Champion reveals the secret: Why is combat sambo superior?

Islam Makhachev, the reigning UFC welterweight champion, has discussed the versatility of combat sambo and explained why he considers it a more effective foundation for competing in mixed martial arts (MMA).

TodayPress TV reports that he made the remarks during a press conference:

“To answer the question about sambo’s effectiveness, I want to give an example. After a fight, my opponent’s coach came up to me and said: ‘We devoted all our preparation to defending against leg sweeps, throws and submissions, but we didn’t expect you to use them the way you did in the fight.’

What does this tell us? It means that our sport has no limitations. I would say combat sambo is even tougher than MMA, because you can grab your opponent, and they can unexpectedly land a side kick.

Its effectiveness lies in the fact that combat sambo athletes are well-rounded at every level: they can both strike on their feet and wrestle. There are many jiu-jitsu practitioners in the UFC, but I wouldn’t say that this sport is an effective foundation for MMA. To apply their techniques, they need to take their opponent down, but they don’t have that habit because all the grappling in jiu-jitsu takes place on the ground.”

Namiq HUN