversary into making a mistake or exposing a weakness, which they can then capitalize on with a decisive, finishing argument.

They are for example, the salesman who relentlessly pursues leads, following up with potential clients persistently. For them, the strategy lies more in relentless momentum and control rather than in prolonged waiting.

This can often derive them results. However, their relentless nature can also lead to burnout or tunnel vision, making it important for them to learn when to step back, regroup and recenter.

They need to cultivate self-awareness and balance, so they can channel their drive into achieving extraordinary results. But if they have not the necessary self control to control the pressure, and let the pressure control them, they become the perfect prey to types like Counter-Fighters, and Out-Fighters.

👊⚡ THE BRAWLER

Element: A mix of Earth 🏔️🪨+ 🔥 Fire – Representing pure strength, resilience, and stability. (This means that they represent not the best from both earth and fire, but something hybrid, in between).

Unlike Technician fighters and Out-fighters, who embody the element of earth mentally, Brawlers often channel the element of earth physically and emotionally.

Approach: Brawlers rely on toughness and raw power, planting themselves firmly and taking punches to give punches. They thrive in close-range, chaotic exchanges where their strength can overpower their opponents.

Many one-hit-KO fighters are Brawlers.

Examples (but not limited to): Mike Tyson (Especially young Tyson, because latter Tyson incorporated a lot of Pressure Fighting), Justin Gaethje (a pure example of a Brawler, always a Brawler at heart), Masutatsu Oyama (like Tyson, both a Brawler and Pressure Fighter).

Some people confuse the Brawler with the Pressure Fighter. While their personality type has some similarities, they are not the same. Pressure Fighters put emphasis on pressure, while Brawlers are the embodiment of raw aggression and toughness.

In short, Pressure Fighters are aggressive tacticians, while Brawlers are instinctive powerhouses who like to strike as hard as possible.

The Brawler’s style is more instinctive-oriented rather than calculated, relying on sheer power and relentless energy to put down opponents. They like to wear their instict as an armor and direct it towards destruction.

They are willing to take hits to give hits, often sacrificing prolonged strategy for sheer intensity. Brawlers typically tend toward intense and shorter fights. If their opponent can't withstand their overwhelming power, the fights often end quickly.

While their remarkable use of insticts can make them dangerous, it also leaves them vulnerable to Counter-fighters and Out-fighters, who can exploit their lack of structure—IF the latter can withstand the initial overpowering from Brawlers.

As the old saying goes, "Just as the line can overcome the circle, so too can the circle overcome the line."

This means that the fighter who can best leverage their strengths against their opponent's weaknesses will prevail. Each fighting style, like yin and yang, holds both weaknesses and strengths.

Brawlers too, like Pressure Fighters, thrive in the chaos of close-range exchanges, where their resilience and grit can overpower many skilled adversaries.

They also need to work in developing a right guard, footwork and defence, since they will have to endure hits and counters to deliver their final blow.

🔻Personality traits:

In life, brawlers tackle obstacles with the same instinctive drive. They rely on their resilience and determination to push through adversity, often succeeding through sheer willpower alone.

In discussions, they rarely beat around the bush and often assert their opinions or facts bluntly. It's not that they don't understand tact; they just prefer directness and feel more authentic when delivering harsh truths. They also expect others to be straightforward with them and typically dislike those who avoid getting to the point.

For them, their over-reliance on instinct can sometimes lead to burnout or poor decision-making, particularly in situations that require careful planning. On the other hand, they are great to avoid analysis-paralysis scenarios.

By channeling their raw energy into focused efforts and learning to temper their instincts with discipline, brawlers can turn their intensity into an unstoppable force.

👊🔄 THE COUNTER-FIGHTER

Element: Water 🌊– Symbolizing flow, adaptability, and using an opponent’s energy against them.

Approach: Counter-fighters thrive on patience and timing, flowing with their opponent’s movements and striking back with precision. Their adaptability makes them highly effective against aggressive fighters.

Examples (but not limited to): Floyd Mayweather Jr., Anderson Silva, Gichin Funakoshi.

Counter-fighters are masters of timing and observation. They don’t like to initiate offense, they tend to wait for the perfect moment to strike.

They are very good at observing. Calm and composed, they let their opponents make the first move, studying their patterns and capitalizing on mistakes with precision counters.

