Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is widely known as a grappling-dominant martial art, but the role of striking in BJJ has been a topic of debate for years. While most modern sport BJJ competitions prohibit strikes, BJJ’s roots in Vale Tudo (no-holds-barred fighting) and self-defense applications suggest that striking has a legitimate place in training.
In this blog, we’ll break down the relevance of striking in BJJ, how it can be trained effectively, and how to integrate it into your grappling without compromising your core BJJ skills.
1. The History of Striking in BJJ
Before BJJ became a sport, it was a self-defense system developed from Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. The Gracie family adapted it for real fights, including Vale Tudo matches, where strikes were allowed.
• Helio Gracie and Rickson Gracie trained for self-defense scenarios that included punches, elbows, and headbutts.
• Early UFC fights showcased BJJ’s effectiveness against strikers, but also highlighted the importance of dealing with strikes.
• Modern BJJ has split into sport-focused and self-defense-focused styles, with sport BJJ largely ignoring striking.
2. Why Striking Matters in BJJ
A. Self-Defense Applications
• In a real fight, you won’t be rolling under for a Berimbolo while your opponent is throwing punches.
• Knowing how to clinch, control, and close the distance against a striker is crucial.
• Many street fights involve wild punches, making takedowns and positional control key.
B. MMA & No-Gi Application
• If you want to transition to MMA, integrating striking into your grappling is a must.
• Strikes change the effectiveness of certain guards—open guard and half guard become much riskier.
• Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira have used BJJ effectively in MMA, but always with strikes in mind.
C. Reality Check for Sport BJJ Players
• Sport-based guards like De La Riva, X-Guard, and inverted guards can expose you to devastating ground-and-pound in a real fight.
• Wrestling-based BJJ tends to be more effective for dealing with strikes than pure guard play.
3. How to Train Striking for BJJ
If you’re a BJJ practitioner who wants to prepare for real-world applications or MMA, here are some ways to integrate striking into your training:
A. Position-Specific Drills
• Striking from the top of guard: Learn to maintain base while delivering effective strikes.
• Defending strikes from bottom guard: Work on clinching, controlling posture, and off-balancing your opponent.
• Standing grappling with strikes: Use clinch entries, footwork, and level changes to avoid getting hit.
B. Adding Light Striking to Rolling
• Use open-hand strikes (palm strikes) to simulate punches without injuries.
• Train ground-and-pound awareness by having a partner lightly strike while you defend or escape.
• Implement controlled striking rounds where one partner can punch and the other must work takedowns or positional control.
C. Cross-Training in Striking Arts
• Boxing & Muay Thai help improve head movement, striking defense, and footwork.
• Wrestling & Judo help develop a strong clinch game, crucial for dealing with strikes.
• Combat Jiu-Jitsu (Eddie Bravo’s format with palm strikes) is a great way to test grappling under striking conditions.
4. Best Positions for Striking in BJJ
If strikes are involved, some positions become much stronger while others become more dangerous:
Dominant Positions for Striking:
✅ Mount – Heavy top control, great for punches and elbows.
✅ Back Control – Strikes open up submission opportunities.
✅ Closed Guard (With Control) – Effective for sweeps and submissions while preventing posture.
Risky Positions Against Strikes:
❌ Half Guard (Without Underhook) – Leaves you open to ground-and-pound.
❌ Inverted Guard & Berimbolo – Extremely risky, exposes head to strikes.
❌ Open Guard (Without Control) – Opponent can easily pass and strike.
5. Striking in BJJ: Should It Be in Your Game?
• If your goal is self-defense or MMA, then integrating striking awareness is a must.
• If you’re focused purely on sport BJJ, striking won’t matter in competition but can still make your overall grappling more effective.
• Even if you never plan to fight, training to handle strikes improves your positional awareness and urgency in grappling.
Striking and BJJ were never meant to be separate. Whether you’re training for real-world situations, MMA, or just to round out your skill set, adding a striking element to your BJJ will make you a better martial artist.
