Clash of the Titans: MMA vs Jiu Jitsu

The world of combat sports is dynamic, to say the least, and the MMA vs Jiu Jitsu debate gets a lot of attention. They both blend strategy, technique, and, of course, physical prowess, but when you put them side by side, you’ll see that each has a unique approach to combat and distinct philosophies.

Mixed Martial Arts, or MMA, is a thrilling sport where punches meet kicks and takedowns intertwine with submissions, while Jiu-Jitsu is a component of MMA that focuses on ground fighting and submission. It doesn’t put as much emphasis on strength as MMA itself, but the essence of both is mastery of technique and strategic application of skill.

Don’t mistake this subject for a “which one is better than the other” comparison: we won’t be doing any of that, because it’s virtually impossible. Besides, it’s not so much the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu vs MMA comparison we’re after but appreciating how each of these disciplines complements the other and how they contribute to the evolution of combat sports in general.

Let’s dive in!

MMA vs Jiu Jitsu – What Is the Difference?

What Is BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu)?

If you don’t have a lot of experience, you’re probably wondering, what is BJJ? Is Jiu Jitsu a martial art? Well, you’ve come to the right place to find answers.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (mostly referred to as BJJ) has its roots in Japan, but it has evolved and gained its true identity in Brazil. A lot of other martial arts focus on striking and stand-up techniques, but BJJ emphasizes ground fighting. The main principle of BJJ is the use of technique and leverage to offset the opponent’s size and strength, which means that a smaller and weaker person can still defend themselves against a larger and stronger opponent through proper positioning and strategic movements. However, it’s important to acknowledge that strength is still a vital component of BJJ, but the aim is to prioritize skill and leverage rather than relying only on physical power.

If you’re interested in learning BJJ, be prepared to master a lot of techniques that are all about controlling your opponent on the ground. It includes joint locks, chokes, and methods to gain dominant positions. There’s also a lot of emphasis on understanding body mechanics and weight distribution, both of which are important to control and neutralize threats. Training usually involves sparring sessions that are known as “rolling,” which allows you to test and apply everything you’ve learned in a safe environment.

BJJ is widely known because it’s effective in real-life self-defense scenarios, and its philosophy of using technique and leverage over sheer force only added to its popularity. In addition to that, BJJ also fosters mental resilience, as its practitioners train to handle high-stress situations, including defending against chokes or joint locks. This aspect of BJJ improves physical capabilities, but also teaches you to stay calm when things get rough.

What Is MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)?

With MMA being so widely popular, there’s little to no chance you’ve never at least glanced at a competition, maybe even when you were switching the channels on your TV. You may think it’s just about two guys fighting each other like crazy, but there’s actually a lot more practice, rules, and elegance to it than that.

MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, is a combat sport that combines different fighting styles from around the world and it’s a mix of techniques from various disciplines, like boxing, Muay Thai, wrestling, BJJ, etc. Whether you’re fighting standing up or on the ground, this allows you to use diverse skills in both striking and grappling. MMA fighters go through rigorous training to master punches, kicks, elbows, knees, takedowns, throws, submissions, and ground control, allowing them to adapt to various combat scenarios.

MMA puts emphasis on versatility and adaptability, which is what sets it apart. Its fighters need to be familiar with different techniques so they can navigate various ranges of combat. Therefore, they need to learn how to strike opponents while standing up and executing takedowns or grappling techniques to gain advantage on the ground. Their training is all about honing skills in striking, clinching, and groundwork, as well as conditioning to improve their strength and endurance. Most elite fighters are extraordinary in one particular martial art or sport and proficient in a few others, which gives them a well-rounded edge in the ring.

It was initially supposed to serve as a platform to determine what the most effective martial arts are in combat situations, but MMA has since evolved into an actual, regulated sport with weight classes and rules.

MMA vs Jiu-Jitsu: Detailed Comparison

When you put MMA and Jiu-Jitsu side by side, you’ll notice a whole array of contrasting techniques, training methodologies, and overall approaches to combat. They each have their own focus and philosophy, and they’re two distinct entities. Let’s explore the difference between Jiu Jitsu and MMA in a little more detail.

Technique and Focus

MMA integrates a wide range of techniques from different martial arts and emphasizes the combination of striking (punches and kicks) and grappling (throws and ground fighting). Its aim is to adapt to a variety of fighting scenarios. BJJ, on the other hand, is primarily about ground-based grappling, where the key is controlling opponents through leverage and technique. However, strength and size still play a role, and this is why we have weight classes in competitions. Ib BJJ, practitioners either wear a Gi, or engage in submission grappling without it. Unlike MMA, striking isn’t a part of BJJ and it focuses more on grappling prowess.

