Mixed Martial Arts

MMA grappling

MMA grappling is a full contact total combat sports technique that involves gripping, handling and holding of the opponent during a fight. MMA grappling dominates mixed martial arts regardless of the style which you practice. From Sambo and judo to wrestling and jiu-jitsu, grappling is ever present. Despite the preponderance in cage fighting, MMA grappling cannot be considered a distinct martial art or style. It has similarities with striking and it includes throws, pinning techniques and joint locks. MMA grappling can include all of these or just one depending on the athlete's training.

Some MMA grappling locks use throws and throws can be used for pinning; therefore, you can hardly get a clear-cut distinction between the various forms of grappling techniques. Through sweeps and escapes specific to MMA grappling, the fighter can improve the ground position. This is usually the case when the athlete needs to get loose from a grappling position or when he needs to move into a position that would enable better pinning for example. The examples of MMA grappling possibilities are countless, and the martial art in question allows for the distinction.

There are little changes in grappling, when applied to mixed martial arts. While it is related mainly to sports that rely on grappling tactics exclusively, as it is the case with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo and submission wrestling, MMA grappling should be considered one of the many techniques that you'll notice in an ultimate fighting combat. Martial arts such as taekwondo, boxing, karate and kickboxing avoid grappling and therefore integrate less MMA grappling in combat. These latter martial arts do not allow grappling, making the fighters focus more on kicking or punching.

In mixed martial arts training, MMA grappling makes an important part of the striking strategies and self-defense tactics. Although armed grappling is encountered with many Chinese martial arts and aikido, in mixed martial arts sports only non-armed MMA grappling is allowed. Confrontations are a lot more difficult and dangerous when a weapon is used too. Nevertheless, mastery of armed and non-armed techniques increases the martial arts fighter's skill in combat. Yet, weapons will never be introduced in mixed martial arts: that is a fact.