Collection: Vale Tudo Shorts

They're tight, compression-fit shorts cut short in the leg, usually ending mid-thigh. The name comes from vale tudo, the older Brazilian no-holds-barred format that MMA grew out of, where fighters competed in little more than these.

They sit against the skin like a compression short but are built from heavier, more durable fabric with reinforced stitching, since they're designed to be worn as an outer layer rather than under something else. Most have a flat drawstring or fully elastic waistband with no external hardware.

Vale tudo shorts give you nothing to grab. There's no loose fabric, no leg opening, and no slit for a partner's fingers to hook into, which is why a lot of grapplers prefer them for hard rolling. They also cover the upper thigh, which cuts down mat burn, and they don't ride up during scrambles.

Regular fight shorts are cooler, less restrictive through the hip, and generally more comfortable if you're not used to compression fit. They're the standard for MMA training that involves kicking, since the looser cut gives more range.

Plenty of people wear vale tudo shorts underneath fight shorts, which gets you the anti-grip and anti-chafe benefits with the freedom of the looser outer layer on top. That's the most common setup in MMA gyms.

Tight, the same as a rash guard. The whole point is compression, so they should feel noticeably snug when you first pull them on and stay locked in position through scrambling without needing adjustment.

Sizing is usually S through XXL, or in waist inches depending on the brand. Check the individual size chart against your waist measurement, and if you're between sizes, size down rather than up. Loose vale tudo shorts defeat the purpose and will roll at the leg opening.

The leg should grip your thigh without cutting in or leaving a deep mark. If the hem is rolling up while you train, the fit is too loose or the length is wrong for your leg.

Check the ruleset for your specific event.

Under IBJJF no-gi rules, compression shorts are permitted, either on their own or worn under board shorts, provided there's no pocket, zip, button or exposed hardware. Most local no-gi and submission grappling events allow them without issue.

For MMA, requirements depend on the promotion and the commission overseeing the bout. Many amateur rulesets require approved fight shorts as the outer layer, with vale tudo shorts allowed underneath. Confirm with the organiser before you compete, since a pair that passes at one event may not at another.