How To Do The Craig Jones Armbar (2nd Fastest ADCC Sub)

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Craig Jones had a good, almost great run at the 2022 ADCC, coming up short again in winning his division. He did get the second-fastest ADCC submission, though, by armbaring Joao Costa in his first match with his signature Choi Bar submission.

The Craig Jones Armbar From ADCC 2022

As Craig explains it himself, it turns out this armbar was an opportunistic submission that happened by chance. He was going for a submission win but thought leg locks were his best shot against Costa.

With Costa dropping his hips way back and weaving one arm in between Craigs’s legs he blocked Jones from entries into leg locks very effectively. Craig was never in danger of getting passed from that position, though. So, Jones went for his Choi Bar armlock, looking to illicit a reaction from Joao in pulling his arm back, so that Craig could invert into leg locks.

The Craig Jones armbar attack happened when Craig trapped Joao’s free arm with a palm-to-palm grip behind his elbow.

As Craig explains it, most people try to rotate the arm and pull it out, which is exactly what Jones was after, I border to get leg lock entries.

Costa, on the other hand, decided to try and pull the arm straight back, which only locked the palm-to-palm grip tighter on his elbow. As Craig attempted to throw his leg over the arm, in order to get to the arm saddle position and hunt for his Choi Bar or a straight armbar, he felt Joao’s elbow give way as a result of the pressure.

Lightning Fast ADCC subs

This Craig Jones Armbar was the second fastest submission (16 seconds) at the latest edition of the ADCC, with only Gordon Ryan’s 10-second heel hook victory vs. Roosevelt Sousa beating the Aussie.

Second place yet again for Craig Jones in both the ADCC podium and the quest for the fastest submission.

Which UFC Fighters Are BANNED From The Octagon?

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BJJ World

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After some of Conor McGregor’s well-documented antics, you wonder if the UFC fighters are immune from getting a ban to do their business in the octagon. As it stands, there is such a thing as a ban from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and there are 10 fighters that have been on the receiving end throughout the years.

10 UFC Fighters Banned For Life From The Octagon

While we feel this number should probably be more significant (again, McGregor’s bus attack brawling and all kinds of other antics), the current list of bans that the UFC has handed to fighters stand at ten. The following ten UFC fighters certainly derived getting cut, although, it seems, bans are almost completely a decision of Dana White (or USADA).

Paul Daley

Paul “Emtex” Daily is a British MMA fighter that fought in the UFC in the early 2010s. He started off good, and quickly got a match with Josh Koscheck who was a contender and a title challenger at the time.

The trash-talking of Koscheck, which went on even during the match, rattled Paul Daley so much, that after Koscheck outwrestled him to a decision, “Semtex” found it prudent to sucker punch Koscheck well after the bell rung.

That was all it took for Dana to ban him, which led Daley to a successful career in Bellator, but no chance of ever stepping back in the octagon.

Matt Riddle

Riddle was one of the most promising UFC fighters to come out of the Ultimate Fighter 7 series. His offense was that he got popped for marijuana several times, which led to an angry Dana White calling him a moron that couldn’t stay off it even when he knew testing was coming.

He was cut from the UFC and went on to have a successful WWE career instead.

Rousimar Palhares “Paul Harris”

A culprit well-known to our readers, Palhares was the original leg reaper that everyone feared. His technical knowledge of leg locks was above everyone at the time, but he had the unfortunate habit of holding on to submissions for too long.

One such offense came at UFC 111, where he earned a second-round submission victory over Tomasz Drwal, but ended up with a90 day suspension for holding on to the submission past the taps.

He did the same at UFC Fight Night: 29 after Mike Pierce tapped 8 times before Rousimar let go. He was immediately cut from the UFC and banned.

It turned out the UFC made a good decision there because he did the same thing in the World Series Of Fighting against Jake Shields later on.

Ruslan Magomedov

The Russian heavyweight could’ve been an early Dagestani celebrity before Khabib, but had several run-ins with USADA for the use of anabolic steroids. They got him suspended multiple times.

The final drop was Ruslan declining to provide a sample out of the competition. which earned him the first-ever USADA ban issued to UFC fighters.

War Machine

Johnathan Copenhaber si unfortunately more known for his actions outside the octagon, rather than in it. He fought just twice for the UFC before getting cut for turning down a fight and issuing insensitive comments about the tragic death of Evan Tanner.

The Ultimate Fighter 6 member then got charged with 29 felony counts over an assault on his girlfriend Christy Mack which ended with a 36-year prison sentence.

