Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Officially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ)

Ground-based grappling martial art focused on submissions and positional control, developed by the Gracie family in Brazil from Japanese Judo and Ju-jutsu in the 1920s-30s.

📐mat / competition ring⏱~8 min🌤indoor

Photo · Wikipedia

What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a martial art and combat sport based on ground fighting (ne-waza) and submission grappling. It descends from Kodokan Judo, brought to Brazil in 1914 by Mitsuyo Maeda, and adapted by the Gracie family (Carlos, Helio, Rickson, Royce, Renzo). BJJ's core philosophy: a smaller, weaker person can defend themselves against a bigger, stronger opponent through leverage, technique, and proper positioning — especially by taking the fight to the ground where physical size matters less. Practitioners aim to control opponents and force submissions via joint locks (armbars, kimuras, heel hooks) or chokes (rear-naked, triangle, guillotine). BJJ gained global fame after Royce Gracie won the first UFC in 1993, defeating larger opponents by using BJJ. Today BJJ is essential to MMA and has its own vast sport-competition scene (IBJJF, ADCC, Polaris). Practitioners wear a kimono ('gi') or compete no-gi in rashguards and shorts. Belt system: white → blue → purple → brown → black (4-15+ years).

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Force opponent to tap out (submit) via joint lock or choke — win by submission. If no submission, win by points or referee decision.

Match structure

Match starts with competitors standing; grip fighting → takedown or pull guard → guard passing → dominant position → submission attempt. Points scored for takedowns, sweeps, guard pass, mount, back mount.

Rules

Basic rules

Tap out ends match
Physically tap opponent, mat, or verbally submit to end match — opponent releases immediately.
Legal submissions
Chokes (blood/air) and joint locks (arms, ankles at higher belts, knees at brown/black).
Points scoring (IBJJF)
Takedown = 2, sweep = 2, guard pass = 3, knee-on-belly = 2, mount = 4, back mount = 4.
Illegal at lower belts
White/blue/purple belts: no heel hooks, no neck cranks, no slams. Brown/black: mostly all submissions legal.
Time limits
Match ends at time; winner by points, advantage, or referee decision.
Weight classes + open
Rooster (57.5kg) to Ultra-heavyweight (100+kg); Open weight tournament separately.

Advanced rules

Advantages
Sub-point scoring for near-submissions or partially successful positions.
Overtime (ADCC/EBI)
3 rounds of alternating attack/defence from set positions until submission.
Guard pull vs takedown
Pulling guard is legal (voluntary bottom position); popular in sport BJJ, penalised in some rulesets.
Reaping (leg entanglement)
Rotating opponent's knee across your body's centreline — illegal below brown belt.
Slamming
Lifting and slamming opponent to escape submission — illegal (DQ).

Scoring

Points hierarchy: mount/back = 4, guard pass = 3, takedown/sweep/knee-on-belly = 2.

Action	Points
Mount	4
Back mount (with hooks)	4
Guard pass	3
Takedown	2
Sweep (from guard)	2
Knee-on-belly	2
Advantage	Sub-point tiebreaker
Submission	Match ends immediately

Win condition · Submission ends match. If no submission, highest points wins; then advantages; then referee decision.

Playing area

Called

mat / competition ring

Dimensions

IBJJF: 8×8 m combat area within 10×10 m mat.

Vinyl-covered dense foam mat (2-3 cm thick). Combat area marked; competitors start standing at centre.

Equipment

Gi (kimono)
Traditional judo-style uniform: heavy weave jacket, drawstring pants, and coloured belt indicating rank. Standardised by IBJJF (blue/black/white).
Rashguard + shorts (no-gi)
For submission grappling: rashguard (compression top) + shorts or spats, no gi.
Mouthguard
Recommended for competition.
Belt
White (beginner) → blue → purple → brown → black; each with 4 stripes.

Officiating

Referee on mat calls tap outs, scores positions, enforces rules. Table judges track points.

Central referee (on mat)
Table judges (scoring)
Chief judge (rulings)

Strategies

Position before submission
Advance to dominant position (mount, back) before attempting sub.
Guard as offensive base
Sweep or attack from guard rather than only defending.
Grip fighting
Control opponent's collar/sleeve grips to set up techniques.
Rest in dominant position
Use mount or back control to control tempo when tired.
Study submissions in sequences
Chain 2-3 submissions — force opponent to defend first, then attack second.

Terminology

Gi: Traditional cotton uniform: jacket, pants, belt.
No-gi: Grappling in rashguard and shorts, no jacket to grip.
Guard: Bottom position with legs controlling opponent (closed, open, half, spider, etc.).
Mount: Sitting on opponent's chest — dominant position, 4 points.
Back mount: Behind opponent with hooks in — best position, 4 points.
Sweep: Reversing from bottom (guard) to top position, 2 points.
Pass: Moving from opponent's guard to side/mount — 3 points.
Submission / Tap out: Forcing opponent to concede via lock/choke; tap 3× on opponent, mat, or verbal.
Rolling: Sparring session; live practice at gym.
Kimura / Armbar / Triangle / RNC / Guillotine: Named submission techniques.
Heel hook: Advanced leg lock — illegal at lower belts.
Berimbolo: Modern back-take technique from de la Riva guard.
Deep half: Half-guard variant used for sweeps.
Osoto-gari, single-leg, double-leg: Common takedowns borrowed from judo/wrestling.

