Sambo
Самбо
AI-generated content — may contain inaccuracies
At a Glance
Who It's For
What You'll Learn
Explosive throwing techniques — broska (броска)
Leg lock entries and finishes — uderzhanie nog (удержание ног)
Ground control and pinning — uderzhanie (удержание)
Striking integration — boevoe sambo (боевое самбо, Combat Sambo)
Kurtka (куртка, jacket) grip fighting
Your First Class
Watch & Learn
Gallery
Legends of Sambo
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko dominated heavyweight MMA for nearly a decade with a stoic demeanor and devastating ground-and-pound. A Combat Sambo and Judo expert, his unbeaten streak across PRIDE and other organizations cemented his legacy as perhaps the greatest heavyweight MMA fighter in history.
Khabib Nurmagomedov (Хабиб Нурмагомедов)
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired undefeated at 29-0, one of the most dominant records in UFC history. His relentless grappling pressure, forged through Dagestani wrestling and Combat Sambo, overwhelmed every opponent he faced, including Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier.
Islam Makhachev (Ислам Махачев)
Islam Makhachev is a Combat Sambo World Champion and UFC Lightweight Champion who has continued the Dagestani grappling dynasty established by his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov. His suffocating wrestling-based style has made him one of the most dominant pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Vasili Oshchepkov (Василий Ощепков)
Vasili Oshchepkov studied Judo directly under Kanō in Japan, then returned to the Soviet Union and blended it with indigenous wrestling styles to co-create Sambo. He was executed during Stalin's purges and his contributions were erased for decades, only to be restored posthumously.
Related Styles
Judo
Judo (柔道, "the gentle way") was founded by Jigoro Kano in 1882. It is a throwing-dominant grappling art with groundwork — newaza (寝技). It has been an Olympic sport since 1964 and is practiced by millions worldwide.
Wrestling
Wrestling is one of the oldest combat sports, with Olympic roots dating to ancient Greek pankration (παγκράτιον) and wrestling events from 708 BC. Modern competitive wrestling includes Freestyle and Greco-Roman styles, emphasizing takedowns, control, and pinning.
MMA
Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) combines striking and grappling from multiple disciplines into a unified combat sport. Competitors fight using techniques from boxing, wrestling, BJJ, Muay Thai, and more.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — Jiu-Jitsu Brasileiro — is a grappling-based martial art focused on ground fighting and submission techniques. Developed by the Gracie family, it emphasizes that a smaller person can defeat a larger opponent using leverage and technique.
Popular With
Grappler
Position before submission.
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