Judo Throws for BJJ, MMA and No Gi Grappling – 12 Of The best videos on Youtube

(Originally posted on August 18, 2014. The list has now been updated to 16 videos. Please keep emailing them in or commenting to add to the list!)

A big part of ArtOfGrappling is blending different grappling styles together and take the most effective techniques for a given rule-set. We’ve recently seen Ronda Rousey, Hector Lombard, and even Urijah Faber utilizing judo in MMA. Metamoris 4 was an interesting even where we saw Saulo Ribeiro use throws like drop seoi nage.

More and more BJJ players are starting judo every year and vice versa. So I’ve started a collection of the best tutorials on how to adapt judo for bjj, mma and no gi grappling below.

If you have any videos you want to add, post in the comments below!

Judo for BJJ in the gi

2008 Olympian Judoka, Matt D’Aquino is known as one of the best online instructors for Judo and BJJ techniques. Matt shares hundreds of videos, articles and other things for free thru his website beyondgrappling.com.

Check out this preview to his awesome new 2.5 hour DVD BJJ for Judo! Matt shows a ton of very basic but effective material that you can use for bent over opponents and guard pullers in BJJ. (Which by the way is on sale for almost half price $27 instead of $57 from May 11-May 14 only).

4 time Judo Olympian, Jimmy Pedro is always spot on and has put together some good videos on adapting judo for gi BJJ (and even no gi).

Here is the tai o toshi, which, once you learn it, works very effectively for an opponent bent at the waist

Here is a reaching o soto gari. Works wonders for those stiff-armers

Kata Guruma or Firemans carry. Jimmy doesn’t show it, but this works well off a failed drop seoi nage (shoulder throw). I’ll let you figure that one out 😉

Grip fighting for BJJ. Jimmy Pedro is a genius strategist in terms of grip control. The point is to get the grip you want and prevent the other person from getting any worthwhile grip.

Jimmy Pedro and everyone’s favourite BJJ crossover from judo, Travis Stevens, have put together an awesome DVD called “The Takedown Blueprint” aimed at BJJ players learning takedowns.

Here’s a sample from the video of drop seoi nage.

Judo throws for no-gi or MMA

Sophie Cox, 2 time judo Olympian, does a great demonstration of no-gi drop seoi nage. There are a lot of subtleties to her technique, mainly the feeling of when her opponent is moving forward and how she is able to duck under that momentum. Another nice example of a no-gi drop seoi used in greco roman wrestling can be found here

A seoi nage off the sprawl and without the drop (save your knees + more power)

Another video from Sophie Cox showing a sumi gaeshi (corner reversal). It’s a sacrifice throw, meaning you end up dropping onto your back. This works alright for BJJ since failing the throw means you’ve essentially pulled guard.

Karo Parisyan had put together the ultimate Judo for no gi or MMA application years ago in a DVD called “Judo for Mixed Martial Arts”. Here is a clip:

Karo’s version of the drop seoi

Uchi mata

Often times it can be difficult to adjust your stance and grips from judo into no-gi. Here’s a decent video showing an appropriate posture and grip for no-gi judo throws.

This is an awesome match showcasing what judo can do for you in wrestling. Jason Morris was an Olympic silver medalist in Barcelona back in 92. He was also a freak athlete who used his judo to great effect in wrestling. Watch this video of him in the 1984 NY State Wrestling Championships throwing his opponent with o soto gari over and over. The most interesting part of this video is a comment from his opponent on YouTube.

Hello viewers — I am the actual Pete Zajkowski from this match. Wow — this is the first time I’ve been able to view my match against Jason from long ago. The video plays out pretty much like I remember it. Prior to this match I hadn’t seen any of Jason’s matches. As I watched this video, I’m terribly embarrassed by my own technique: straight legs, bent over at the waist — awful. All season I relied on double-leg takedowns; mind boggling that I went upper body with Jason. He sure can throw!