Is MMA Good For Self Defense? | Explained

Having the ability to protect yourself is one of the biggest confidence boosters in the world.

There are many martial arts that you can learn to achieve this, but is MMA good for self defense?

In this page, we will explain.

Table of Contents

Is MMA Good For Self Defense?

MMA is one of the best things that a person can know when defending themselves. MMA is a mixture of several different martial arts, some including Wrestling, Boxing, Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu. Having the knowledge of these martial arts will allow you to be able to deal with an attacker in any situation, standing or on the ground.

mma submission

Is MMA Good in a Street Fight?

Before we begin, it's important to state that best way to dealing with a street fight is by avoiding it in the first place.

Street fights are very different from gym situations, as a gym is a controlled environment with rules, where anything goes in a street fight.

street

MMA can be useful to protect yourself in a street fight, but it should be used as a last resort, and you'll want to use it to disengage and get to safety.

The best self defense is the one where you are able to safely neutralize your opponent while enduring little to no harm.

A street fight can occur standing up, on the ground, or even clinched.

Having the knowledge of a variety of martial arts will help you understand what position you are in, and to make the right decision without panicking, in order to get to safety.

Jiu Jitsu in a Street Fight

Jiu Jitsu is one of the most effective martial arts in a street fight, as you'll be able to safely neutralize your opponent in a short period of time, while receiving little to no damage.

jiu jitsu choke street fight

However, it's important to know that in a street fight, there are no rules. There can be multiple attackers, attackers with weapons, and even slamming on concrete.

This means that in a street fight if you are ever in a situation where BJJ will need to be used, you will have to be hyper-aware of the situation that you are in.

If there are multiple attackers, you will want to disengage and run. If you decide to go to the ground with an opponent when there are multiple of them, it can lead you into a very dangerous situation that will be extremely difficult to get out of.

Jiu Jitsu in the Early Days of MMA

Jiu Jitsu was introduced into the Mixed Martial Arts world by Royce Gracie as he routinely dominated events by forcing giant and dangerous men much larger than him to submit.

When this first occurred, most of the fan base was not aware of what was happening, all that they knew is this guy in a uniform was tapping out these fighters who were knocking everyone else out prior to facing him.

This sparked massive interest in the sport, and now over 20 years later, it has become a base for MMA fighters.