After a myriad of requests, Ring to Cage added hands and feet to the older model and this model has been making a buzz for quite some time as it has incredible qualities and improves grappling skills, chokes efficiently and many BJJ gyms all over the world use this model. Let’s start with the review of that model (Deluxe) and after that, continue with the review of a fairly new dummy.
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Ring to Cage Deluxe MMA Grappling Dummy Review
- Incredible versatility
- Quality materials
- Really durable
- Reputable company
- The additions
- Quite popular
Cons
- Costs initially more
First of all, I want to say that there are only a few martial arts equipment which basically does not have any cons and if you read my previous reviews, you know I criticize everything. And when it comes to BJJ equipment, these products are even rarer. However, Ring to Cage Deluxe is definitely one of them and has no cons.
Training Performance
Arms and legs have an optimal flexible rate which provides a realistic experience as if it is a real opponent while grappling. Obviously, it is not the same, but it is pretty close. The neck part is not fragile and constructed, stitched with extra care.
You can shape the dummy according to your training. For example, you can shape legs according to triangles and learn, practice these moves. It is a huge advantage considering the other dummies generally don’t provide versatility.
Thanks to the additions, you can also do ankle locks. This is explained more in the addition section which I talk about the differences between the older model and Ring to Cage Deluxe 3.0 which is this model.
This dummy is not just a BJJ dummy which you can grapple and only improve this skill. It is also an MMA dummy. So you can do ground and pound training sessions with it. Of course, wear MMA gloves, which have thick foam, while punching it. Thanks to filling material quantity and quality, It can take constant punishment for a long time. Alright, many MMA dummies fail when it comes to elbow strikes which are practiced during ground and pound a lot. The leather of many dummies is just not sturdy enough so elbows can cause cuts and it obviously ruins the dummy. However, the synthetic and thick leather of this dummy can withstand it without any issue.
Thanks to the versatility, this dummy can be used for various martial arts including BJJ, MMA, and Judo.
The Durability
It is made of polyester coated vinyl. This material is sturdy, flexible and can stretch. So it is ideal for grappling dummies as these take constant abuse. The cover material goes strong for years. Obviously, if you accidentally use sharp objects etc. there can be cuts. There are extra stitching at shoulder, hand and some other parts. These parts basically have more deformation than normal while grappling and the stitching helps these parts to stay in place and these have standard resistance for years to come.
Thanks to the quality materials and stitching, this dummy is one of the most durable dummies on the market.
Dress this dummy with a gi so it contacts your skin less and provides a more realistic visual.
Considering everything, you can do martial arts sessions over 4-5 years if you use Ring to Cage Deluxe properly.
Shipping: One thing to note about the BJJ dummies is that it generally takes a couple of days to ship.
The Cost
As you may know, you need to break the bank for grappling dummies. There is no way around it. Especially if you get filled models, the price goes up.
This dummy costs more initially. I say initially because this dummy outlasts a lot of dummies. The first reason is the optimal grappling resistance. Basically, the resistance does minimal harm to the dummy. Secondly, you will see that many dummies are made of vinyl and this one has an advantage over these dummies as it is made of powder coated nylon.
This also provides versatility and can get into any shape including crawling.
Considering everything, the price is still a bit higher than I expect. But still, it is the most quality one on the market.
About The Additions
These additions make this dummy suitable for different grappling types and grips like hand grips. This is a huge plus and thanks to that, it is way better than the older models of Ring to Cage. So I recommend that you should invest in this model and do not bother with the older models. Yes, I am pretty much saying that this dummy is superior to all the previous models.
The Sizes: Ring to Cage MMA Deluxe has an adult size. Ring to Cage also did not forget young practitioners and it also has kids size. Adult dummy is around 6 feet and it is around 60 pounds. Kids dummy weighs around 30 pounds and the height is 4’6″. These are not random weights, heights as these have been reported as “good” by seasoned practitioners all over the world for years. You also have filled and unfilled options.
Ring to Cage MMA Grappling / Jiu Jitsu Dummy Review
- Made of top-notch materials
- Gets into any shape
- Versatile
- High-cost efficiency
Cons
- Doesn’t have too many ratings
The arms and legs are adjustable and this dummy can also get into any shape. Train guard is one of them. This sounds awesome, right? Well, it is but there are still only a few feedback about the resistance of arms and how well the arms, legs react to grappling. With that being said, these a few reviews are good but I want to wait and see more feedback.