They love to leverage the 3rd law of Newton: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

In boxing, when one fighter throws a punch, the other responds with a counterpunch. This counterpunch is timed to take advantage of the first fighter's momentum + momentary vulnerability.

Their style requires immense composure and a keen eye, as they must stay patient under pressure, waiting for opportunities that might only appear for a split second. This adaptability makes them dangerous opponents, but their reliance on countering rather than initiating can leave them vulnerable to fighters who don’t give them openings to exploit.

So, some times, they must incorporate also agressive tactics in order to set up their counters, and to also deal with other counter fighters, and counter the counter to their counter. 😆

🔻Personality traits:

In life, counter-fighters excel in situations where patience and adaptability are key. They prefer to let others make the first move, observing and analyzing before responding with precision.

In a corporate strategy meeting, they are the executive who carefully analyzes market trends and competitors before proposing a new business plan. They prioritize long-term growth over quick wins, setting up detailed strategies to outmaneuver competitors.

During negotiations, they are those who listen carefully to the opposing party's offers and arguments, waiting for the right moment to present their counter-offer.

This makes them highly effective in fields that require strategic thinking or quick problem-solving under pressure.

However, their tendency to wait can sometimes make them seem passive or overly cautious, especially in situations where taking the initiative is critical.

To outsmart a counter-striker, a clever tactic is to deceive them into believing that waiting longer —in situations that in reality require short-term action—is the best strategy. This uses their psychological patterns against them. Conversely, counter-strikers must sharpen their discernment to avoid falling into such traps.

By honing their ability to balance observation with action, counter-fighters can turn their natural patience into a powerful weapon.

👊🍃 THE ELUSIVE FIGHTER

Element: Air 🍃 ༄– Symbolizing agility, evasion, and creativity.

Approach: Elusive fighters prioritize movement and defense, using superior footwork and reflexes to avoid danger and create opportunities. Their style frustrates opponents and forces mistakes.

Examples (but not limited to): Pernell Whitaker, Dominick Cruz (also an Unorthodox-fighter example), Orlando Canizales (also a Counter-fighter).

Elusive fighters are masters of evasion and movement. Their style revolves around avoiding direct confrontation, using superior footwork, head movement, and reflexes to frustrate and tire their opponents.

These fighters are hard to pin down, slipping out of danger and creating openings through their agility.

They thrive on frustrating their adversaries, capitalizing on missed punches and exploiting overcommitted attacks. They are way more fluid than the Counter-fighter, who is more composed. It the symbolical element of the Counter fighter is Water, the element of the Elusive Fighter is Air.

However, their reliance on avoidance can sometimes leave them vulnerable if an opponent manages to cut off their escape routes or forces them into a corner.

Additionally, if they don't focus on developing top-tier cardio, and if they don’t keep their insticts sharp with hours of technical sparring, they won't be able to withstand the relentless pressure from fighters like Brawlers or Pressure-Fighters.

🔻Personality traits:

In life, elusive fighters parallel individuals who excel at navigating challenges without direct confrontation. They are adaptable, quick-thinking, and know how to sidestep unnecessary conflict.

Unilke the Out-fighter, who wants to resolve the conflict from the right angle, and the Counter-fighter, who waits for the opponent to make the first move, they prefer to be evasive with their arguments. They tire out their opponent before delivering a final blow, often frustrating those with quick tempers and little patience in debates.

Their strength lies in their ability to avoid getting bogged down by stress or negativity, finding creative ways to solve problems. Together with the Out-Boxer, the Elusive fighter personality is more suited for diplomacy roles, where tact is a must.

However, their tendency to avoid head-on challenges can sometimes delay resolutions or make them appear passive.

In a fast-paced society where many cultures value strength and assertiveness, they might struggle if they don't learn to switch more frequently into a more assertive and offensive mode.

Therefore, they have to learn to pair their agility with a willingness to engage when necessary. If they do so, they can become highly effective at overcoming obstacles while staying unscathed.

👊 THE UNORTHODOX FIGHTER

Element: A hybrid of Fire🔥 and Water💧, or “Liquid Fire”, as I like to call them – A fusion of creativity and adaptability, with the unpredictability of Fire and the fluidity of Water.

Approach: Unorthodox fighters break traditional rules, using unexpected techniques, angles, and timing to confuse their opponents. They thrive on creativity and in disrupting their adversarie’s rhythm.

