In the vast world of martial arts, some styles stand out not only for their history and tradition but also for their effectiveness in real combat situations, make no mistake, not all martial arts are created the same. These “complete” martial arts have been battle-tested and proven to deliver high success rates in various forms of competition, including mixed martial arts (MMA), self-defense scenarios, and even no-holds-barred environments like early Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) tournaments. In this blog, I’ll tell you about five of the most comprehensive martial arts systems: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), Sambo, Muay Thai, Wrestling, and Judo.
1. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)
Focus: Ground fighting, submissions, positional control
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gained global recognition during the early UFC tournaments, where smaller BJJ practitioners dominated larger opponents by using superior ground techniques. BJJ’s core principle is that a smaller, weaker person can effectively defend themselves by bringing the fight to the ground and using leverage and submissions (like chokes and joint locks) to neutralize an opponent. This makes it a powerful martial art for self-defense, particularly in real-world situations where fights often end up on the ground.
Why It’s Deadly:
In live practice, BJJ allows a practitioner to control, exhaust, and submit opponents with chokes or joint locks, making it highly effective against any martial arts style. Its emphasis on live sparring (rolling) ensures that techniques are tested under full resistance, creating confident and competent fighters. The ability to finish fights without relying on striking power makes BJJ especially dangerous against larger or stronger opponents BJJ has been heavily researched within the context of MMA and combat sports. Its efficiency in neutralizing larger opponents has been demonstrated through empirical evidence from competition results. As highlighted in multiple analyses of early UFC competitions, BJJ practitioners demonstrated a high submission finish rate against other martial arts. Research on grappling-based martial arts supports the claim that they offer superior control and positional advantage in one-on-one combat, particularly in unarmed self-defense scenarios
2. Sambo
Focus: Throws, joint locks, ground control, and striking
Developed in Russia, Sambo (an acronym for “self-defense without weapons”) blends elements of judo, wrestling, and striking to create a versatile martial art used by military and law enforcement. It focuses on effective takedowns, controlling the opponent on the ground, and finishing with joint locks or submissions. Combat Sambo, a variant used in MMA, incorporates striking along with the grappling, making it a complete system.
Why It’s Deadly:
Sambo practitioners excel at taking fights to the ground quickly using dynamic throws and trips, often finishing their opponents with rapid submissions or ground-and-pound. The seamless integration of grappling and striking makes Sambo fighters dangerous in multiple ranges of combat. Fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov have shown how Sambo’s control-based approach can overwhelm opponents in the UFC. Sambo’s effectiveness has been highlighted by the success of Combat Sambo champions transitioning into MMA. Sambo fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov have shown the effectiveness of its combination of throws, ground control, and submissions. Combat Sambo’s ability to combine grappling and striking provides a versatile toolkit for high-pressure combat situations. Nurmagomedov’s undefeated MMA record is often cited in combat sports analysis as proof of Sambo’s versatility.
3. Muay Thai
Focus: Striking (punches, kicks, elbows, knees), clinch work
Known as the “Art of Eight Limbs,” Muay Thai is the national sport of Thailand and one of the most effective striking arts in the world. It utilizes punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and clinching techniques to overwhelm opponents. Muay Thai fighters are also skilled at maintaining control in close-quarters combat, using their knees and elbows to deliver devastating blows.
Why It’s Deadly:
Muay Thai’s effectiveness lies in its powerful strikes and the use of elbows and knees, which are some of the hardest parts of the human body. Its clinch work also allows practitioners to control and punish opponents with knees to the body and head. In live practice, Muay Thai’s relentless focus on conditioning and full-contact sparring ensures that fighters are tough and well-prepared for real-life confrontations.Muay Thai has been extensively studied for its efficiency in striking-based combat. Research on striking martial arts, including biomechanical studies, reveals that Muay Thai practitioners generate some of the most powerful kicks and elbow strikes in combat sports. This, combined with clinch work, makes it one of the most lethal striking arts.
4. Wrestling
Focus: Takedowns, ground control, positional dominance
Wrestling is one of the oldest martial arts in the world and has been a foundational part of mixed martial arts (MMA). The primary focus of wrestling is on takedowns and controlling the opponent on the ground, preventing them from escaping or launching any offensive attacks. Collegiate and freestyle wrestling, in particular, emphasize positional control and the ability to dictate where the fight takes place.
Why It’s Deadly:
Wrestlers are experts at getting opponents to the ground and keeping them there. In MMA, this ability allows them to control the pace of the fight, neutralize strikers, and dominate grapplers. By consistently putting an opponent on their back and using ground-and-pound or maintaining positional control, wrestlers can impose their will on almost any other style. Wrestling’s dominance in MMA can be attributed to its ability to dictate where the fight takes place. Studies on fight outcome data in MMA highlight the high success rate of fighters with strong wrestling backgrounds, who control opponents with superior takedowns and ground control.
5. Judo
Focus: Throws, submissions, ground control
Judo, developed from traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, emphasizes throws, joint locks, and ground control. The sport is known for its high-amplitude throws, which can immediately incapacitate an opponent or transition the fight to the ground. Once on the ground, Judo practitioners use submissions or control techniques similar to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Why It’s Deadly:
Judo’s ability to slam an opponent to the ground with a throw gives it a unique advantage in live combat. A well-executed throw can end a fight instantly, and its ground game (referred to as “newaza”) offers effective finishing techniques. The art is highly effective in self-defense scenarios where fights may begin from a standing position but quickly end up on the ground. Judo’s throws are biomechanically devastating and can end a fight instantly. In-depth studies have shown that Judo’s emphasis on balance disruption, joint locks, and chokes creates a highly effective system. The transitions between throws and groundwork allow for immediate submissions or control.
The martial arts styles listed above have earned their reputations for being comprehensive and effective due to their well-rounded techniques, live sparring, and proven success rates in real combat situations. Whether on the ground or standing up, practitioners of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo, Muay Thai, Wrestling, and Judo have repeatedly shown the ability to dominate opponents across a wide range of martial arts backgrounds. When choosing a martial art for self-defense or competition, these styles stand out as some of the most complete systems available.
References;
Channarong, R. (2017). “The biomechanics of knee strikes in Muay Thai.” Journal of Sports Science. This article explores the devastating power of Muay Thai’s knee strikes in competition
Imamura, R. et al. (2008). “Effectiveness of judo techniques in MMA.” Sports Biomechanics Journal. This paper outlines the effectiveness of Judo techniques, particularly in transitions from standing to ground-based combat.
Kirk, C. et al. (2020). “Wrestling’s impact on fight outcomes in mixed martial arts.” Journal of Martial Arts Research. This research shows the correlation between wrestling and winning rates in MMA.
Lemke, T. (2020). Sambo: The Russian Martial Art of Self-Defense. This text details how Sambo’s techniques are designed for military and competitive use, emphasizing real-world combat efficiency.