Former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre says Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a required skill for any fighter competing in mixed martial arts, regardless of their background in other disciplines.
In a clip from his new podcast, St-Pierre directly quoted “No matter if you’re a good boxer or wrestler, if you don’t have Jiu-Jitsu, you’re not going to survive in the octagon or in a ring for mixed martial art.” He argued that without grappling ability, even highly skilled boxers or wrestlers are at a disadvantage once a fight goes to the ground. St-Pierre described Jiu-Jitsu as effectively mandatory, saying fighters need a baseline level of proficiency in it simply to compete safely.
St-Pierre extended the point to strikers as well, stating that a fighter without Jiu-Jitsu skills is significantly disadvantaged if the fight is taken to the mat, no matter how strong their striking is. He characterized the gap left by not having grappling skills as a serious vulnerability rather than a minor weakness.
The comments go against what MMA coaches and analysts teach, with most favoring wrestling and striking. While fighters often specialize in one discipline, a working knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu is treated as a baseline requirement for modern day MMA rather than a specialty, since most fights carry some risk of going to the ground.
St-Pierre, a UFC Hall of Famer, built his own career on a well-rounded skill set spanning wrestling, striking, and Jiu-Jitsu, and has frequently spoken about the importance of cross-training across disciplines, as well as gymnastics throughout his career.
A freelance journalist with more than seven years of experience covering a wide range of topics, with a focus on delivering accurate, engaging, and well-researched reporting. He studied at the University of Birmingham, where he developed a strong foundation in journalism and communications. Martin is a 10th Planet BJJ brown belt and has been training for approximately 10 years and a keen follower of submission grappling.
