Since the dawn of MMA promotions, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has had an intrinsic relationship with the art of fighting. Whilst it may not give a fighter an entire system on how to win an MMA fight, it certainly helps. In other words, you can’t really expect to be a modern MMA fighter whilst ignoring BJJ. At the same time, if talking honestly then BJJ also has its limitations in BJJ.
This article will look at the pros and cons of using BJJ in MMA. We shall look at what works and what doesn’t work. Hopefully, by reading this prospective MMA fighters will be more educated on what to look out for when fighting in MMA.
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Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is necessary for MMA
Going back as little as 10 years ago, you could probably get a few wins under your belt as an amateur fighter whilst neglecting BJJ. Even today with the heavier categories, BJJ is still underused and not as dominant as in the lighter weights. So, why has this changed?
In short, times change and BJJ has exploded in popularity. It’s no longer a secret martial art and its influence has spread. This means over 10 years ago you could potentially win an amateur fight knowing very little grappling, so long as your striking was superior to your opponent.
Now is different. Even if you were a better fighter overall, the opponent could take you down or even pull guard in some amateur scenarios. From there, they could submit you or sweep you and win the fight from the top.
In other words, you just can’t get away with neglecting BJJ anymore as everyone knows and uses it. This doesn’t just count for the UFC or professional MMA either. Even amateur MMA fighters these days know a thing or two about BJJ.
What BJJ techniques to use in MMA
One thing worth noting in MMA is the use of leg locks. Arguably, these can be a risky submission to attempt as if they fail you can end in a bad position. However, even if you have no intention of using leg locks in MMA, you should still learn how to defend them.
Imagine battering an opponent without finishing them, then they dive on your leg and you have to tap due to lack of escapes or knowledge. Now, imagine this happening with years of training against leg locks. Now at the very least, you give yourself a fighting chance of escaping and continuing towards victory.
This idea doesn’t just apply to leg locks either, it applies to all areas of MMA and BJJ whilst in dominant positions. For instance, if you’re inside a closed guard dropping punches, you should always be wary of triangle or armbar attempts. Once again, basic defense training is necessary.
Other things to learn in BJJ for MMA are escapes from the bottom. This means learning how to escape bad positions such as mount or side control. Again, you may not plan on necessarily pinning people yourself, but it’s somewhat out of your control when it comes to avoiding these positions.
If you want to take things a step further, learning how to pass guards and sweeps are useful too and can lead to winning fights. Lastly, you may also want to learn a few common submissions such as the guillotine and rear naked choke. It would be a shame to take someone’s back without really knowing how to submit them and end the fight.
What BJJ techniques to avoid in MMA
In BJJ, there are certain moves that don’t translate well to MMA. Generally, a good plan is to focus on the fundamentals which have been addressed above. Typically, some of the more modern, flamboyant techniques from sports BJJ don’t always translate so well.
This means lapel guards are useless to train with because there’s literally no gi in MMA. Similarly, there’s no point learning about wrist locks or wrist lock defenses either, because they’re almost impossible to do in MMA.
Similarly, there’s no need learning a bunch of gi chokes either such as the bow and arrow or loop choke, because they cannot be replicated outside of the gi. In short, be smart when you train, pick passes and guards to play that suit MMA, and don’t bother learning things that aren’t replicated in the cage.
For those wondering, leg locks are good from an MMA perspective if you’re willing to put the time in and they can always work as a joker card if you’re losing in a fight. Just be prepared that MMA fighters may tap much later in the cage than they would in the gym.
In fact, that goes for a few submissions too. You may be able to tap someone with a neck crank in the gym if they’re a hobbyist – but a professional fighter may be more stubborn and conditioned so it doesn’t work as easily. In short, the goal is to replicate in the training room what you would realistically do in a cage fight.
Is it worth training in the gi as an MMA fighter?
This is an old question with lots of answers for and against. For instance, many MMA fighters these days avoid the gi as it’s viewed as realistic. However, many UFC Champions have used the gi and view it as a good tool to train in.
As mentioned, the gi can be unrealistic if you use it wrongly. For example, there’s no point learning spider guard as you can’t do it in MMA. However, learning to pass spider guard may not be a complete waste of time either. The theory is that if you can pass such a complex guard then you can probably pass easier, striped down guards in MMA.
Again, using certain submissions, sweeps or escapes that use the gi or lapels is again pointless. However, if there’s one area where the gi excels, it’s with escapes and positions on the bottom. In brief, it’s much easier to escape submissions in no gi due to less friction and the weight of the gi isn’t there. This means slipping out of side control or escaping the back is easier, whilst there are also fewer submissions which also makes things easier.
Now, imagine trying these escapes whilst wearing a gi. Imagine your arm is pinned with a grip and someone is pulling at your collar. The idea is that if you can escape this, you can escape a no gi version where the attacker has fewer options.
Ultimately, it’s up to you and everyone has their own set of unique opinions on this matter. Really though, as long as you’re sensible and mindful whilst rolling, you should see results.
Training BJJ with strikes is also useful
One issue with being a BJJ purist is that you can become comfortable in bad positions. For instance, the closed guard or deep half guard are good in BJJ where strikes are allowed. Obviously, in MMA these positions can be dangerous for the bottom player.
Therefore, it’s good to be honest and train with light punches at times. Of course, you shouldn’t ground and pound your training partner – however you should remind them if they’re in a bad spot. This will remove bad habits and laziness. It will also encourage a culture of getting to the top which is essential for MMA.
At the same time, sometimes training without striking and gloves can be useful too. This will force you to focus on pure grappling which also has its uses. Basically, keep it fresh and mix it up every now and then and you can’t go wrong.
As an MMA fighter, work on your guard
Too often, MMA fighters enjoy playing a top game whilst training. This may be beneficial in an MMA fight, but not in the gym. The reason for this is that you should try to learn in the gym. This means putting yourself in tough positions such as a bottom guard which would be bad in a real fight.
Instead, too many MMA fighters neglect this side of their game and simply try and steamroll their opponent from the top. If you are to do this, at least sweep the opponent every now and then or at least try the odd submission from the bottom.
Similarly, it wouldn’t hurt to start on the bottom at times such as mount. This will force you to work out of bad positions to improve your overall game. Whilst your ego may stop you from doing the above, it certainly helps to try and consciously work on your weaknesses, otherwise you may come to regret it in an MMA fight.
Summary
Training BJJ is fun and will undoubtedly improve your fighting skills. These days, you can’t train without it though and even if you hate it, it’s a necessary evil to learn. Remember, a complete fighter should know BJJ, wrestling, and striking so without one of these, they will have a gaping hole in their skill set. In summary, BJJ is a must for MMA. However, you should always train carefully and make every second count – so don’t bother with stuff that can’t be used in MMA.
