Influence of Judo on BJJ

BJJ owes much of its foundation to Kodokan judo, which emphasized throws, pins, and groundwork (newaza). Mitsuyo Maeda, who taught the Gracie family, was a judoka who favored ground techniques. As BJJ evolved, it retained many judo-based throws and concepts but expanded the range and depth of submissions and positional transitions.

Even today, judo continues to influence BJJ competitions, especially in the gi. Athletes borrow grips, throws, and standing strategies from judo to complement their ground game, creating a technical cross-pollination between the two arts.