Thursday, February 06, 2014

Why Sambo Works in MMA

Here's an entertaining and informative debate on the success of Sambo in mixed martial arts from the good folks over at Bloody Elbow.
"American MMA has recently seen an influx of Russian and Dagestani fighters with Sambo backgrounds, among other arts. Many are finding success quickly in the cage, adapting their skills from Sambo and Combat Sambo very quickly. So we posed a simple, if a little broad, question: why have Sambo fighters been so successful? What does Sambo or Combat Sambo give a prospective MMA fighter that other backgrounds do not?"
Sambo is one of jiu-jitsu's least known and most underappreciated cousins, as far as I'm concerned. And it's great to see the martial art gain traction in the world of MMA.

If you're new to Sambo (think Fedor), here's a highlight to get your curiosity piqued.