For decades the debate has been raging about Sambo and BJJ. Which is better? Which makes you a well-rounded MMA fighter? Can you cross-train? How helpful would that be? So many questions regarding two disciplines that couldn’t be any different from each other.
Rooted deeply in Russian culture, Sambo is a more aggressive discipline that borrows a lot from military and paramilitary fighting techniques and focuses on speed and power. It’s more suited for street fights and living in rough neighborhoods. BJJ is a Brazilian self-defense system that borrowed heavily from Jiu Jitsu. It focuses on chokeholds and groundwork to subdue the opponent. BJJ is designed for ring competitions, not street fights.
While they both look very different they do have their similarities. And each discipline has something to offer the MMA fighter. So if you’re considering training in either of them and don’t know which one to choose, this article sheds light on both of them with a focus on the differences between the two systems.
BJJ as an Art
To call BJJ an art is not a stretch of the imagination. BJJ is less about fighting and using aggression and more about self-defense and using grappling and other techniques to subdue the opponent. And that’s where the art aspect comes in. You can go up against a much larger opponent who’s probably even armed, and you can still manage to control their movement and render them harmless.
This might explain the growing popularity of the system. More and more academies and gyms are devoted to BJJ and they are blossoming in every town. Many consider BJJ a wholesome system that builds a well-rounded player who has all the skills they need. If you want to be a skilled MMA fighter, then training in BJJ is a great start.
Moreover, MMA itself has helped increase the popularity of BJJ. But rather than go for naked aggression and military-style fighting disciplines, many aspiring players turn to BJJ and its nuanced techniques since they build on the necessary skills they need. At the end of the day, you’re not looking to break someone’s bones. You want to be a better athlete, build on your core skills, and have a strong foundation in the sport.
That’s what BJJ offers. Not naked aggression, but subtle power. The ability to use your skills and abilities to prevail over an opponent who outweighs you and could crush you with their bare hands. BJJ makes you a better person in other aspects of your life as well. It’s not just on the mat or when sparring. You become more disciplined, humble, confident, and calmer.
Sambo as a Discipline
The origins of Sambo go back to the beginning of the 20th century around the time the October Revolution shook the foundations of the Russian Empire. It was designed for the military to use in hand-to-hand combat. Unlike BJJ which is more about self-defense, Sambo borrowed heavily from Greco-Roman wrestling, Judo, and folk wrestling. Its goal was to create a fighter who made short work of the fight and came up on top.
There are two versions of Sambo. There’s the sport and then there’s the combat style. The combat version is more violent and aims to teach you the skills to finish an enemy. It’s used mainly in battles when you run out of bullets. You are allowed to use any means necessary to bring the foe down. From head butts to groin kicks, nothing is off limits.
The sports style of Sambo is tame and doesn’t reach these peaks of violence. It mainly focuses on wrestling and grappling to deliver strong blows to the opponent to incapacitate them without the killing part. This in part is the reason the sport hasn’t caught on.
The popularity of Sambo is in doubt. Its future too isn’t as stable as that of BJJ or other MMA sports. It’s not just the military aspects of it that make it unappealing, but also its techniques lack the discipline and variety that BJJ offers.
The Pros and Cons of BJJ
The strengths of BJJ lie in its grappling techniques. The guard is probably one of the most powerful positions that BJJ has to offer. It lets you control from the ground an opponent who has a clear advantage over you. Your legs become your shield or guard to help you subdue the opponent and render their offensive ineffective. As you can see, this builds on many techniques that make you a better athlete all around.
Chokeholds are another strong point in BJJ. It’s one of the not-so-secret weapons that you can rely on to bring an opponent under your control. The best part is they don’t leave any scars or cause lasting damage to the opponent. Once the situation has been resolved, the opponent will be able to walk away on their own two feet. Add to that BJJ is a wholesome discipline that focuses on all aspects of the player, not just their style or technique.
Still BJJ has its downside. For one thing, it helps you go up against a larger opponent but it doesn’t help you against a group of opponents. While you subdue one opponent, another can sneak up on you and take you down. The same can be said about armed opponents. If your opponent has a weapon that they know how to use, your subduing skills could be worthless.
The other issue that many have with BJJ is its lack of focus on leg attacks. While it does great work with ground defense and offenses, legs remain largely ignored. This can be a problem if you meet an agile opponent or one who’s nimble on their feet.
The Upside and Drawbacks of Sambo
Sambo on the other hand is a more focused discipline that has one goal in sight. That goal is to bring the opponent down by any means possible. To achieve that you are trained to use leg locks. This makes it useful if you meet a BJJ player with little or no leg training. And in this no-holds-barred sport, you’re allowed to grab your opponent by the belt.
Sambo also trains you in delivering effective blows to the opponent with the aim of overpowering them. You won’t find anything like that in BJJ which teaches you to avoid blows and not give them. That said, Sambo is more about piling up points rather than scoring a big point (ippon in BJJ) to win the game.
As for the disadvantage of Sambo, they are numerous. For one you won’t have as much groundwork as you would find in BJJ. Most of the fighting takes place from a standing position. If a Sambo fighter touches the ground, they’re as good as done. Anyone including a BJJ player can take them easily.
As a sport that focuses on offensive combat, Sambo lacks in guards and leaves you open to attack. You won’t learn anything about chokeholds or how to restrain a larger opponent. All these drawbacks explain why the sport is still mainly practiced by the Russian military without getting traction outside its country of origin.
Points of Difference between Sambo and BJJ
If you have been following so far, you probably noticed the main points of difference between Sambo and BJJ. This goes beyond the mere origins of both sports. While Sambo focus on assault and making quick work of the fight, BJJ is all about assessing the opponent, looking for their weak and vulnerable spots and trying to restrain them.
Needless to say that each sport has something to offer that the other one lacks. But another glaring difference is how each sport was designed. While Sambo was mainly a way for the military to take down opponents by any means possible, BJJ is mainly a ring sport where you try to control the opponent and focus on self-defense.
The other difference is in the length of the fight. Sambo is very aggressive and with both fighters going at it with everything they got, the matches don’t often last long. Compare that with BJJ which is more subtle and you take your time to execute a technique that gives you an advantage and hope to score an ippon.
And let’s not forget that Sambo was a Russian sport with roots in military combat and whose aim is purely aggressive. It lacks groundwork focus and once you go off your feet, you’re doomed. It is effective against an armed opponent or a group of opponents. This is a far cry from BJJ which was developed in Brazil with self-defense in mind. Its groundwork techniques are admirable but leaves you defenseless against an armed opponent or if you face more than just one opponent.
Does this mean that cross-training is possible or even helpful? There’s no doubt about it. As a BJJ player, you will benefit from the offensive techniques that Sambo offers while Sambo players would find the groundwork and guard techniques extremely useful.