Major competitions

IBJJF World Championship (Mundials)
annual · Long Beach, CA, USA · since 1996
IBJJF Pan-American Championship
annual · USA · since 1995
ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship
biennial · worldwide · since 1998
IBJJF European Open
annual · Lisbon, Portugal
Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship
annual · Abu Dhabi, UAE
IBJJF No-Gi World Championship
annual · Los Angeles, USA

Where it is played

Governing bodies

International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu FederationIBJJF
Founded 1994 · Rio de Janeiro / Los Angeles
Official site ↗
Confederação Brasileira de Jiu-Jitsu (CBJJ)
Founded 1993 · Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Official site ↗
ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club)
Founded 1998 · Abu Dhabi, UAE
Official site ↗
UAEJJF (UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation)
Founded 2012 · Abu Dhabi
Official site ↗

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Roger Gracie (Brazil) — 10× IBJJF World Champion; considered GOAT
Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida (Brazil) — 13× IBJJF World Champion in gi
Marcelo Garcia (Brazil) — 5× IBJJF World Champion; 5× ADCC Champion
Rickson Gracie (Brazil) — undefeated MMA/BJJ career; Gracie family patriarch
Royce Gracie (Brazil) — UFC 1, 2, 4 winner (1993-94); popularized BJJ globally
Kyra Gracie (Brazil) — 4× IBJJF World Champion; women's pioneer
Rafael Mendes (Brazil) — 5× IBJJF World Champion; 3× ADCC Champion
Bernardo Faria (Brazil) — 5× IBJJF World Champion
Beatriz Mesquita (Brazil) — 10× IBJJF Women's World Champion
Gordon Ryan (USA) — 4× ADCC Absolute Champion; considered no-gi GOAT
Craig Jones (Australia) — Top no-gi grappler; ADCC medallist
Meregali Nicholas (Brazil) — 4× IBJJF World Champion + 2× ADCC medallist

Records

Most IBJJF World Championships (male)
Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida — 13 (2022)
Most IBJJF World Championships (female)
Beatriz Mesquita — 10+ (2023)
Most ADCC Absolute titles
Gordon Ryan (USA) — 4 (2017, 2019, 2022, 2024) (2024)
First UFC BJJ champion
Royce Gracie — Won UFC 1, 2, 4 (1993-94) (1994)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Find IBJJF-affiliated academy
Trial class free; monthly ~$150-250.
2
Learn 5 fundamentals
Bridge, shrimp, upa escape, rear-naked choke defence, americana submission.
3
Start rolling (sparring)
Light rolling after 2-3 months of drilling.
4
Compete white belt
IBJJF Open in 3-6 months.

intermediate

1
Blue belt (2 years typical)
Coach promotes when technical + rolling ready.
2
Compete regularly
Sub-Only, IBJJF, Grappling Industries events.
3
Develop game
Specialise in guard style (spider, DLR, X, worm).

advanced

1
Purple / brown belt (4-8 years)
Advanced submissions and system integration.
2
Black belt (10+ years typical)
Coach and competition-ready at all levels.
3
ADCC / Worlds
Qualify via national championship pathway.

Frequently asked

How long does it take to earn a BJJ black belt?+

Typically 10-15 years of consistent training (3-5x/week). Some prodigies (Buchecha, Marcelo Garcia) earn it in 7-8 years. Black belt is not a beginning — it represents mastery.

What are the belt colors in BJJ?+

Adult: White → Blue → Purple → Brown → Black (with red-and-black coral belts at 6-7th degree and red belt at 9th degree).

Is BJJ practical for self-defence?+

Yes — ground control and submissions work in real fights. However, standing striking defence is limited without cross-training. Best combined with kickboxing/wrestling for MMA-style self-defence.

What's the difference between gi and no-gi?+

Gi: heavy uniform allows grip-based control and slower matches. No-gi: rashguard + shorts, faster pace, more leg locks, more takedowns similar to wrestling. Both use same core positional system.

Who is the greatest BJJ athlete?+

In gi: Marcus 'Buchecha' Almeida (13 IBJJF World Championships) or Roger Gracie (10 IBJJF + undefeated pass). No-gi: Gordon Ryan (4 ADCC Absolute, dominant era). Legendary: Rickson Gracie for undefeated career + family patriarch of Gracie BJJ.

How is BJJ different from Judo?+

BJJ evolved from Judo but focuses on ground fighting (ne-waza) with unlimited time to work submissions. Judo emphasises throws (nage-waza) with limited ground time. Rulesets are different; scoring, positions, and legal submissions vary.

Sources & provenance

Wikipedia — Brazilian jiu-jitsu— Wikipedia
IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation)— IBJJF
ADCC— ADCC

Last verified 2026-08-24.community