Mastering Sambo for Mixed Martial Arts

The founders of Russian sambo sifted through all of the world's martial arts, including judo and jiujitsu, to get the most combat-effective techniques available. Each technique was carefully dissected and considered for its merits in achieving sambo's ultimate goal: to stop an armed or unarmed adversary in the least time possible.

In this book, author Scott Sonnon traces the development of the four types of sambo (self-defense, sport-wrestling, combat sambo and Spetsnaz) and then focuses on sambo's mixed martial arts applications. Here he reveals the signature "saddle" techniques that have made him one of the most respected leg-lock coaches in the world. With 101 step-by-step moves - including entries, sweeps, passes, recounters and a host of submissions - this series is a must for all MMA competitors searching for an edge over the competition.

Sambo prides itself on fast-wrestling, with only 60 seconds of groundfighting permitted. In mixed martial arts, however, these locks only work 20 percent of the time and aren't worth sacrificing quality position. As a result, Sonnon modified traditional sambo to become a "lower-half" positional approach so that fighters could both strike and defend against strikes, maintain positional dominance and easily transition from one submission to the next in a chess-like fashion, as Brazilian Jiujitsu has become known for in the "upper-half" game. Now you too can learn these winning strategies from one of the best sambo instructors in the world.