BJ Penn

A name who you might have thought should not be on this list, BJ Penn made headlines and broke records during his prime. Unfortunately, he did not know when to stop and went on a 7 fight-losing streak, before ending on the wrong side of a bar brawl that got recorded.

At that point, Dana White said “He is done, it’s a wrap”.

Randy Couture

Couture was a favorite of Dana White for a while and is the most decorated UFC champion to this day. he beat the who-is-who of UFC fighters in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Unfortunately, after retiring, he signed a contract with Spike, which brought about the anger of Dana White, because Spike was at the time in relation with Bellator, the UFC’s main competitor.

Dana banned Couture from cornering his son Ryan Couture in a UFC bout in 2013 and went on to say that Randy couldn’t even buy a ticket for the UFC if he wanted to.

Kalib Starnes

The Canadian Ultimate Fighter 3 cast member, looked to have a promising UFC career. However, his very first UFC bout earned him the nickname “running man” after he spent three rounds literally running away from his opponent Nate Quarry at UFC 38.

He was quickly removed from the UFC fighters roster after that, but went on to fight and had a solid career.

Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva was a scary fighter with a bright future but got derailed by domestic violence charges involving his estranged wife and coach Pablo Popovitch. Thiago was released and cleared f charges, and UFC re-hired him, only to let him go again when a video emerged from the original incident, clearly showing Thiago was at fault.

Jason “Mayhem” Miller

Already a hot head before coming to the UFC, known for appearing on Bully Beatdown, and an epic Strikeforce brawl with the Diaz brothers, Mayhem did not seem like he really had a place at the UFC.

He got a chance to coach at the Ultimate Fighter, losing to opposing coach Michael Bisping in the finale. He later lost to CB Dollwoay too, and WhIte let him go stating that the “clown was done for good at the UFC”. When asked to collaborate, Dana said “something happens backstage that I don’t want to talk about.”

Royler Gracie vs Black Belt Instructor Who Claimed He Developed Street Lethal Style

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BJJ World

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Royler Gracie vs Black Belt Instructor Who Claimed He Developed Street Lethal Style

In this video, we can see a Kenpo and Karate Black Belt instructor try his skills on Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and BJJ Legend Royler Gracie.

With 25 pounds disadvantage, Royler Gracie had no problems against Kenpo, Karate martial artist who claimed he developed street lethal style. As you can see Kenpo representative had no chance. Once he was taken to the ground he simply did not know what to do. Few hits and he’s reminded that limiting his training to only punching and kicking left him completely defenseless against the painful reality of ground fighting.

If you would like to see a Legendary Ricardo De la Riva competing against Royler Gracie in 1985 Check THIS LINK

Ricardo De La Riva vs Royler Gracie – 1985

How To Be Calm In BJJ Matches Like Gordon Ryan

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Ognen Dzabirski

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The one question people can’t get an answer to in regard to Gordon Ryan is not one about his technical abilities, but rather his calm and stoic demeanor during BJJ matches. The always-entertaining “Chewy” from Chewjitsu has some interesting thoughts and tactics on how you can replicate Gordon’s behavior.

Staying Calm In BJJ Matches Like Gordon Ryan

What usually happens in BJJ matches is that both people tend to go in strong, and move around and flail a lot more than they would in a roll. The only time this happens in a role lis when the training partner is spazzy. Following this train of thought leads us to conclude that in a match, both competitors start off spazzy.

The reason behind this behavior is mainly confidence and expectations. If one person moves more than the other, it doesn’t mean they’re achieving anything of note. It does prompt, the other person to try and match the intensity though, and people tense up as they try to do so.

This tension in the body leads to tunnel vision and oftentimes blocks the mind from being able to solve problems. Instead, you create more problems by forcing the one idea that you have in your tunnel vision at all costs. That just results in chaos, and as you scramble, the loop continues the moment you find yourself another target in your tunnel vision.

Now, look back to rolling when you and your training partner are both relaxed. The body still moves around and has a job to do, but your mind is not fixated on one idea, and stressing over it, but instead works analytically, trying to solve problems.

A relaxed mind solves problems better than a tense one, and that is exactly what Gordon does in his BJJ matches. No matter what the opponent does, Ryan does not try to match his pace but rather imposes his own slow and methodical pace on the match. Why? because he is calm and confident that the spazzy motions of the other person do not mean the other person is achieving anything worthwhile.

You Fight Like You Train

Being able to calm your mind in BJJ matches is a skill you will need to practice. Rolling offers the best way to do it, but you will need to address it specifically.

