Is BJJ Still Relevant in MMA Today?
A lot of people say that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is out of date in the fast-paced world of Mixed Martial Arts. They say that striking and wrestling have taken over BJJ as the most important parts of elite MMA performance. But this is not true at all.
BJJ has only changed over time. It is still an important part of modern MMA strategy. This article shows that BJJ is still important in MMA by using real-life instances, fighter statistics, and submission data.
From Royce Gracie to Modern Champions
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu became very popular in the early days of the UFC. Fans were stunned by Royce Gracie’s performance in UFC 1 (1993). He used clean jiu-jitsu to submit opponents who were bigger and stronger.
This made fighters slowly modify how they engaged in combat. Mixed martial arts started as a style-vs-style fight and has since become a sport that combines many styles. BJJ became non-negotiable and has evolved over the course of time. Today’s athletes mostly train no-gi and gi both with a lot of focus on scrambles, transitions, and real-time control.
BJJ in Modern MMA: By the Numbers
How Many MMA Fights End in Submission?
Recent analysis shows that about 18% of fights finish in submission. The most common finishes are rear-naked chokes, guillotines, and armbars.
There have been more than 500 finishes in UFC history with the rear-naked choke. The guillotine choke has finished 250+ fights, and the armbar has ended about 200.
Are BJJ Fighters Still Headlining UFC Events?
Yes. More than 27% of UFC main events are headlined by BJJ black belts. BJJ is not just surviving; it’s doing very well at the highest level.
Is BJJ Training Still Growing Globally?
There are approximately 6 million people who practice BJJ around the world, and the number of BJJ schools have gone up by over 150% in the last ten years.
This rise includes people who do it for fun, people who want to compete, and MMA fighters who want to improve their ground game.
Why BJJ Still Works in MMA Today
BJJ remains highly effective in MMA because it emphasizes control, adaptability, and constant pressure. Fighters use jiu-jitsu not just to finish opponents but to control rounds and dictate the pace, often neutralizing aggressive strikers or dominant wrestlers who lack an understanding of guard, mount, or back control. Modern BJJ has evolved to match the speed of MMA, blending wrestling takedowns with front chokes, transitions, and leg entanglements to create a fast, fluid, and unpredictable ground game. Even when submissions don’t result in a finish, the threat forces movement, opens opportunities for strikes, and creates positional advantages, making BJJ a strategic weapon at every level of the sport.
The Hybrid Era
In today’s MMA world, competitors who are one-dimensional aren’t rewarded well. The best athletes today use Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and striking to build styles that are fluid and adjustable.
Islam Makhachev and Aljamain Sterling are two fighters that show how this has changed. Makhachev uses strong wrestling and tight submissions, whereas Sterling uses takedown entrances to link rear-naked chokes and positional dominance. Their games keep their opponents on their toes, wondering if they will go for just a takedown, perhaps a choke, or even ground-and-pound.
To stay effective, even top strikers like Sean O’Malley and Max Holloway train in BJJ. O’Malley uses it to stop takedowns and get back on his feet, while Holloway uses his knowledge of positions to stay out of submissions and control transitions.
In MMA nowadays, being able to do a lot of different things is what makes you successful. BJJ isn’t old-fashioned; it’s an important part of the puzzle. When used with wrestling and striking, it helps fighters keep control, find openings, spears, and finish fights. This is the hybrid era, a nd BJJ is still at its core.
Addressing the “Obsolete” Argument
Claims that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is no longer relevant frequently originate from a limited perspective. Although there are fewer submissions from closed guard, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has adapted to today’s mixed martial arts.
For the purpose of securing victories, fighters are now concentrating on back control, leg locks, arm triangles, and dynamic scrambles. Despite the fact that they do not always finish, positional dominance has an effect on the judges and determines the tempo of the fight.
Control and transitions are prioritized over showy finishes in BJJ, which means that the sport is not dead but rather smarter and more strategic. It continues to be an essential component of the ever-changing environment of mixed martial arts.
Conclusion
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in MMA isn’t just a set of moves; it’s a way of thinking about control, leverage, and being able to change. It’s about being able to flow like water, In the world of mixed martial arts, which is always changing, BJJ teaches us that success isn’t only about physical strength or one-dimensional power. It’s not about that; it’s about timing, patience, and the fine line between offence and defense.
Even while the game changes and competitors use wrestling, striking, and grappling in new ways, the basic ideas of BJJ, using skill instead of strength, finding gaps amid chaos, and staying calm under pressure will always be true. It reminds us that true mastery comes from always learning and growing, not from sticking to old rules.
If you say that BJJ is no longer useful in MMA, you are missing the deeper philosophy it provides to the sport. It changes with the times, yet it never loses its essence. In this mixed martial arts era, BJJ is more than just useful; it’s necessary. It shows how powerful technique, strategy, and the human spirit can be in a fight.