This dummy is made of heavy-duty military grade cardoura. Basically, it is sturdy and does not get stretches easily. Guys, it is military grade and you can expect it to withstand constant abuse for more than 3 years.
It looks dull but hey you are only grappling so I don’t think that it is a negative. Also, thanks to the quality of the material, the color will not fade away soon. It is a dark color and if the company chooses to include different color selections, this quality definitely will be useful.
Whether you are a beginner or not you can improve your submission techniques effectively while it is on the ground, lying or turtle position. Doing triangles is also a good option for this dummy as the legs are not too bulky.
Alright, lastly this dummy is fairly a new product. Even though there are magazines which rate it as “the best” I am not hyped yet as I wait for legit BJJ gyms to review it.
This dummy has filling instructions and if you choose to buy the unfilled model you can easily fill it with these instructions.
Considering the durability and training versatility, if these reviews are legit, Ring to Cage MMA / Jiu Jitsu Grappling Dummy is literally a bargain. But after it becomes really popular I expect the price tag to be way higher than the current price.
If you are interested in this dummy, check out the latest price.
This dummy also has adult and kids sizes which have the same sizes as Deluxe. Also according to my readers, the shipment is quite fast.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I don’t have a budget to spend money on an expensive grappling dummy even though it is awesome. So I have to go to a gym and practice submissions on a dummy which has been used over at least 100 000 times. However, some of you might have the cash and learn triangle submission techniques in your own home. So you might be interested in investing in this BJJ equipment.
As you can see these both dummies are awesome but the second one has only a few feedback and only a few dojos send feedback for the grappling performance. So if I were you, I would have invested in the first dummy which is Ring to Cage Deluxe MMA grappling Dummy 3.0, as many people have good experiences with it. It is made of quality materials and many authoritative sites reviewed it as the most quality dummy on the market. If you are interested, check it out on Amazon.
Guys, have you used any of these two dummies whether in a gym or your training room? Feel free to share your experiences about the durability and training performance below. If you have further questions about the resistance of legs etc., I suggest you check out the customer reviews as I do not have personal experience with either of these. This Ring to Cage Grappling Dummy review is based on a lot of practitioners’ experiences, forum readings and my knowledge about the materials.
Hi Furkan,
Aww man, this article brings me back to when I was a younger man in the dojo sparring for hours. Use to love it. I never actually used it in real life and so gave it up after ten years. Actually, I can not even hit someone cos I would feel too bad so really I just wasted my time haha 🙂 .
Anyone that has done cage grappling, MMA then you need to be very nice to LOL. I spared with some of those guys and once they tie you up, they will drain your body’s energy, and just mess you up. Very tough and highly conditioned people. Nothing but praise for them because many were very humble people.
I see the old familiar products I used to buy and so I will bookmark your site now if I ever get back into it – well, so long as they have a dojo for 40 year olds only 🙂
Thank you Furkan, your article was very enjoyable to read and I will be back.
Your age is not an issue at all. Even older guys kicked my ass in this year.
You need to train your lungs as well. Punching training is quite challenging and can spend most of your energy in no time. I guess you can give this dummy a shot man.
Nice reviews. The Jiu-Jitsu studio next to the gym I workout in has a few of these. I’m glad to see sites like yours reviewing the product and I hope to see it get more reviews as time goes on. While I haven’t asked any of the members of the studio just yet, I’ll definitely run it by them next time I’m in the gym.
I only have a little experience with grappling dummies however if one request a review of a popular grappling dummy, I will do it. The materials of limps and cover are just too good and I definitely recommend your dojo invest in Ring to Cage.
Great review. Our dojo has been looking to up our grappling game particularly for the kids and increasing number of teenage girls training with us – sign of the times I suppose . Thanks for the review and pointing us in the right direction and I’ll run this gear past the other instructors and see what they think.
Yeah, children especially need to train and learn with those until they have at least some grasp of what is going on the mats because they can really hurt each other if they have not learned the submissions fully.
This Ring to Cage Deluxe MMA Grappling Dummy seems to do it all and I have to say I think my one son would chip in and buy it for his brother so he can stop being his brother’s dummy for practice lol. I can’t believe all the things this can do and that you can put it in various positions depending on what he is practicing at the time. How cool is that? I’m super excited to find this review and no cons! I like that even better. Awesome!!!
Exactly, the shaping of limps and getting into many positions like kneeling and turtle is just what expected from a grappling dummy. Because of the reasons which you mentioned yeah I also think that it can satisfy every practitioner’s jiu-jitsu training needs.