One thing is to start recognizing when you anger up and start forcing things, and try to figure out why you respond like this. It may the other person picks the pace up accidentally elbowed you in the face, or even you being too stubborn on making one single move work.

Once you can recognize your triggers, you can prepare to deal with them, by employing a self-awareness that will help you calm your mind.

There are different things you can do, from analyzing tape of how you roll and trying to recall how you felt and what you thought at the moment, to breathing exercises that will relax you.

“Chewy” shares an exercise called the physiological sigh which consists of two rapid inhales through the nose followed by a sigh through the mouth. It calms anxiety down and is perfect to use in high-stress situations like BJJ matches

Of course, if you want to emulate Gordon you’ll also have to work on your poker face too, as well as smile more during fights and rolls.

Hasbulla “Officially” Signs For The UFC

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Ognen Dzabirski

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Hasbulla Magomedov has signed an actual UFC contract! The 19-year-old Dagestani Russian with Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD), more commonly known as dwarfism, who went viral demanding a UFC contract to find out who the toughest little person is, finally got what he asked for.

Hasbulla Is In The UFC

“Mini Khabib”, as Hasbulla is known after recreating Khabib Nurmagomedov ‘s UFC 229 weigh-in, is an internet sensation, mostly on TikTok and Instagram. Hizbullah’s recreation of the weigh-in, the fact that he is friends with Khabib Nurmagomedov, and his callouts and online trash-talking wars with Abdu Rozik (who also has dwarfism) and Connor McGregor have made the Dagestani an internet celebrity.

Currently, training MMA, Hasbulla asked Dana White for a contract, claiming he was the GOAT. This got Dana to respond and led to Hasbulla becoming even more famous.

It seems, however, that Hasbulla has now finally gotten his UFC contract.

“The rumors are true. I have officially signed a deal to fight in the UFC! Details will be revealed by the end of the year.

Thank you to UFC, Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Surkhay Sungurov, Justin Ozuna, and everyone who helped make this dream become a reality.
All my fans will be able to buy a Hasbulla fight kit soon on UFC.com and hasbulla.com,” wrote Hasbulla on his Instagram account.

Seeing as Magomedov is a known internet troll, everyone is taking his announcement with a large grain of salt. The UFC, however, seems to confirm it by posting “the GOAT has signed, the UFC is not ready” via the UFC on BT Sport Twitter.

The 🐐 has signed!

The UFC is not ready 😳😂

📸: Hasbulla Magomedov pic.twitter.com/nE1aae3vQa

— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 13, 2022

Who Will Hasbulla Fight?

Given that Hasbulla’s condition leaves him standing at 3 feet 3 inches and weighing in at around 40 pounds, there is no division in the UFC where he could realistically fight.

If a fight for Hasbulla was ever to materialize, it would probably be under special rules, and most likely an exhibition match more geared towards grappling. Even though Hasbulla is rumored to train, it is entirely doubtful he will get a real MMA bout.

We should also keep in mind that this might just be a promotion stunt to help Magomedov sell his Reebok fight kit. It is more likely that he will have a promotional part to play in the UFC. He will be in Islam Mahkachev’s corner this weekend alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov.

The world of MMA took the news as a shock, with many fighters surprised at how Hasbulla’s contract could materialize.

For now, we’ll just have to sit and wait for some more clarity on the subject.

Mikey Musumeci Gets Sambo Match Challenge Answer

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Ognen Dzabirski

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A couple of weeks ago, Mikey Musumeci issued a “challenge” to the Sambo world champion for a grappling match. Now, there is an answer to Mikey, from the number 1 ranked Sambo competitor, Taylor Weber. We would definitely want to see this match!

The Mikey Musumeci Challenge

Mikey Musumeci is such a nice guy that he made more of a polite request than a challenge if we’re being honest. However, after winning the flyweight ONE Championship submission grappling title, Mikey did issue a challenge to the Sambo world champion (in his weight class) for a potential style vs. style grappling match.

In the video, Mikey quotes Khabib saying “If Sambo was easy it would be called Jiu-Jitsu”. He goes on to say that there should be BJJ vs. Sambo matchups and offers to start himself, by fighting the Sambo world champion in his weight class in order to determine which is superior in the submission grappling format.

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Taylor Weber’s Response

Not long after Mikey’s challenge/request, a Sambo practitioner by the name of Taylor Weber responded via a video. Taylor is the Pan American 64kg sport Sambo Champion and ranked as the number 1 in the world at 64 kg. Curiously, he shares the number 1 ranking with two other people, but that is beside the point.

