Uechi-Ryu.com

Just being curious here, but every once and a while, I get mail at the dojo about a jujitsu tournament being held someplace (usually a little too far for me to travel to). UFC and others notwithstanding, what are the rules to a jujitsu tournament? I find it difficult to imagine, since my goal in jujitsu is to ultimately break something. It would seem to me that it would be nothing more than a watered-down judo match.

I'm not putting anyone down, I'm simply curious about what is involved in a tourney like this.

Anyone?

mike

Hi Mike,
Each tournament differs a little but typically weight categories are usually about 15 pounds.

Competitors begin standing on an open, padded mat surface. Blue belt matches are typically 4 to 6 minutes long; higher ranks may be longer. Straight ankle and knee locks are usually allowed, but twisting ones are not.

Any submission (tap out by competitor) ends the match with a winner. If time expires and no submission has occurred, then the competitor who has earned the most points wins. If time has expired and points are even, then it is a referee's decision, based on typical elements such as aggressiveness, control of the fight, minor progress, etc. Techniques which earn points are:

2 points. Takedown from standing
2 points. Knee-on-stomach position
2 points. Scissor, sweep, or flip, using legs (from bottom position to top)
3 points. Passing the guard
4 points. Mount
4 points. Mount on back (with leg hooks in)

Note in particular that no points are given for reversals, e.g. escaping from the bottom of the mount. Also, not all tournaments award points for sweeps, but as I mentioned already, it depends on the tournament.

good training,
Joe

Mike,

I forgot to mention that the above is for the typical BJJ tournament. Some people will state that a BJJ tournament is watered down Judo.

Historically, according to Ippon Book masterclass series book "Osaekomi" by Kashiwazaki.
"During the first three decades of the 20th century, the emphasis in judo leaned towards throwing techniques. But this changed after 1914 when the all Japan Special High Schools championships started at Kyoto Imperial University. This is called Kosen Judo. The practitioners of Kosen Judo put the emphasis on newaza in their Judo. The students researched, developed, and polished their newaza techniques. While the Kodokan and the Budo Virtue Foundation (Butokukai) put their emphasis on nagewaza, the Kosen students made a lot of progress in their research of Newaza." Further, "Kosen Judo followed its own course outside the mainstream of international judo. In the early days of Judo in Japan, it was recognized that there was too much newaza – fighters used to pull their opponents straight to the ground. In 1925, the rules were changed and it was stipulated that techniques had to start from tachi-waza. If you pulled your opponent down to the ground more than three times your opponent was declared the winner. This was an attempt to prevent newaza only judo." Many people will state that BJJ is extremely similar to Kosen Judo, specifically because of the newaza emphasis.

I understand that there's the 7 University tournament in Japan every year that still that follows the Kosen Judo rules. I've seen some on tape, and it looks a lot like BJJ to me.

Also, there's a United States Jiu-Jitsu Association that has a sports Jiu-Jitsu tournament. I believe the gentleman's name is Boggs that's the head of the association. I believe that their tournament has more of a mix of striking and throwing and less time in newaza.

You should check some tournaments out. It's pretty tough to get Juji-gatame or any choking technique on an opponent that is skilled in Jiu-Jitsu. Especially, if you can't set it up with a strike initially. Very few matches end in submission (the theoritical bone break or choke unconscious). There's a tournament on 10/1 at Acton High School with BJJ rules. If nothing else, you'll see some decent newaza.

good training,
Joe

Joe,

Thanks a bunch for all the good information. I'll try to make it up to the Acton tourney if I can. I've seen my share of Judo matches but was real interested in seeing what sport jujitsu was about.

Thanks again,

mike