How New MMA Training Will Help Jahmyr Gibbs Handle Workload

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has quickly asserted himself as a star through his first three seasons, and is expected to have his biggest role yet in his fourth.

Gibbs has logged 3,580 rushing yards total in his first three seasons and is one of the most electric running backs in the league. He has the ability to score on every play with breakaway speed, and is shifty in the open field.

However, the 2026 season presents him with the opportunity to be the bell-cow back for Detroit's offense for the first three times. David Montgomery, who had shared the role with Gibbs over the last three years, was traded to the Houston Texans in the offseason and replaced by the free agent signing of Isiah Pacheco.

In preparation for what could be his biggest season yet, Gibbs has taken on a new workout regimen in the form of MMA training.

According to a report from ESPN, Gibbs has spent time this offseason working out at Kings MMA Gym in California with Rafael Cordeiro. A legendary coach in the MMA world, Cordeiro has trained him in a number of different aspects of this style of fighting to help Gibbs prepare for the physical workload he's facing.

"I feel like my body's gotten in better shape, like physically it looks better. And conditioning-wise, that conditioning is way different from here because you use nonstop movement in every muscle of your body. Out here (in football), you get more breaks and (there is) much more using your legs," Gibbs said. "But there (in MMA), it's just constant shoulders, knees, elbows, you go to the ground and all that so out here I barely get tired."

Cordeiro told ESPN that the running back has shown solid dedication, and even compared his style to a former UFC Heavyweight Champion in Jon Jones.

Jahmyr Gibbs has completed more than 20 hourlong training sessions with Rafael Cordeiro of Kings MMA Gym in Huntington Beach, Calif. He said he has been impressed with Gibbs' dedication to learning the sport and likens Gibbs' physique and style to former MMA star Jon Jones. https://t.co/as4uObbzWW
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) June 19, 2026

Running backs coach Tashard Choice also noted the impact of this style of training for the running back, as it can carry beyond simply taking hits. There are elements of body control that come with MMA training that carry over to other elements of playing football.

"When you do MMA training, a lot of times most people don't understand, boxing, when you're punching it's all about hand placement and hand-eye coordination," Choice said. "Balance, putting the weight on the balls of your feet the same way you do it when you're in pass-protection, the same thing you're doing when you're running and planting on the outside foot."

In addition to hand-usage, there are also levels of leg mobility and strength that can be built through this style of training. It is also a mental grind, which Choice encourages to use to envision late-season scenarios.

"When he does that kicking, extending your legs, hamstrings, quads, all that stuff takes training," Choice explained. "The mental aspect of it is always putting yourself in a situation where you're training in April but you see January, you see February. That's the biggest thing. The mental aspect of it."

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