Taylor’s response would’ve gone largely unnoticed if it wasn’t for Chael Sonne, who pointed out that there is an answer in an episode of “Beyond The Fight“.

In the response video, Taylor quotes his accomplishments and asks Mikey Musumeci for the when and where, after they discuss the ruleset.

BJJ vs. Sambo

The rulesets of Sambo and BJJ are quite different, so Taylor’s request is a legitimate one. Mikey is proficient at both Gi and No-Gi, whereas in Sambo athletes wear only a Gi jacket and shorts. Things like attire, illegal moves, etc would definitely have to be worked out as Sambo, for example, does not allow choke holds.

That said, there is an exciting similar matchup happening in One, with Kade Ruotolo facing Sambo (and Judo) champion Uali Kurzhev in a battle for the inaugural One Championship Lightweight submission grappling title next weekend (October 21).

Another BJJ World Champion Shot And Killed In Brazil

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Ognen Dzabirski

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Thaynã Higor BJJ World Champion Shot In Brazil

Thaynã Higor, a thee times Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion was shot and killed two days ago in Sao Paolo Brazil, in what seems to be a random assault. He was shot in the head while standing outside a Sao Paolo restaurant. His murderer was later arrested by the police. This is the second time in two months we’re witnessing a BJJ World Champion shot and killed in Brazil.

Who Was Thaynã Higor?

Thaynã Higor was a 25-year-old para-athlete who was very active on the BJJ scene and won the “Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Confederation of Parasports” Worlds three times as a black belt. Higor also competed under the “Abu Dhabi World Festival Para Jiu-Jitsu” winning a couple of titles, as well as in regular BJJ tournaments.

His left hand was underdeveloped as a result of a birthing mistake (brachial plexus injury), which left him without the full use of that limb. This, however, did not stop the young champion to excel at grappling, both competing and teaching. HE started training in 2010 and competed in regular tournaments until 2014 when the first para-athlete BJJ tournaments started taking place in Brazil.

Another BJJ World Champion Shot

As per Globo News, on the night of the tragic incident, Thaynã was waiting for his ride in front of a restaurant, standing on the sidewalk. He was approached by the perpetrator and shot in the head from point-blank range without any warning. Higor died on the spot.

The perpetrator then went inside a restaurant and shot and killed another man in what seemed to be a random act of violence.

Locals managed to chase the attacker who turned the entire ordeal into a hostage situation before the military police managed to arrest him. He did not harm anyone else apart from Igor and the man at the restaurant.

The entire incident was caught on the surveillance camera of the restaurant where Higor was standing.

You can see the disturbing video of the incident HERE

Is Brazil Safe?

Brazil was never known for being a particularly safe spot, especially in certain areas in certain towns. However, this is the second time in two months that we saw a BJJ World Champion shot in the head, with the first case being the tragic nightclub shooting and death of the beloved Leandro Lo. What is going on in Brazil?

Kade Ruotolo: Gordon Ryan Can’t Heel Hook Me!

By

Ognen Dzabirski

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Kade Ruotolo Gordon Ryan Can't heel Hook Me

Newly crowned ADCC champion Kade Ruotolo recently had an interview about his upcoming match in ONE and declared, among other things, that he does not think that Gordon Ryan will be able to heel hook him if they rolled.

Ruotolo Confident In His Leg Lock Game

The youngest ever ADCC champion (19 years old) who won the -77 kg division is about to have a title shot at the inaugural lightweight ONE submission grappling title. After a flawless performance on the ADCC mats, with four submissions (two chokes and two leg locks) it is safe to say that the young ATOS prodigy is flying high on success.

In an interview with ONE Championship Kade stated “Personally, I’m very confident in my leg locks and my counter abilities, and I don’t think anyone can really leg lock us out there. At least heel hook us out there, for sure. You know, even if I were to roll with Gordon [Ryan], I don’t think he can heel hook me. So mentally, I feel very confident in my heel hook defense. You know, there are other leg locks out there that you can always catch people with. But I’m ready for it. And I think I’ll get the better of it.”

His confidence is going to be put to the test soon, although not by Ryan himself. Kade Ruotolo’s next match is going to be a representation of BJJ vs. Sambo.

Kade Ruotolo vs. Uali Kurzhev

The person Kade Ruotolo will have to overcome in order to win the inaugural ONE submission grappling lightweight title is Uali Kurzhev, a four-time Sambo World Champion and International Judo Federation Grand Slam and Grand Prix Champion.

