Submission grappling

Submission grappling, also called submission wrestling, submission fighting or simply grappling, is a combat sport built around ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that draws on several wrestling styles, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and it is practiced both as a competitive sport and as training for self-defence and mixed martial arts. Competitors try to control an opponent with joint locks, chokeholds and positional dominance. A match can be won by forcing a submission, usually a tap out, or on points for takedowns, reversals, guard passes and dominant positions, depending on the ruleset. Training usually combines technique drilling, live sparring known as rolling, and conditioning. Safety is stressed: athletes learn to recognize dangerous positions and submit early, and referees may stop a match when a competitor cannot defend. There is no universal ranking structure, though Brazilian jiu-jitsu uses colored belts. Its place in mixed martial arts, including promotions such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has raised its public profile.