As this sport has grown over the last few decades we’ve seen different styles emerge as dominant while others become more commonly known by the average competitor.
When the UFC was in its early days, the man with gall enough to rush and brawl usually won. Intimidation and fearlessness were the primary weapons of those that were successful. The sport lacked technique.
In 1993 Royce Gracie changed that. He began his career in the promotion with 11 straight wins all by submission. The submissions he used were new to the sport so his opponents had no idea how to defend them. He introduced Brazilian jiu-jitsu to the world of MMA and revolutionized it in doing so.
Now jiu-jitsu is practically necessary for success in the UFC. If one isn’t adept in the style, at least the ability to defend it or prevent it from being used is vital.
A very similar scenario is playing out in the sport with wrestling. While it isn’t a new style to the American public it’s become a style that some perceive as a necessary skill set in the cage. In today’s environment the best striker in the world is nothing without adequate takedown defense.
But will this trend of wrestling dominance continue?
Judging by the flexible nature of the sport—most likely not. Similar to how fighters now specifically train in jiu-jitsu to avoid being submitted by an expert, young fighters from all styles will recognize the importance of learning or at least defending against wrestling techniques.
Any style that emerges as a prominent weapon will single itself out as a necessary skill to either be learned or intelligently defended.
This is the same concept that makes reigning as champion almost impossible to sustain for long periods of time. Once one is the best, the entire division is figuring out how to beat the new champ.
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