Apart from a very entertaining clash of styles, the matchup will definitely test young Ruotolo’s skills against a very experienced grappler who is bound to have an unorthodox submission game, at least under BJJ standards. In fact, Kurzhev is famous for being a leg lock specialist in an art that specializes in leg locks, so Kade’s defensive leg lock game will definitely be put to the test.

Kade Ruotolo does not seem phased at all, although he clearly expects his opponent’s background and relishes the new challenge, according to his statement for ONE:

“And, of course, Sambo guys are tricky. They do some things more. A lot more straight ankle locks, toeholds, kneebars, and things like that. Not as many heel hooks, but they do dabble with them. So I’m very excited to see what he throws at me…”

The inaugural ONE lightweight submission grappling world title match between Kade Ruotolo and Uali Kurzhev will take place on ONE on Prime Video 3 on October 21.

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A post shared by Kade & Tye Ruotolo (@ruotolobrothersjiujitsu)

“Tough” Guys Challenge Pro Fighters And Get Beaten Up

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Ognen Dzabirski

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It is always fun to see how people think that they can fight when they actually can’t Well it is fun for the trained fighters and everyone watching except the idiots who thought they could fight, and not just fight, but challenge professionals. Here are 5 times when guys challenge pro fighters and end up paying for it dearly.

When Guys Think Real Fighting Is Easy

Watching the UFC or ADCC on your screen seems very easy. So does football or baseball, but if you’re out there on the field you’d get crushed.

However, when it comes to fighting, people somehow assume they are competent to fight. This is particularly true for guys, who oftentimes see themselves as unbeatable… when they are daydreaming.

There have been multiple instances of people challenging professional fighters, whether seriously or for the fun of it, and got way more than they bargained for. Looking at some of those “matches” will brighten your da, especially if you are a martial artist.

What Happens When Regular Guys Challenge Pro Fighters

You probably already know what happens, but it is still fun to see these guys challenge pro fighters and think they have a chance in hell of achieving anything against them, let alone beating them.

Street Fighter vs. Lorenzo Trevino (Boxing)

Let’s start with Lorenzo Trevino, a professional boxer and MMA fighter, and the “notorious” street fighter who decided to put gloves on and challenge him to a boxing match.

The street fighter was lucky that Lorenzo did not go all-out on him, although, to be honest, Trevino did not pull many punches when teaching this guy a very valuable lesson as he picked him apart.

Soldier vs. Carlos Condit (MMA)

While this was done in a good-hearted fashion, as part of support for the troops overseas, it still proves that whenever guys challenge pro fighters it does not end well for them. Fighters do that for a living, and a then-in-prime Carlos Condit is a great example.

When overseas to support the troops, a soldier challenged Condit to a match, and Condit gave him a way out, allowing him to “hit as hard as he was ready to get hit”.

The soldier threw a hard right hand quickly, which prompted Condit to respond in a way you’d expect from a pro fighter. Condit methodically destroyed the soldier with body shots, hooks to the head, and a signature high kick that really rocked the poor fellow.

The best part? He sent him to the floor with a right hand, exactly how the soldier started the entire exchange.

Reporter vs. Alastair Overeem (Grappling)

During his prime, even pro fighters were afraid of “The Reem”, let alone your regular Joe. One reporter, however, thought about mock-challenging him to a grappling match, which did not go the way he planned.

He not only lost the grappling portion but also ate some punches, since Alastair already had gloves on and well, you can’t really tell him not to throw punches if he wants to, can you?

The reporter lunged for an Ouchi Gari, which the Reem stuffed easily, before rag-dolling the poor guy a bit and teasing him with a few body shots that led to a front headlock trip for Overeem and a very dazed and confused reporter on the mats.

Fear Factor Guy vs. Joe Rogan (Grappling)

Joe Rogan might not be an MMA fighter, but he was a kickboxing and Taekwondo fighter and is a legit BJJ black belt. When he hosted the Fear Factor, Joe often times came into situations where guys talked smack at him, but only had to physically react once.

It was when an angry husband tried to lunge at him because Joe called him and his wife out for dumb behavior. Rogan simply collar-tied the guy, keeping his posture broken to diffuse the situation. He could’ve (if he wanted to), thrown the guy around, choke him out or just knee him to the face.

Cool move, Joe.

Comedy Store Guy vs. Joe Rogan (Street altercation)

Speaking of Joe Rogan, he features twice in situations where random “tough “ guys challenge pro fighters.

