Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are both martial arts that have a significant connection, as they share historical roots and a focus on grappling techniques.
Judo and BJJ both originated in Japan. Judo was developed by Jigoro Kano in the late 19th century, and it was derived from traditional Japanese jiu-jitsu. BJJ, on the other hand, was developed by the Gracie family in Brazil, but its origins can be traced back to Japanese Judo, particularly the ground-fighting techniques.
Kosen Judo is a style or variation of Judo that developed in Japan, known for its particular rules and emphasis on ground-fighting. Many believe that this Judo variation is the closest predecessor of BJJ.
Kosen Judo emerged in the early 20th century in Japan, specifically at the Kosen (Koto Senmon Gakko) schools. These schools were known for their focus on higher education, and Judo was a popular sport there.
The primary distinction is that in Kosen Judo, the emphasis is on ne-waza (ground-fighting or grappling techniques). In traditional Judo, a match can be won through throws (tachi-waza) or groundwork (ne-waza), but in Kosen Judo, it’s often said that “there is no tachi-waza.” This means that competitors in Kosen Judo almost exclusively engage in ground-fighting.
While Judo has been an Olympic sport for ages, some argue that BJJ is gradually stealing it’s spotlight. This may or may not be true, because the two sports are plagued by different issues.
Regardless, there was a rather interesting submission at the recent Azerbaijan competition which serves as an Olympic Qualifier event.
During the 100kg match, Matvey Kanikovskiy stole the show with an excellent display of newaza. Kanikovskiy was matched with
Zelym Kotsoiev out of Azerbaijan. Kanikovskiy is of Russian descent, and is currently representing ” INDIVIDUAL NEUTRAL ATHLETES” as a result of the problematic political situation in Russia.
(21 years) Russian judoka Matvey Kanikovskiy claimed the gold medal at the Grand Slam Qazaq Barysy in Astana in 2023. He became the Junior European Champion in 2021. He captured the gold medal at the Grand Slam in Ulaanbaatar in 2022.
Kanikovskiy had an interesting way of attacking his opponent, who defended the throw but didn’t quite manage to transition into turtle. Kanikovskiy grapevined his leg into his opponent’s arm in a move reminiscent of some crucifix variations. From there he dove down and snagged his opponent’s leg effectively trapping him in an omoplata of sorts.
