Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a martial art that was created by Carlos Gracie. Carlos took the art of Japanese Jiu-Jitsu and modified it to work for smaller men. The result was a powerful martial art that uses leverage and balance to allow a fighter to apply various joint locks and chokes to defeat his opponent. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu quietly flourished in Brazil until the arrival of the Ultimate Fighting Challenge in the U.S..
The UFC is a no holds barred fighting competition in which fighters may employ any art they choose in a attempt to defeat their opponent. After a few events it was obvious that Jiu-Jitsu was the art to win with. In fact to this day the fighter with the most wins ever in the UFC is Royce Gracie, a descendant of Carlos Gracie and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt.
Since its inception the UFC and its fighters have evolved. No longer can a fighter rely on one single martial art to make him a complete fighter. Competitors now mix various ground and stand up fighting methods to try and create the ultimate fighting system. One thing is still clear though, almost every fighter includes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in their training regimen and there has never been a champion that did not train it to some degree.
Jiu-Jitsu techniques in action
Jiu-Jitsu links