Training

If you’re training to be an MMA fighter, you’ll need a diverse set of skills, so you’ll learn striking, wrestling, submissions, and clinching techniques, because MMA fighters need to be proficient both on their feet and on the ground. BJJ practitioners, on the other hand, will learn techniques that are specific to fighting on the ground and how to control and maneuver their opponents in close-quarters combat situations.

Philosophy and Approach

A comprehensive approach, blending techniques from different martial arts, and adaptability — this is the foundation of MMA. Its fighters are well-rounded and they are familiar with a lot of different disciplines. BJJ focuses more on leveraging technique and skill to overcome your opponent. It teaches that with the right moves and positioning, even a smaller and weaker person can defend themselves against someone larger and stronger.

Competition and Application

MMA competitions showcase fighters from diverse martial arts backgrounds who compete in regular matches and use a mix of striking and grappling techniques. BJJ tournaments give a platform for its practitioners to demonstrate their proficiency in technique and controlled sparring sessions, emphasizing ground grappling and submissions.

Popularity and Practicality

Who doesn’t know about MMA? It’s absolutely thrilling and extremely dynamic, so it’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular sports in the world. It attracts all kinds of people, but especially those who appreciate the mix of skills and strategies shown in competitions. Compared to BJJ, MMA has a larger audience because of its high-profile events and adrenaline-pumped fights, and it underscores the importance of having basic fighting skills to be able to protect yourself.

Nevertheless, BJJ is becoming increasingly popular, especially within the martial arts community, because it balances technique with strength and focuses on practical self-defense skills. Like any other combat sport, it’s all about the synergy of power and skill. BJJ is known for its ability to neutralize an opponent without striking, often avoiding self-injury (like broken hands, swollen legs, etc.) and it’s about gaining control, achieving dominant positions, showing resilience, and escaping from tough spots. It may not have the same mainstream recognition as MMA, but it still has a dedicated group of followers.

MMA vs BJJ: Summary

BJJ or MMA, how to choose? If you’re trying to get into the world of martial arts but can’t determine which would work better for you, understanding the pros and cons may help you decide.

Pros And Cons Of BJJ

As far as the pros go, the biggest one is probably how effective BJJ is at ground fighting. It teaches you how to control your opponent and execute submissions and gives you skills you can use in real-life scenarios. Additionally, it emphasizes technique and leverage over strength, which gives smaller people the chance to overcome larger opponents, even when the latter are physically stronger.

However, one of the best and most meaningful things about BJJ is not the combat itself but its therapeutic benefits that result from training and combat. BJJ teaches mental discipline, patience, and strategic thinking, which are crucial to understanding your opponents.

Now, effective ground fighting is both a pro and a con because it can potentially neglect training in standing techniques, and let’s face it, you’ll need that for a broader spectrum of fighting scenarios. Another not-so-great thing is that the close-quarters nature of fighting on the ground needs a significant amount of endurance as well as extensive training, because BJJ has quite the learning curve. You’ll need a lot of time and patience to master it.

Pros And Cons Of MMA

If you want to learn a whole range of martial arts disciplines and become adaptable to different combat scenarios, MMA might be a better choice. You’ll learn various striking and grappling techniques, how to fight on your feet and on the ground, and, overall, become a well-rounded fighter.

However, keep in mind that although learning all these different techniques is amazing, you’re at higher risk of injury during training and competition, and the entire learning process can be challenging and time-consuming. You’ll study multiple martial arts simultaneously, so be prepared to dedicate a lot of effort and even more time to it.

MMA vs BJJ for Self-Defense

Both MMA and BJJ will give you valuable tools when it comes to defending yourself, but their approaches are different, so, of course, you may prefer one over the other.

MMA is a hybrid combat sport that includes striking and grappling, and this diversity is exactly what makes it useful for self-defense, which is usually rather unpredictable. An MMA fighter is prepared to handle all kinds of situations, from stand-up fights to confrontations on the ground because their training focuses on live sparring and full-contact drills. They develop quick reflexes, and resilience, and they are also able to apply techniques under pressure. All of this is crucial if you need to defend yourself.

BJJ focuses mostly on grappling and ground fighting, and it teaches control over an opponent through leverage and technique. This is very useful for smaller, weaker people, and it revolves around the principle of submitting (or neutralizing) your opponent without causing them significant harm during competition.

This is great for ending confrontations quickly and efficiently, but because there’s less emphasis on striking and defending against strikes, it can be limiting during scenarios that need self-defense, although it was primarily designed for self-defense. Think about someone attacking you and you needing to defend yourself – would you just want to control your attacker, or would you want to actually strike them and defend yourself against them?

Truth be told, which one is better for self-defense largely depends on personal preferences, but generally, MMA will give you a skill set that is more well-rounded and useful for unpredictable situations.

