If I want to pursue MMA, should I start boxing or wrestling first?

AFAIK, the bit about sparring isnt true....

Lots of Ufc gyms have lots of fitness classes, but they also do run BJJ, wrestling and kickboxing classes, and they do allow sparring in them, but not always in the first day.

 

I have a lot of horse owners/riders in the family. If the injury risk of riding doesn't put you off, then the cost and maintenance time should!
My kids don't ride (fortunately).

Even injury risk from not riding (bitten, kicked) is nasty, but not as high.
Anecdotally, I've had less injury from my decades in martial arts than my sisters/mother from horse riding. (and my sister didn't want to start judo as she didn't want to get hurt).

 

If you're an adult who hasn't grappled before I'd train BJJ or other submission grappling before trying to learn to wrestle. Wrestling is just too big a first step for most adult beginners in my experience, and people who lift a lot have an especially high propensity to get hurt and quit.

 

"You play tennis. You're gonna get Tennis Elbow. "
Quote from a movie - Somebody Up There Likes Me.
An Aaron Kwok and Sammo Hung Muay Thai movoe where concussions play a main part of the film... and this was in the mid 90s.

There are a few things you gotta accept, despite all the safety measures made. Do I want a concussion? Of course not. Am I aware I might get one? Yes.

There are a lot of unknown side effects to "normal" activities that parents like to chuck children into. Like dance or gymnastics.
My ex Partner was a dancer, and she suffered from long term lower back, lower limb issues and injuries (from falls or impact from constant jumps and lifts).
People used to see me and her, and thought we both did combat sports.

If can be found on youtube... Penn and Teller's series name (masked profanity edited out. If you google "Penn and Teller" and "Cheerleading"- it will link the episode) has an ep discussing Cheerleading. And how that is not out right banned in US schools, I have no idea.

 

Francis = hardest puncher in the world?

 

That's just ufc propaganda.
There are no controls, calibration, consistency, etc.
What even are the 'units' used? Newtons? PSI? Over what time scale?
This is basically a high tech version of the punching machines you get at the fun fair and about as reliable.

 

Although with all that I've no doubt Ngannou punches very hard indeed.
But in the fight game punching power is but one variable that has to be combined with timing, distance, set ups, game plan, etc.
The hardest punch in the world isn't going to be of use if you can't land it.

 

What's he banned for?

 

Aaaah sound. Ah well.

 

Let us know how it goes. Where ya went, what ya thought, etc. Sounds like you already know what it is you are looking for - MMA.

Good Luck