In a recent conversation, Tim Welch, the head coach of UFC bantamweight star Sean “Suga” O’Malley, expressed his agreement with former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling’s assertion that “jiu jitsu is not fighting.”
Sterling had previously voiced his frustration with certain tactics used in submission grappling, particularly repeated guard pulling and butt scooting. His criticisms sparked a debate within the combat sports community regarding the acceptability of such techniques.
Welch, a seasoned coach and practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, acknowledged the contrasting nature of sport jiu-jitsu and actual fighting scenarios. “It’s not a fight. It’s a completely different sport,” Welch stated, aligning himself with Sterling’s perspective.
He further elaborated, “In jiu-jitsu, it’s a lot about sweeps, guard passing, and positioning. Every position the athlete is in, is designed to secure positional dominance and execute submissions, rather than raining down strikes.”
While tactics like guard pulling and butt scooting are legal and widely utilized in sport jiu-jitsu competitions, Welch recognized the potential for them to be exploited in a way that could be perceived as “gaming the system” or leading to less engaging matches.
“I understand both sides of the argument,” Welch admitted. “If someone is really attacking you in a self-defense situation, those tactics could open up opportunities for sweeps and counters. But in the context of a sport competition, it’s a different story.”
s
As UFC stars increasingly participate in submission grappling events, the debate surrounding the acceptability of certain techniques is likely to continue. Welch’s perspective, shared by Sterling and echoed by other prominent figures, highlights the nuanced distinction between the rulesets and objectives of sport jiu-jitsu and real-world fighting scenarios.
Welch expressed his excitement for O’Malley to showcase his well-rounded skills in the octagon, where the rules and objectives align more closely with the concept of “fighting” as opposed to the sporting aspect of submission grappling.
