Many times instincts take over and your hands naturally gravitate to your hip area, searching out the pockets in your shorts. But when you’re wearing fight shorts or MMA shorts, you’re not going to find any.

That may sound inconvenient for anyone wearing fight shorts outside their academy or gym, but for those practicing martial arts, the last thing you want are pockets. The reason is simple, pockets, buttons, and zippers can pose a danger to a training partner or opponent.

Whether you’re in a No-Gi class or competing at a tournament, reaching for an opponent to gain an advantage is a natural part of the sport. If there are pockets on your fight shorts, that increases the chances of injury. Hands, fingers, feet or toes can become lodged in the pocket, leading to an unnatural bend in either of those extremities.

All of Hayabusa’s fight shorts are designed with safety in mind and do not have any pockets, zippers or buttons. The material is built to withstand the most competitive environments and we’ve added a hidden drawstring and a silicon band to keep our shorts in place.

This is not just an unspoken rule or a nicety in the sport. For instance, the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) mandates for all of its competitions: “The shorts must not have pockets or have the pockets stitched completely shut, must not have buttons, zippers or any kind of plastic or metal that could present a risk to the opponent…”

Any zippers or buttons can cause bruising, cuts or scratches, which can lead to rashes and unintended infections.

Just like any other sport, pockets can get in the way and cause harm. If you like your pockets, that’s fine, just don’t bring them to the mat.

To get an idea of the details and quality built into Hayabusa fight shorts, check out the page for our Hexagon Fight Shorts.