Its official! Sambo is now an Olympic sport!

[Ivaylo Ivanov]

To be fair nobody really cares about the IMMAF, including the MMA community. One of the founders August Wallen is just looking for another way to make money through it.

Fun fact, IMMAF exploded in membership, after the ex FIAS development director went to work as a development director for IMMAF

Its quite popular in Europe

 

[Dece]

Fun fact, IMMAF exploded in membership, after the ex FIAS development director went to work as a development director for IMMAF

Its quite popular in Europe

Eastern Europe maybe, I live in UK.

IMMAF has been around for almost 10 years and been mostly ignored, over here people rather aim for professional careers.

 

[Ivaylo Ivanov]

Eastern Europe maybe, I live in UK.

IMMAF has been around for almost 10 years and been mostly ignored, over here people rather aim for professional careers.

UK has quite different sports governing structures.
The way local MMA federations are formed, is based on government recognition and according subsidies.

ALTHOUGH, this is only for amateur or Olympic sports.
So, professional MMA fighters are not allowed to compete.

Obviously, IMMAF is looking to become a feeder for professional organizations, and I dont see nothing wrong with that.

At the end of the day, amateurs have their chance to compete and qualify to represent their country at international event and if they perform well, a good chance to be scouted for a professional career.

IMMAF seems to have managed to secure stable sponsorship and able to attract such high level management operational officers, as the gentlemen stated above.

So, what is bad about that?

Nothing.

Its just that MMA has been on the international market for some good 30 years now and it seems like the pro way is the best way.

If just seems MMA dont get traction enough in the general population, seeing as something barbaric.

And such is the case with Combat Sambo.

It was never meant to be a sport form (obviously by its name).
Even today, in Bulgaria, the Combat Sambo athletes are not referred to as "sportsman".

Its not a sport, its a diagnose, as another famous saying goes here.

So, it needs to become its own professional league.

 

[Givvee]

Let's be honest: Greco is awful. They should allow leg trips/entanglement to make it more dynamic.

Well obvisously the only thing you ever wrestled was your mcdonalds bag dough boy ....I respect both greco and freestyle and I find both entertaining in their own ways. Greco is by far more physically demanding, since you are always forced to wrestle with your head up, as soon as your head are down for a couple of seconds or you are only on the defensive, the ref gives you cautions until you end up in parterre to defend. In greco, you can't use any leg entanglements to prevent any lifts or rolls, you can only defend with your core and your upper body, so it puts a lot more pressure on your joints and your technique. To watch a guy like Zhan Beleniuk defend from the bottom is a work of art in the art of anybody who's ever stepped foot on a wrestling mat, it's so fucking hard. Freestyle guys usually doesn't develop good parterre upper body offense, you don't see any rolls or lifts, they are not as physically strong as greco, even a freestyle alumni like Cormier admitted it, he said there is strength, then there is wrestling strength and the there is greco roman wrestling strength.

Freestyle is little more fan friendly to the non wrestler, it's a little bit more dynamic and free since you are allowed to attack the legs as well, but there is a lot more tie ups where the wrestlers are not as active, while in greco they always pummel for wrists and under hooks. I did both greco and freestyle, preferably a greco roman wrestler but still love freestyle as well, haven't missed a match since the olympics started (except for the women heehe

 

[Human Bass]

Well obvisously the only thing you ever wrestled was your mcdonalds bag dough boy ....I respect both greco and freestyle and I find both entertaining in their own ways. Greco is by far more physically demanding, since you are always forced to wrestle with your head up, as soon as your head are down for a couple of seconds or you are only on the defensive, the ref gives you cautions until you end up in parterre to defend. In greco, you can't use any leg entanglements to prevent any lifts or rolls, you can only defend with your core and your upper body, so it puts a lot more pressure on your joints and your technique. To watch a guy like Zhan Beleniuk defend from the bottom is a work of art in the art of anybody who's ever stepped foot on a wrestling mat, it's so fucking hard. Freestyle guys usually doesn't develop good parterre upper body offense, you don't see any rolls or lifts, they are not as physically strong as greco, even a freestyle alumni like Cormier admitted it, he said there is strength, then there is wrestling strength and the there is greco roman wrestling strength.

Freestyle is little more fan friendly to the non wrestler, it's a little bit more dynamic and free since you are allowed to attack the legs as well, but there is a lot more tie ups where the wrestlers are not as active, while in greco they always pummel for wrists and under hooks. I did both greco and freestyle, preferably a greco roman wrestler but still love freestyle as well, haven't missed a match since the olympics started (except for the women heehe

I know Greco is hard just like racewalking is harder than running.
But harder by limiting the body mechanics many times can be boring.

 

[Givvee]

I know Greco is hard just like racewalking is harder than running.
But harder by limiting the body mechanics many times can be boring.

It can be boring if you don't understand it, for me it's beautiful to watch to high level greco roman wrestlers battle for position, especially when you know what it feels like to wrestle like that. By limiting the leg attacks, a lot more other beautiful techniques become available, like high amplitude throws and lifts, and rolls.

