Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most popular martial arts in the world today. The ground based fighting style is a must-know for every MMA fighter but how effective is Jiu-Jitsu in a street fight?
BJJ in a Street Fight
Jiu-Jitsu is extremely useful in a street fight for lots of reasons but there is a catch. While it’s useful in one-on-one situations, it’s not very practical when faced with multiple attackers.
This is because it’s a ground based fighting system. Being on the ground against multiple attackers who are standing up doesn’t bode well, no matter how skilled the Jiu-Jitsu practitioner may be. Boxing or Muay Thai is much more suitable for instances where multiple attackers are involved.
Why Jiu-Jitsu is good in a street fight
As we’ve said previously, Jiu-Jitsu definitely has it’s advantages in a street fight. In one-on-one scenarios, a non-trained attacker stands virtually no chance against a skilled BJJ practitioner. This is provided there are no weapons involved.
The benefits of Jiu-Jitsu in a street fight are:
- Most street fights are scrappy and end up on the ground. Exactly where a BJJ practitioner wants to be.
- BJJ practitioners are excellent at keeping calm in street fight situations due to their training.
- Jiu-Jitsu allows the user to control his opponent in frantic situations. Allowing them to cause as much or little damage as required.
- BJJ trained athletes are generally fit from training and have good cardio meaning they will not exhaust themselves easily.
- Jiu-Jitsu has the power to end a fight without causing much long term damage to an opponent as it doesn’t involve strikes. All the while still allowing the BJJ artist to dominate his opponent.
Why Jiu-Jitsu is bad in a street fight
While all the benefits of Jiu-Jitsu above are entirely valid, there are instances where the martial art is not as useful. For example:
- BJJ is only designed to control one opponent at a time.
- Jiu-Jitsu fighters are conditioned to want a fight to take place on the ground, leaving the practitioner without a good sense of their surroundings.
- Other martial arts like boxing or Muay Thai are much more effective when dealing with multiple attackers.
Conclusion
So is Jiu-Jitsu effective in a street fight? The answer is yes but primarily only in one-on-one situations. But it’s certainly better to know than not know. Learning any martial art is never a bad thing.
