BJJ in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu revolutionized mixed martial arts. Early UFC events revealed that grappling was indispensable in real combat, as Royce Gracie defeated strikers and wrestlers alike with his submission skills. From that point on, every MMA fighter needed at least a functional understanding of BJJ to survive in the cage.

In MMA, BJJ is applied in multiple ways: using guard work to defend from the bottom, controlling opponents from top positions, finishing fights with chokes and joint locks, and preventing takedowns with positional awareness. As the sport of MMA evolved, BJJ blended with wrestling and striking, but its influence remained central. Modern champions often credit BJJ training as the foundation of their ability to finish fights and avoid being finished themselves.