 

[Human Bass]

It can be boring if you don't understand it, for me it's beautiful to watch to high level greco roman wrestlers battle for position, especially when you know what it feels like to wrestle like that. By limiting the leg attacks, a lot more other beautiful techniques become available, like high amplitude throws and lifts, and rolls.

I understand it, I appreciate a beautiful supplex or side throw, I know the struggle and timing it requires . I also appreciate Judo. Doesn't mean those aren't boring most of the time

 

[Based and White Pilled]

I hope it improves sambo and doesn’t make it like judo where aspects of it are lost or watered down due to other countries doing well because of their wrestling background. I’m sure judo has improved in terms of upper body throws but their newaza and single and double legs have been affected.

I'm sure there will be rule changes over time, but I doubt the wrestling ability of other nations will be the driving force behind it considering where sambo comes from

 

[Givvee]

I understand it, I appreciate a beautiful supplex or side throw, I know the struggle and timing it requires . I also appreciate Judo. Doesn't mean those aren't boring most of the time

There are boring matches in both styles, a lot more tie ups and less action in freestyle, especially in heavier weight classes.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Jacket, arm and leg locks

Think of judo without chokes but with leglocks

They dont have chokes?

 

[Human Bass]

They dont have chokes?

Sport Sambo doesnt. Combat does.

Sport Sambo has win by pin, even inside the guard (unlike Judo that requires the pin to be with the guard passed). So when taken down, the athlete goes belly down like a wrestler, what would make rear naked chokes too easy.

 

[Dece]

So, what is bad about that?

Nothing.

We agree on most of the things, however not on this one.

I think there are several issues with the IMMAF model.

First of all it's a combat sport which takes its toll on the body. It also raises the question on what an amateur really is about. Are you supposed to have a few amateur fights then turn pro? Are you supposed to be an amateur for several years, traveling the world competing at different championships and in the end have a longer amateur career with more fights than some professionals?

Different countries got different standards.

One of the issues is that the amateurs don't get paid while they now have their long IMMAF careers. Sure, the rules are still amateur but the body takes a lot of punishment not just in the fights but also in weight cutting, training and so on.

 

[Ivaylo Ivanov]

We agree on most of the things, however not on this one.

I think there are several issues with the IMMAF model.

First of all it's a combat sport which takes its toll on the body. It also raises the question on what an amateur really is about. Are you supposed to have a few amateur fights then turn pro? Are you supposed to be an amateur for several years, traveling the world competing at different championships and in the end have a longer amateur career with more fights than some professionals?

Different countries got different standards.

One of the issues is that the amateurs don't get paid while they now have their long IMMAF careers. Sure, the rules are still amateur but the body takes a lot of punishment not just in the fights but also in weight cutting, training and so on.

I understand your view, but the way its set for pretty much all combat sports, is:

- National amateur federation, that recruits young athletes and trains them, presenting a chance to win nationals and represent the country in Worlds or even Olympics (which are also, an amateur only event).
- Pro leagues and organizations, running promotions for athletes THEY decide to recruit, based on popularity and success, which allows for a nice paycheck.

Thats the way it is in Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, Karate, Jiujitsu, and many more.

IMMAF is doing exactly the same, they are not inventing something new.
I have no dog in this fight, but it seems to me they are doing a good job promoting safe practice of the sport, with coach examinations and certification, government safety lines and etc.
Because we are talking about youths.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Sport Sambo doesnt. Combat does.

Sport Sambo has win by pin, even inside the guard (unlike Judo that requires the pin to be with the guard passed). So when taken down, the athlete goes belly down like a wrestler, what would make rear naked chokes too easy.

Catch wrestling I know had pins and chokes, so much of the matches would be guys defending rncs. I guess from a viewers perspective it makes sense to avoid that.

 

[Human Bass]

Catch wrestling I know had pins and chokes, so much of the matches would be guys defending rncs. I guess from a viewers perspective it makes sense to avoid that.

The most common ruleset of catch doesn't allow chokes, but some do. The thing is that if you allow chokes but not allow guard playing, it becomes too easy.

 

[SuperLuigi]

The most common ruleset of catch doesn't allow chokes, but some do. The thing is that if you allow chokes but not allow guard playing, it becomes too easy.

Wasnt the original idea "catch as catch can" ? I watched a match from like 1910 and it was like 30 minutes of defending rnc lol

 

[Human Bass]

Wasnt the original idea "catch as catch can" ? I watched a match from like 1910 and it was like 30 minutes of defending rnc lol

I guess that's why the most common ruleset banned chokes.

You can watch catch instructionals, very rarely it is a choke.

 

[HHJ]

 

[BoxingMMA]

I’m still waiting for an all around best martial artist event in the Olympics. An event where you have to compete in all combat sports, boxing, fencing, judo, tkd, karate (even though that’s gone) sambo etc.

 

[Ivaylo Ivanov]

I’m still waiting for an all around best martial artist event in the Olympics. An event where you have to compete in all combat sports, boxing, fencing, judo, tkd, karate (even though that’s gone) sambo etc.

There use to be an organisation, putting together something similar, called SportAccord.

They were supposed to run the World Combat Games last year, but then Covid...