FAQ

Is BJJ still effective in MMA?

Of course, it’s still very effective in MMA. It’s now an inseparable part of MMA. It provides you with submission techniques and important skills for fighting on the ground, and both of these are vital in MMA matches. If you research some successful MMA fighters’ backgrounds, you’ll see that a lot of them are proficient in BJJ with many of them being BJJ black belts, and use its principles to control their opponents.

What are the common injuries associated with MMA vs Brazilian Jiu Jitsu?

When it comes to MMA, common injuries are cuts, bruises, knee injuries, and brain damage because of the intense striking and diverse combat techniques. For BJJ, injuries are mostly done to the joints and ligaments and there is no brain damage. frequent injuries include sprains, strains, broken bones once in a while, and broken ribs because it’s so focused on grappling and submission.

What are the BJJ weight classes compared to MMA?

Both BJJ and MMA have their own set of weight classes, which can vary by organization. In BJJ, categories range from roosterweight for the lightest competitors up to ultra-heavy for the heaviest, with several classes in between. These classifications can differ between Gi and No-Gi competitions, and some organizations may even weigh competitors with the Gi on. Similarly, MMA weight divisions are not universally standard and can vary, like UFC, ONE, or KSW. While some countries and regions might have unified rules, the categories usually range from strawweight fr the lightest sighters up to heavyweight for the largest, with various divisions in between. It’s always best to check specific rules of the organization for the most accurate weight class information.

Should I learn BJJ before MMA?

That depends on your approach to MMA and your personal combat strategy. While MMA is a blend of various fighting styles, understanding BJJ isn’t strictly necessary to begin MMA. However, having experience with BJJ can improve your grappling and ground-fighting capabilities, both of which are aspects that are deeply integrated into MMA. If you want to have a well-rounded ground game and improve your control and submission techniques, it can be useful to learn BJJ first, but if your interest lies in a more comprehensive combat approach from the start, you may want to just dive straight into MMA. It’s worth noting that several MMA champions, like Jacare Souza, Damian Maia, and members of the Gracie family (Royce, Rickson, and Roger) started as dedicated BJJ athletes and later learned striking.

Should you start MMA or BJJ?

Choosing Mixed Martial Arts or Jiu Jitsu depends on what you prefer, and whether or not you can withstand being kicked or punched in the head. If you like a comprehensive fighting system better and can accept head punches, go with MMA. If, on the other hand, you’re more interested in ground control and submissions with a focus on technique over strength, then BJJ is the better option.

Conclusion

If you’re choosing between MMA and BJJ, hopefully, you have your answer by now. If you don’t – that’s okay too, you don’t really have to choose and can do both BJJ and MMA. In fact, starting with BJJ might give you an excellent foundation for MMA!

Remember not to give up just because things get hard, because nothing of real value comes without effort. As Miyamoto Musashi says in “The Book of Five Rings,” “If you wish to control others you must first control yourself.” So embrace the challenges and the inevitable bumps and bruises along the way!

Are you just an interested onlooker or are you actually interested in becoming a fighter? Do you prefer MMA or BJJ and why? Do you have any experience with martial arts?

Share your thoughts, leave a comment or two, and if you have any tips on how to get the least amount of bruises possible, feel free to share them!

References:

1. Christian G. Almeda, Gerald T. Mangine, Zackary H. Green, Yuri Feito, “Experience, Training Preferences, and Fighting Style Are Differentially Related to Measures of Body Composition, Strength, and Power in Male Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athletes—A Pilot Study,” Sports (Basel) 11, no. 1 (2023): 13.
2. João C. A. Bueno, Heloiana Faro, Seth Lenetsky, Aleksandro F. Gonçalves, Stefane B. C. D. Dias, André L. B. Ribeiro, Bruno V. C. da Silva, Carlos A. Cardoso Filho, Bruna M. de Vasconcelos, Júlio C. Serrão, Alexandro Andrade, Tácito P. Souza-Junior, João G. Claudino, “Exploratory Systematic Review of Mixed Martial Arts: An Overview of Performance of Importance Factors with over 20,000 Athletes,” Sports (Basel) 10, no. 6 (2022): 80.
3. Kelly Weinberger, Tracey Burraston, “Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Managing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Longitudinal Study,” Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship 13, no. 4 (2021).
4. Lachlan P. James, “An Evidenced-Based Training Plan for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,” Strength and Conditioning Journal 36, no. 4 (2014): 14-22.
5. Stacy Howard Bishop, Paul La Bounty, Michael Devlin, “Mixed Martial Arts: A Comprehensive Review,” Journal of Sport and Health Science 1, no. 1 (2013).
6. Photo from Pexels by: Kampus Production, Bruno Bueno, RDNE Stock project