Grappling · Throws & newaza
Judo
Judo is a Japanese grappling art and Olympic sport built on throws (nage-waza), pins, and submissions (newaza), practiced in the judogi.
Find a topic
A map of this art. Live entries are links. The rest is mapped, not written yet.
Judo
Standing
- Throws
- Grip Fighting
- Ukemi
Newaza
- Pins
- Guard
- Rear Naked Choke
Culture
- Fighters
- Clubs
- Rules
- News
What Is Judo?
Judo (“the gentle way”) is a modern Japanese martial art and Olympic sport founded by Jigoro Kano. Competition emphasizes clean throws for ippon, as well as pins (osaekomi) and certain joint locks and chokes on the ground.
The judogi (jacket and pants) is integral: grips on the lapel and sleeve create the kuzushi (off-balancing) that sets major throws such as seoi-nage, uchi-mata, and osoto-gari.
How Judo Works
Standing judo seeks a decisive throw. If the bout continues on the ground, newaza covers pins, arm locks (notably juji-gatame / armbar), and chokes. Sport rules limit time and legal techniques differently than Brazilian jiu-jitsu—especially regarding leg locks and engagement incentives.
Historically and technically, BJJ grew from judo newaza influence. Many BJJ positions and submissions share names or mechanics with judo, even when sport strategies diverge.
What You’ll Find Here
This hub is the live overview. Published entries are links. Fighters, gyms, rules, and news are mapped for later — even when those pages are not written yet.
- Shared grappling. Guard, Closed Guard, Rear Naked Choke (hadaka-jime cousin).
- Related hubs. BJJ, Sambo, Jujutsu, Wrestling.
- Fighters. Olympians and club greats — mapped, not written yet.
- Gyms. Dojo directory — coming.
- Rules. IJF sport judo — coming.
- News. Worlds and tour stops — coming.
FAQ
Questions we hear on the mats, in gyms, and when fighters compare styles.
Is judo the same as Brazilian jiu-jitsu?
No. They share ancestry and many techniques, but sport incentives differ. Judo prioritizes throws and has distinct ground rules; sport BJJ often prioritizes prolonged ground fighting and a wider submission meta.
Why the heavy jacket?
The judogi enables sleeve and lapel grips that define classical throwing mechanics and many chokes. No-gi grappling removes those handles and changes the game.
Do judo players learn guard like BJJ?
Judo includes newaza, but modern sport judo often spends less time in prolonged open-guard battles than sport BJJ. Cross-training is common.
How does judo show up in MMA?
Throws, trips, and clinch entries transfer—sometimes modified without the gi. Ground submissions overlap with BJJ when the fight stays down.
The Bottom Line
Judo is the throw-and-newaza backbone of the grappling family on Martial Index. This page is the honest live intro; for deeper published ground vocabulary today, continue into Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
