Why is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu essential to UFC fighters?

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Since its foundation by Helio Gracie, the modern version of Jiu Jitsu – the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – quickly spread itself across the world, gaining international recognition and notoriety around the professional-fight circles. Gradually, the technique developed by the masters of the Gracie family became a reference in self-defense and of Brazilian culture itself.

Its incredible popularity – amongst professional fighters and regular practitioners alike – is due to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s greatest asset: the fact that Helio Gracie’s technique allows a slender and smaller person to win against stronger and heavier opponents. 

You see, to understand Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is important to approach it like a game of chess, where technique and strategy are far more important than brute force. And that’s what – in Jiu Jitsu’s first years of existence – Helio Gracie proved, competing and winning championships all around the world. 

Know more about BJJ origins.

That’s also why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s history is deeply connected to MMA’s… and why almost all UFC champions have BJJ in their curriculum. 

BJJ’s influence on MMA.

In the beginning of Mixed Martial Arts, the sport didn’t have many rules and its competitions were usually called “vale-tudo” (literally translating as “anything-goes”). From the 1930s on, the activity evolved until it reached the MMA that is known today. The current style unites various martial arts, MMA taking important characteristics of many different modalities. 

Want to know more about the origins of “vale-tudo”? Check out these movies. 

So, generally speaking, the more disciplines a fighter studies, the better his performance will be. 

Jiu-Jitsu means “soft art”,  and this is the perfect definition for this martial art’s contribution to MMA. That’s because the fighter will not use his own strength to hit the opponent. But rather take advantage of his adversary’s own strength to throw him down.

As mentioned before, BJJ is more about technique than it is about strength. A fighter who knows these techniques stands out from the others. Because he doesn’t need to concern himself with the size or weight of his opponent. 

Furthermore, Jiu Jitsu is probably the most efficient technique in a ground fight.

Jiu Jitsu and Boxing

MMA is (quite literally) a mixture of martial arts. And another major influence on the sport is boxing. 

Boxing is a combat sport, where fighters can use only their fists to strike their opponents and to defend themselves. It originated in England in the mid-19th century, and was practiced in the streets, with bare hands without the use of gloves.

But this modality focused only on the standing fight. Once the opponent went to the canvas, the fight was over. Jiu Jitsu then came to complete the sport. The BJJ fighters know they have an advantage on the ground and use Jiu Jitsu techniques to take the opponent to the canvas, seeking an immobilization or a submission. 

Without necessarily hurting the opponent, the BJJ fighter will make him unable to withstand the pressure of the movie, thus winning the fight. Besides that – the comfort that the BJJ athletes have on the ground – they also have the advantage of cardiac recovery.

Jiu Jitsu is a sport of contact with the ground, where depending on the position, you can breathe and recover some of the gas and stabilize the breathing. That’s why it is so common to see UFC fighters that master Jiu Jitsu preferring to take the fight to the ground.

Jiu Jitsu fighters have a natural advantage in the UFC

If you’ve read this far, you already understand why mastering BJJ is important when it comes time to step into the octagon. But let’s see it in practice! Check out how many BJJ fighters have gained the champions belt – since 1997 until today – and their Jiu Jitsu graduations.

Having said all that, do you still have doubts about the advantage that BJJ offers to its fighters? Here at School of Jiu Jitsu you will find qualified masters to transform you into a great champion.