Examples (but not limited to): Tony Ferguson, Saenchai, Prince Naseem Hamed

Unorthodox fighters are the wild cards of the ring. They break traditional rules and expectations, employing unconventional techniques, angles, and rhythms to confuse and disrupt their opponents.

They love to catch the opponent off guard when relying on such ‘unorthodox’ tactics.

If you’re in into Muay Thai, you can’t help but think of Saenchai when you read about Unorthodox Fighers. 😁

Their creativity and unpredictability make them difficult to prepare for, as they often defy standard training methods.

However, their reliance on unorthodoxy can sometimes lead to inefficiency or vulnerability if an opponent manages to adapt to their unconventional style.

🔻Personality traits:

In life, unorthodox fighters are the innovators and disruptors. They approach problems from unique perspectives, often seeing solutions that others overlook.

There are cases where these personalities dislike following convential rules. They come at times as the ‘jokers’ who love to cause change from chaos.

Their creativity allows them to navigate challenges in unconventional ways, making them invaluable in dynamic or rapidly changing environments.

However, their tendency to reject structure can sometimes result in inconsistency or difficulty sticking to long-term plans.

By blending their creativity with a foundation of discipline, Unorthodox Fighters can achieve extraordinary results while maintaining balance and focus.

👊 THE TECHNICAL FIGHTER

Element: Earth 🏔️🪨– Symbolizing discipline, precision, and stability.

Approach: Technical fighters rely on their mastery of fundamentals, combining clean technique and strategic execution. They ground themselves in strong basics and methodical action.

Examples (but DEFINITELY not limited to): Vasyl Lomachenko, Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, Israel Adesanya, Buakaw Banchamek.

They are the most structured fighter type you will encounter. They are very focused at mastering over and over the foundamentals. You will see them often execute ‘perfect textbook techniques and tactics’, to dominate the pace of the fight.

Similar to Out-fighters, they thrive in structure and logic.

They are perfectionists in the ring, relying on clean technique, strategic combinations, and impeccable timing.

Technical fighters are methodical and disciplined, rarely making mistakes. Their precision and composure often allow them to dominate opponents who rely just on aggression or chaos.

However, their strict adherence to technique can sometimes make them rigid, struggling to adapt when faced with unpredictable or unconventional opponents.

They are the exact opposite of the elusive and unorthodox fighting styles. Thus, training and sparring with elusive or unorthodox fighters is incredibly beneficial for technical fighters, and vice-versa. By doing so, they can learn to incorporate the best aspects of both styles, becoming more complete and versatile fighters.

🔻Personality traits:

In life, technical fighters are akin to individuals who value structure, protocols, and meticulous planning.

They excel in environments that reward consistency and precision, such as technical fields, meticulous crafts, or high-stakes projects.

However, their focus on doing things “the right way” can sometimes make them resistant to change or slower to innovate.

As soons as they learn to incorporate flexibility and spontaneity into their approach, their technical expertise becomes an even greater asset, allowing them to thrive in any situation.

To conclude

Again, I can’t stress this enough. All the famous fighter examples I mentioned excel in their specific fighting styles, but they are certainly not limited to just those. As fighters evolve, they often incorporate additional styles into their repertoire, typically blending at least two to become more well-rounded and versatile.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to embrace a fighting style that feels true to who you are. By understanding your fighter style, you gain deeper insights into yourself and those around you.

As you grow and evolve, so will your style, but the essence of your personality will always remain at its core. This journey of self-discovery and growth as a warrior is what makes you unique and powerful.

So, what's your fighter style? Let me know in the comments! 😊

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🔻📕Additional Resources:

If you've found my article helpful and inspiring and want to delve deeper into the subjects of psychology, philosophy, the warrior ethos and zen, I recommend checking out my books:

📕➡️100 thoughts for the Inner Warrior

Whether you're seeking personal growth, to fortify your inner strength and mental resilience, or simply a deeper understanding of the warrior ethos, "100 Thoughts for the Inner Warrior" is a valuable resource that can guide you on your journey.

📕➡️The Secrets of Willpower

This is my latest book, and it’s packed with proven psychological techniques to help you access your mind’s hidden reserves and build the willpower, tenacity and discipline needed to face any challenge. From strategies to quiet the inner voice of self-doubt to exercises that master the art of delayed gratification, each chapter guides you on a path toward mental, physical and emotional mastery.

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