Sambo for MMA: The 5 Pieces of Gear Every Fighter Needs to Cross-Train

Khabib Nurmagomedov was an undefeated UFC champion who never lost a round in title fights. Fedor Emelianenko was a Combat Sambo World Champion before he became widely regarded as the greatest MMA heavyweight in history. Islam Makhachev, UFC Lightweight Champion, trains out of the same Dagestani school. The discipline that underlies all three careers is sambo. If you are training MMA and you have not added sambo, you are working around a gap in your game. This guide gives you the five pieces of gear you need to start cross-training, and explains why each one earns its place in your training bag.

In this article

• Why are MMA fighters adding sambo to their training?
• The 5 pieces of gear you need to cross-train sambo
• Do you need FIAS-approved gear to train sambo for MMA?
• How does sambo cross-training differ from BJJ in terms of gear?
• Frequently asked questions

Why are so many elite MMA fighters training sambo?

Sambo gives MMA fighters two things that are difficult to develop in any other single discipline: a complete takedown game that works from both the collar-and-elbow clinch position and open space, and a ground game that integrates leg locks, heel hooks, and reaping positions that BJJ tournaments typically prohibit at early belt levels.

The kurtka, the sambo jacket, is central to this. Training grips on a kurtka builds hand and forearm strength that transfers directly to clinch fighting. The collar and epaulet positions you train in sambo mirror MMA clinch tie-ups in a way that working in rash guards alone does not. Fighters who add the kurtka to their training develop grip strength and positional instinct that shows up in the cage even when they are not wearing a jacket.

Beyond the physical transfer, sambo introduces a tactical framework. You are always thinking about the throw-to-ground transition, the position after the takedown, and the submission-or-position decision in a way that grappling separately for each discipline trains in silos. Sambo integrates them by design.

What are the 5 pieces of gear an MMA fighter needs to cross-train sambo?

1. A sambo kurtka

The kurtka is the foundation. Without it you cannot drill the grip sequences, throw setups, or positional transitions that define sambo. A rashguard or BJJ gi does not substitute: the kurtka's shoulder epaulets, collar, and jacket length are specific to the holds and throws of sambo. For training purposes, any well-fitted kurtka works. For competition at FIAS-sanctioned events, you need a FIAS-approved jacket from DSI or Green Hill. If you are adding sambo to your MMA training with competition in mind, start with the approved jacket from day one.

2. Sambo shoes

Sambo trains extensively on its feet. The footwork, sweeps, and low single-leg attacks require a shoe with grip, flexibility at the forefoot, and a low profile that does not interfere with foot positions during ground transitions. Sambo shoes (sometimes called sambovki) are built specifically for this. Wrestling shoes are the closest alternative for training but are not FIAS-approved for competition. Bare feet, while workable for mat drilling, remove the grip that makes low-line work effective on certain mat surfaces.

3. Open-finger gloves

If you are training Combat Sambo specifically, open-finger gloves are mandatory for competition and appropriate for sparring. Open-finger gloves allow full grip function, which is essential for sambo's clinch and ground game. Standard MMA gloves work for sparring. For sanctioned Combat Sambo competition, your gloves need to meet the event's gear requirements. Check with the event organiser on specifications before competing.

4. Shin guards

Required for Combat Sambo competition and useful for sparring where leg kicks are trained alongside sambo grappling. If you are integrating sambo into an existing MMA programme, you likely already own shin guards. The same pair works across disciplines. The key requirement for Combat Sambo competition is that the shin guards allow full foot articulation for sweeps and foot lock entries. Full-length rigid shin guards that prevent ankle movement are not suitable.

5. A properly fitted mouthguard

Required for all Combat Sambo competition and sensible for any sparring session that includes striking. If you are already training MMA you own one. The same mouthguard works. No specialist sambo version required.

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Do you need FIAS-approved gear to train sambo for MMA?

For club training sessions, no. Most sambo clubs do not enforce FIAS gear standards in training. Any well-fitted kurtka and appropriate shoes are workable for developing the technique. If your goal is solely to improve your MMA game and you have no plans to compete in FIAS-sanctioned sambo events, training-grade gear is a reasonable starting point.

If you want to compete in sambo events as well as use sambo to improve your MMA, buy FIAS-approved gear from the start. The DSI kurtka and sambo shoes from Sambo Store Australasia serve both purposes. There is no upgrade cost and no replacement purchase when you decide to enter your first competition.

How does sambo cross-training differ from BJJ in terms of gear?

BJJ is trained in a gi (jacket and pants) or nogi (rash guard and shorts). Sambo is trained in a kurtka and sambo shorts. The kurtka is shorter and more fitted than a BJJ gi, the epaulet grips are specific to sambo, and the absence of long lapels changes the choke and collar hold options significantly. You cannot substitute a BJJ gi for a kurtka in sambo training or competition.

The shoes are also different. BJJ is typically trained barefoot. Sambo is trained and competed in sambo shoes, which means footwork training and low single-leg work happen in a different context. For MMA fighters this is actually an advantage: you train your feet and ankles to operate with the ground contact and grip that shoes provide, which is closer to MMA cage conditions than barefoot mat training.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum gear I need to start training sambo for MMA?

A kurtka and sambo shoes. Add shorts that allow full leg movement. Everything else on the gear list is for Combat Sambo competition specifically. For initial cross-training focused on MMA improvement, a kurtka and shoes get you onto the mat and into the techniques that matter.

Can I use my BJJ gi for sambo cross-training?

Most clubs will not allow it for formal sambo training. A BJJ gi is too long, has a different collar, and does not have shoulder epaulets. The grip positions and throws specific to sambo require the kurtka. For an introductory session to try sambo before buying gear, ask your club what they can accommodate. To train properly, buy the kurtka.

Why do Dagestani fighters dominate in MMA?

The Dagestan school produces fighters with an exceptionally developed wrestling and sambo base. Sambo in Dagestan is a core sport from childhood, which means elite MMA fighters from this background have 10 to 15 years of sambo-specific grappling before they enter professional MMA. The grip strength, takedown timing, and ground control that come from that volume of sambo training are difficult to replicate quickly from other disciplines.

Is Combat Sambo competition a useful training experience for MMA fighters?

Yes. Combat Sambo bouts allow striking, throwing, and ground submissions in a competitive format that is closer to MMA than either pure grappling tournaments or stand-up competitions. Many MMA fighters use Combat Sambo events as a development tool specifically because the ruleset bridges grappling and striking. The Australian Sambo Federation (sambo.org.au) lists domestic competition calendars.