Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and Judo are like the martial arts version of siblings. One is the older, wiser sibling (Judo), full of tradition and a bit more rigid with its rules. The other is the younger, more rebellious sibling (BJJ), who stays out late at submission grappling events, constantly trying to prove it can tap out anyone in the room. Both are incredible martial arts, but if you’re walking down the street in the USA today, you’re probably more likely to stumble upon a BJJ gym than a Judo dojo. Here’s why.
BJJ: The Flashy MMA Star
Let’s face it—BJJ owes a lot of its popularity to the rise of MMA. When Royce Gracie hit the scene in the early days of the UFC and started choking out guys twice his size, BJJ became the talk of the town. Fast forward to today, and if you tune into any UFC event, you’ll see fighters relying on BJJ to submit their opponents. This massive exposure has put BJJ gyms on the map, from big cities to small towns across the U.S. (Evolve MMA, 2023).
In many ways, BJJ rode the wave of MMA’s popularity. As more and more people got into UFC, the demand for BJJ schools skyrocketed. Now, it’s easier to find a BJJ gym than a Starbucks. And if you’ve ever met a BJJ practitioner, they’ll gladly tell you all about their latest rolling session, probably while casually applying a wrist lock on you as a demonstration.
Judo: The Respectable Elder Statesman
Judo, on the other hand, is the elder statesman of grappling martial arts. It’s been around longer, and frankly, it laid the groundwork for BJJ to even exist. Without Jigoro Kano’s Judo, we wouldn’t have all those fancy BJJ sweeps, submissions, or that moment when your training partner politely folds you into a human pretzel.
Judo has a rich tradition and remains hugely popular worldwide, especially in countries like Japan and France. In the U.S., however, Judo hasn’t quite caught the mainstream wave in the same way as BJJ. It’s not because Judo isn’t cool—throwing someone clean over your shoulder in a perfect ippon is definitely cool. But let’s be real, fewer MMA fighters are pulling off Olympic Judo throws compared to triangle chokes, so it just doesn’t get the same media coverage (FloGrappling, 2024).
The MMA Effect
A major reason BJJ has eclipsed Judo in popularity is its undeniable role in MMA. As BJJ became the go-to grappling art for many fighters, it gained an advantage that Judo hasn’t quite capitalized on. In MMA, it’s common to hear commentators talk about guard passes, triangles, and rear-naked chokes—but the Judo-specific terminology like O-goshi or Harai-goshi? Not so much (Jits Magazine, 2023).
That’s not to say Judo hasn’t had its moment in MMA. Ronda Rousey famously used Judo to dominate her opponents with slick armbar finishes and beautiful throws. But still, it seems BJJ has become the more commonly recognized grappling discipline in the U.S. because of its close connection with the UFC.
Community and Competition
Another reason BJJ thrives is its inclusive, community-driven approach. Walk into a BJJ gym, and you’ll see everyone from teenagers to retirees on the mats. BJJ schools focus on creating a family-like atmosphere where it’s common to train alongside people of all ages and skill levels. Combine that with the explosion of no-gi submission-only events like ADCC and Who’s Number One, and you’ve got a recipe for growth (ONE Championship, 2023).
Judo, while immensely respected and with a strong sense of tradition, tends to be more formal and competition-oriented. And let’s face it—getting thrown hard onto a mat doesn’t always appeal to the masses in the same way as slowly working towards a submission in BJJ. It’s like choosing between skydiving and chess—both are intense, but one is a bit more…gentle on the body.
The Friendly Feud
At the end of the day, BJJ wouldn’t exist without Judo, and they both complement each other perfectly. If you’re in the U.S., BJJ might be the martial art that you hear about more often, but Judo practitioners will quickly remind you where those slick submissions originally came from. And we can all agree that there’s room for both arts to thrive. After all, who wouldn’t want to throw someone in the air and choke them out when they land?
References
Evolve MMA. (2023). 20 best submission grapplers of the modern era you must know. Retrieved from https://www.evolve-mma.com
FloGrappling. (2024). Every ranked grappler participating at the 2024 ADCC World Championship. Retrieved from https://www.flograppling.com
Jits Magazine. (2023). 5 lessons we learned from the first Craig Jones Invitational. Retrieved from https://www.jitsmagazine.com
ONE Championship. (2023). Best submission grappler of 2023: Mikey Musumeci achieves global stardom with 4 legendary victories. Retrieved from https://www.onefc.com
