When it comes to martial arts, few styles spark as much debate as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. Both are pillars of modern combat sports, but which is truly better suited for you?
BJJ is a grappling martial art centered around controlling and dominating opponents on the ground using superior positions and submission holds. Mixed martial arts is a combat sport encompassing striking, wrestling, and ground fighting, where BJJ is only one part of the puzzle.
Given that the history of modern MMA and BJJ are closely intertwined and because they are two of the most practiced combat sports today, many newcomers wonder how they stack against each other and what the differences and similarities are, and this article will provide many of the answers.
What is BJJ? The Grappling Martial Art Explained
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a complex and technical grappling martial art that employs the principles of leverage, technique, and body mechanics to control and submit opponents on the ground.
At its core, BJJ is centered on the idea that a smaller, weaker individual can successfully defend themselves against a larger, stronger opponent by using proper technique, joint locks, and chokeholds.
Unlike many martial arts, which rely heavily on striking techniques, BJJ emphasizes grappling and positional dominance, making it highly effective in close quarters.
BJJ originated in Brazil when Japanese judo and jiu-jitsu master Mitsyuo Maeda moved to the South American country in the 1920s to teach and participate in various competitions.
The Gracie family were among his star pupils. They absorbed the skills and gradually developed their own style after focusing more on the ground aspect rather than the standup wrestling and judo are known for.
Today, BJJ is among the most popular and widely practiced martial arts. Initially, the style was primarily developed for self-defense and to be used in no-holds-barred fights, but it gradually evolved into the grappling-only style we know today.
What Is MMA? The Ultimate Combat Sport Explained
MMA is an abbreviation for mixed martial arts, a combat sport characterized by the inclusion of all other unarmed fighting styles.
Where most other combat sports limit entire aspects of fighting, such as boxing and wrestling, MMA combines everything and allows striking, standup grappling, and ground fighting.
In ancient history, the closest thing in concept to modern MMA is the Hellenic martial art and ancient Olympic games crown jewel Pankration.
Brazil's Vale Tudo scene between the 1920s and 1980s is the forefather of mixed martial arts, while the Japanese organization Shooto, founded in 1989, is the first true MMA organization.
MMA's modern era began to take shape in the early 1990s with the establishment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The first iterations showcased fighters from different martial arts backgrounds competing against one another to determine which style was the most effective.
Over time, the sport evolved as athletes began cross-training in multiple disciplines to become well-rounded fighters, and MMA became its own distinct style with specific tactics and techniques not found elsewhere.
Beyond the physicality of the sport, MMA has grown into a global phenomenon with a massive fan base, inspiring athletes from all walks of life.
In the short time MMA has existed, the sport has reached centuries-old styles like boxing and wrestling and perhaps even surpassed them in popularity and significance.
Key Differences Between BJJ and MMA
Rules and Objectives
Key features and rules of sports BJJ
● Sports BJJ is grappling only with no striking allowed
● The purpose of a match is to win by submission or by outscoring the opponent through positional superiority
● Points are awarded for successful takedowns and sweeps and for securing and holding dominant positions like side control, mount, back control
● Submissions include an ever-increasing number of chokes, strangles, and joint locks. Different rulesets and different skill levels have varying number of banned and permitted submissions
● Matches are contested on an open mat, similar to wrestling
● Rulesets include gi, no-gi, submissions only (no points awarded for positions), and more niche rulesets such as Combat Jiu-Jitsu (open hand strikes on the ground are permitted).
Key features and rules of MMA
● MMA features all aspects of fighting- striking, stand up wrestling, and ground fighting
● The goal of an MMA match is to knock out the opponent, submit them, or win on points
● Most striking and grappling techniques are permitted, but things like headbutts, groin strikes, eye gouges, and other similar "dirty" tactics are strictly banned
● Matches are usually contested in a cage, which has become the trademark arena for MMA, but some organizations also use boxing rings
Techniques
The number of techniques in BJJ is exceptionally vast. BJJ matches include standup wrestling, where takedowns and throws are directly borrowed from wrestling styles and judo.
However, the specialty of BJJ is ground grappling, and there is an almost inexhaustible list of techniques. They fall into a few main categories:
- Positions- These include guards, side control, mount, back mount, and turtle. Each position further has some variations.
- Guard passing- These techniques involve passing the opponent's guard and gaining a dominant position, such as side control or mount.
- Sweeps and reversals- Techniques that allow you to invert a position from bottom to top.
