Sparring in Other Martial Arts - Grappling Arts

Grappling Arts

Taekwondo is a stand-up fighting art. Taekwondo sparring takes place at punching or kicking range with very little close-in action. So, what does a Taekwondo fighter do when faced with a ground-fighting opponent, such a fighter trained in Brazilian-Jujitsu.

When Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) first began in 1993, Brazilian-Jujitsu practitioners dominated. In the UFC, two combatants are locked inside a padded and caged ring, and their attacks are limited by very few rules: no biting, eye gouging or groin strikes. To win, one combatant must force the other to submit, render him unconscious, or convince the referee to stop the contest. Nowadays, Brazilian-Jujitsu practitioners no longer dominate. One reason is because opponents have become familiar with their greatest strength: the guard. Also, opponents have trained to attack their major weaknesses: standup grappling and close-range striking.