Whilst in recent years the UFC and other prominent North American MMA organisations have seen a significant shift away from their once heavier emphasis on grappling, the sheer number of submission only events around the world continues to grow. More and more martial artists are looking to hone their submission game and participate in submission only MMA competition, as opposed to more traditional points scoring competition.
It’s expected that submission only events will continue to grow rapidly in terms of popularity, a trend which is in line with the current increase in attention being given to the science of head trauma and concussions, particularly in the NFL. In terms of BJJ and other grappling style combat sports, supporters of submission only rules (which completely do away with the element of ‘points scoring’) cite its guarantee of a ‘true, undisputed winner’, there’s arguably no greater sign of superior fighting and dominance in a fight than making your opponent tap out cleanly to your submission. It takes more than one lucky shot to make your opponent submit, and fighters aren’t penalised for taking their time to work the perfect opening; whereas the points system credits each action individually and sometimes dictates the flow of matches. The points system can frustrate fighters and spectators alike, and many feel that in a sport such as Jiu Jitsu, submission only events truly reflect the inherent nature of the discipline - with regards to timing, patience and staying alert for that one moment to capitalise, by expertly applying leverage or unleashing an instance of explosive strength to clinch a fight.
Submission only events may well be for ‘purists’ of grappling events, and are excellent displays of true technical mastery, as well as both physical and mental fortitude. As we mentioned at the top of this post, submission only events are definitely on the rise, and with that in mind we’re going to look at a huge submission only event coming up this year.
Eddie Bravo Invitational 6
When - Sunday 24th, April
Where - Los Angeles, California
What’s up for grabs - Prestige and $50, 000
Your Thoughts
We’re eager to know how fight fans around the world feel about the increase in popularity of submission only events. Would you like to do away with points scoring completely? Should larger grappling organisations look to shift the balance away from point scoring, or are you happy with the way things currently are? Or is there something about the points scoring system that you’d hate to see gone from combat sports? Let us know your thoughts on these matters by leaving a comment below or getting in touch with us via our social media channels.
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