- Submissions- The fight ending techniques include joint locks, air chokes, strangulations (blood chokes), and spine and neck cranks. The list is limitless. Essentially, any position that does not break the specific rules and forces your opponent to tap is a valid submission.
While the BJJ list of techniques is expansive, MMA's truly is endless. The ruleset is so liberal that nearly all other martial arts techniques can be implemented in some way.
· Striking techniques from boxing, muay thai, kickboxing and karate (and many other stules) are used on the feet.
· Wrestling, judo, and sambo are implemented in close range in the stand up
· BJJ and other grappling arts dominate ground fighting.
· MMA also has some unique features like ground and pound, using the cage offensively and defensively, and combining techniques in ways not found in any other style that can be considered unique MMA techniques.
Equipment
Brazilian jiu-jitsu, in its traditional form, is practiced in a uniform called a gi. Consisting of a heavy cotton top and pants, the gi can be grabbed and manipulated during grappling. In addition, the protective gear used in BJJ is usually limited to a mouthguard.
The other style of BJJ is called no-gi, and many now refer to it not as jiu-jitu at all but as submission grappling. The uniform in no-gi consists of a BJJ rashguard and BJJ shorts.
The rashguard is optional, but strongly recommended for several reasons. A rashguard is a form-fitting clothing often made up of synthetic materials.
The rashguard aims to protect the skin from friction with the mat and skin-to-skin contact.
Good rashguards are made with materials that add a layer of protection from skin diseases, commonly found on grappling mats.
Another advantage of rash guards over conventional t-shirts is that the elastic and tight body fit ensures that the rashguard is completely out of the way when grappling and there is a very low chance of getting a finger or a toe entangled.
Think about it as a wrestling singlet, but cooler looking.
BJJ or fight shorts ensure optimal performance for combat sports. They are light and elastic and designed in a way that does not inhibit mobility in any way.
MMA training involves many different aspects, so the list of equipment you will need is a lot longer and includes a lot of protective gear. Here is what you will likely need to have a complete MMA training kit:
- Boxing gloves
- MMA gloves
- Shin Guards
- Headgear
- Groin guard
- Mouth guards
- Rashguard
- MMА shorts
Physical Demands and Fitness Benefits
BJJ and MMA both demand exceptional physical fitness but emphasize different aspects. BJJ builds endurance, flexibility, and functional strength through grappling. On the mats you will develop core stability, mobility, and control.
Its low-impact nature makes it ideal for long-term physical health, improving cardiovascular fitness and joint resilience.
But as anyone who has trained for years will tell you, don't get fooled by the apparent gentle nature of the art. BJJ is hard on the body, and you will suffer from some injuries if you spend years on the mats and, more likely than not, pick up some pains that you will carry on for life.
MMA requires a broader range of physical abilities, blending explosive power for striking with the endurance and strength needed for grappling.
Fighters must train for speed, agility, and cardiovascular conditioning while building the durability to handle intense physical exchanges.
The result is a balanced, athletic physique and heightened reaction times. While more physically demanding and harder on the body due to the striking component, MMA training develops a broader set of athletic skills.
Both disciplines offer transformative fitness benefits while teaching mental toughness and discipline.
Whether you choose BJJ for its technical finesse or MMA for its comprehensiveness, both will push you to become stronger, fitter, and more capable in every aspect of life.
Is BJJ Effective In MMA
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is an essential element of MMA, and no fighter, regardless of their level and proficiency in other styles, can hope to succeed in the cage without respectable grappling skills.
Its emphasis on grappling, positional control, and submissions makes it invaluable in a sport where fights often end up on the ground.
The first UFC editions were basically set to showcase the superiority of BJJ and the results were undeniable- a jiu-jitsu fighter, smaller than many of the opponents no less, dominated. This cemented BJJ's role in the evolution of MMA.
Soon after these first events, fighters learned how to defend against common submissions, and different grappling specialists came into the sport and quickly dispelled the claim that BJJ was the single greatest style for MMA.
Today, success in MMA requires integrating BJJ with striking and wrestling to create a balanced fighting style.
Wrestlers with strong takedowns, for example, often use BJJ only defensively to avoid submissions, while strikers rely on their grappling skills to keep the fight at their preferred distance.
This evolution has led to fighters adapting BJJ specifically for MMA, focusing on the practical applications that work in the context of a mixed martial arts fight.