This one is outside the Comedy Store and is a real-life situation. The guy and Joe have a discussion that turns physical when the guy puts his hands on Joe. Joe warns him not to, and the second time he does it, Joe does a lightning-quick snap down into a front headlock and gets the guy to tap to a standing guillotine choke.

They seem to go on with their discussion afterward.

Conclusion

People wouldn’t challenge pro football players to a showdown in most cases, so when guys challenge pro fighters to a match, which is essentially a fight, it makes you wonder what they’re thinking about. Whatever it is, it ends in one way only, which is quite entraining for all of us watching.

What Are The 3 Effective Martial Arts That Really Work?

By

Ognen Dzabirski

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What are the 3 most effective martial arts that will actually save your behind? Well, they are more of fighting styles rather than martial arts but are by far the most effective ones to help you survive: Kickboxing, Wrestling, and Grappling.

The main reason why they can help save you? They work against trained opponents just as well as against non-trained ones.

What Can You Do To Effectively Defend Yourself?

What exactly is self-defense? Let’s define it like this: if you can get out of a potentially violent situation without any harm done to yourself, you’ve excelled at self-defense. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

So when a situation does get violent, which martial arts will actually help you defend with minimal damage and get to safety, rather than hoaxing you in a false sense of security?

These are the arts (or sports if you will) that help you easily dispose of people who have no martial arts experience at all. They are also the ones that help you deal with trained martial artists by using the same principles that you would against non-trained assailants.

The ability to deal with trained people is what makes the difference when we’re deciding whether or not a martial art is effective.

What you want is to get good at fighting quickly, rather than spend years trying to perfect “if this than that” responses to specific attacks.

Naturally, the martial arts that use chaos training (live, unscripted sparring) like kickboxing, wrestling, and grappling are the best choices.

Fighting Styles vs. Martial Arts

There is an argument to be made that the following three are more fighting styles than martial arts. They are, however, sports, that is for certain, with one of them (wrestling) being an established Olympic sport.

So, let’s take a look at the three martial arts you can bet will get you out of a tight spot:

Kickboxing

Most violent encounters begin with striking. Being comfortable in a situation where somebody is throwing punches at the very least, or, more realistically, kicks, elbows, knees, etc as well, is a big advantage in a street fight.

Once you understand that a punch won’t kill you (like in the movies) and you are at ease to trade and control the exchanges (which you do every time you spar), you’ll never panic if you have to use your skills in a real-life situation.

The downside is that you can easily injure your wrists and hands when you punch, particularly without wraps and gloves.

Wrestling

A very, very good option for self-defense is knowing how to wrestle. This involves not just ways to slam somebody on the ground, which most people think of when wrestling is mentioned. In fact, it is more about controlling the distance, and being able to manhandle anyone from a standing clinching position.

Also, knowing how to land safely on the ground makes the world of difference if you’re ever caught off guard. Once again, sparring instincts kick in when you’ve been trained in martial arts that use chaos training.

Grappling

Grappling is the ability to control somebody on the ground, and execute joint locks and/or chokes. BJJ is the best example, as it will prepare you for combat involving any type of attire (Gi/No-Gi).

It doesn’t get more chaotic in training than during grappling, where every round of sparring brings something else. The pressure of being crushed under people and tangled up in weird positions will give you a calm of mind that will help you stay cool in a real-life situation and easily deal even with opponents that are trained in the same art, or other martial arts.

What Makes These The Best Martial Arts?

A great example of what makes an effective martial art is looking at MMA. When you see people pull off flying spinning kicks or flying submissions, you should take a step back and not reach the conclusion as to whether or not a move worked in a specific fight is the same as an entire martial art is effective.

There have been a few capoeira knockouts in MMA, sure, but those do not make capoeira an effective martial art for self-defense. Simply put if at least 80% of the fighters cannot execute the same moves with the same outcome, then it is not an effective move from an effective martial art, but rather a wild card move for a very specific fighter with very sophisticated skills.

What works is not the same as what you can pull off under certain circumstances, so when you’re wondering what are the best martial arts to train for self-defense, don’t look further than Kickboxing, Wrestling, or Grappling.

Conclusion

The ideal scenario here would be that you train in all three equally, which would translate to you doing MMA. However, striking is not for some people, while grappling or wrestling might not be for others. Getting sufficient training (more than3-4 months) in any of these and doing regular sparring will keep you safe regardless of who comes at you in the streets. As long as it is a one-on-one situation. And there are no weapons. And…. well, you get the point.