For a lot of people, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and MMA feel very similar, almost identical. That’s why it can be very important to figure out what makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu unique and to make the most out of this great sport. That does bring the question, what are the differences between MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu? Here you have a quick list with all the differences between these two.
What is MMA?
MMA stems from mixed martial arts. It basically combines multiple skills and disciplines within the martial arts genre. It also comes with a rather free rule set, since you can strike with all limbs. You can also use joint locks, do wrestling throws, strike grounded opponents and so on. But as we said, it combines a lot of different sports, which eventually managed to create a great sport on its own.
Another thing to consider about MMA is the fact that you can learn a lot of different skills. You will find ways to become very powerful in many different positions, and thus you will be a more rounded fighter. On top of that, you will get to improve your physique and enhance your conditioning as a whole. That’s great for your athletic abilities, but also your health as well.
However, the fact that you are working with multiple martial arts also means you’re not mastering any of them. Even the best people that perform MMA can be defeated by someone that’s specialized in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. That’s because MMA helps you train in multiple sports, but you’re not mastering them. Granted, you can specialize in the long run, and that can still be an amazing benefit at the end of the day.
MMA can be rather violent, just like any other combat sport. At the end of the day, it allows you to better protect yourself and deal with any attackers. You will be more confident in your skills, and you will find it easier to tackle even the most demanding situations.
What is Brazilian jiu-jitsu?
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a grappling-based martial art. The main focus here is to try and hinder the opponent either using a choke or a joint lock. At first, Brazilian jiu-jitsu was made for self-defense, and it would allow even a smaller person to take on a larger one with the right set of attacks.
Despite its name, Brazilian jiu-jitsu was imported from Japan, when Mitsuo Maeda came to Brazil during the 1920s. Then eventually, Carlos Gracie ended up evolving Brazilian jiu-jitsu into what it is today. It’s important to keep in mind that Brazilian jiu-jitsu uses a variety of elements from regular martial arts. For example, you have the belt ranking system, and you also have a uniform, which here is called a Gi or Kimono. It’s also grown a lot, and now it has its own competitive scene which is extremely powerful and highly efficient.
Unlike MMA, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is not as violent. The focus is on putting the opponent on the ground. It’s more tactical and it does require more focus from your side. But it also shows that even smaller people have the potential to keep larger opponents on the ground. It’s focused on grappling, and that does help you quite a lot. With that being said, it also helps prevent a lot of potential damage to the brain. Instead, you just want to pin the opponent and render him unable to stop.
Which is the better option?
It always depends on your goals and what kind of sport you like. For the most part, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is great if you want to just focus on self-defense and on not being violent. BJJ is great if you just want to survive in real-life altercations.
MMA on the other hand is also good because it brings ideas and tactics from other disciplines. Sometimes, borrowing elements from different styles will actually be very effective, so that’s certainly a thing you need to take into account. As a whole, we found Brazilian jiu-jitsu to be just as good as MMA, but use cases will differ. Yet they are both highly efficient and a great combat sport to try out.
One thing is certain, you do want to test them out for yourself and see what fits you the most. For a lot of people, MMA is more appealing because it allows you to learn tactics and strategies from a multitude of other sports. With that in mind, it certainly has its fair share of downsides. Brazilian jiu-jitsu on the other hand can help you become a master at grappling and putting people down during a fight. It excels when it comes to ground skills, something that you can also borrow and learn in MMA!