Regardless of the necessity for a well-rounded skillset, BJJ remains a cornerstone in many fighters' skill sets.
BJJ vs MMA For Self-Defense
The efficacy of Brazilian jiu-jitsu has been repeatedly shown in countless real-life situations. This is not a surprise, after all the style was created for this purpose and was refined in numerous no rules in Brazil and worldwide.
However, BJJ is far from ideal. There are glaring drawbacks like the lack of offensive and defensive striking and the apparent danger of going to the ground with an opponent who may not be alone.
Some BJJ academies still offer classes that focus solely on self-defense, and these places are excellent if you find them.
However, the vast majority of schools only do sports jiu-jitsu, regardless of whether it's gi or no-gi, and many of the tactics and positions used in pure grappling can be outright dangerous in an actual fight.
This is why MMA may not only be superior to BJJ as a self-defense tool but may also be the best style overall to train for real-world practicality (except the precious few self-defense schools that do hard sparring and situational sparring).
MMA is the closest thing we have to a real fight in a sports format, and the nature of training means you will frequently spar standing, on the ground and combining the two.
Yes, there are rules in MMA, and you cannot replicate the chaos, violence, and hormonal response of a real-life fight in a sanctioned match, let alone in sparring.
But MMA is the most comprehensive combat sport available that will arm you with the most unarmed fighting skills.
Even if you are unlikely to have the proficiency on the ground of a BJJ practitioner or the striking prowess of a boxer or muay thai fighter, you will have tools to rely on a broader variety of situations.
As I said earlier, BJJ is one of the best self-defense martial arts, but many, myself included, believe MMA offers a more comprehensive approach to self-defense due to its integration of striking, grappling, and adaptability to chaotic scenarios.
Competitive Arenas: BJJ Tournaments vs. MMA Fights
Competitive arenas for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts offer distinct yet equally challenging platforms for showcasing martial arts skills.
BJJ tournaments are highly specialized competitions focused solely on grappling, emphasizing technical precision, strategy, and mastery of ground fighting.
The absence of striking in BJJ tournaments allows practitioners to concentrate entirely on leveraging technique and endurance to outmaneuver opponents.
On the other hand, MMA fights represent a far broader and more chaotic competitive environment, where fighters must seamlessly integrate striking, wrestling, and grappling to succeed.
BJJ competitions still provide many opportunities for injury, but MMA is substantially more dangerous.
After all, one is a grappling contest, and the other is a fight, albeit regulated. Jiu-jitsu is also much more welcoming for newcomers, and people with different fitness profiles can participate against opponents of their caliber and level.
Furthermore, grappling tournaments divide competitors by belt level or skill level in no-gi, which ensures a safer and more competitive experience for everyone.
On the other hand, MMA is a very violent sport, and even amateur fights carry a lot more risk. Naturally, MMA fighters, especially beginners, are almost exclusively young men and women, whereas in BJJ, you can often find debutants in their 40s and 50s.
On the professional level, MMA offers a significantly more lucrative career path. The sport has become a mainstream attraction, and fighters enjoy fame, recognition, and solid financial success above a certain level.
BJJ is slowly becoming more and more professional, and top-tier athletes are earning a lot more money and recognition than ever before.
But BJJ remains a niche sport, and in my opinion, it can never reach the level of popularity of MMA or boxing simply by not being as spectator-friendly.
So, if you want to compete for the experience and thrill, BJJ offers a less dangerous opportunity to frequently test yourself competitively, even as a hobbyist.
MMA, on the other hand, is a much more promising career path if you aim to become a professional.
Choosing the Right Path: Which is Suitable for You?
No one can provide you with the answer to this question. Both MMA and BJJ are immensely popular for good reasons. Depending on your preferences and inclinations, age, physical fitness level, and gym availability, each can be the better choice.
BJJ is definitely suitable for a broader group of people. The immense popularity of the style is due in no small part to the fact that people of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy it.
In a typical BJJ academy, you will encounter people from literally all walks of life, from toddlers to retired people. Everyone can benefit from training in jiu-jitsu.
MMA is more fast-paced, more reliant on athleticism, and more dangerous. This can seem a negative thing to many, but it's precisely the right recipe for a young man who wants to learn how to fight and is drawn to all aspects of combat.
Whether you’re drawn to the cerebral, technical nature of BJJ or the all-encompassing challenge of MMA, your journey in martial arts will be transformative. The key is to take that first step onto the mats.
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