What is Sambo? The Complete Guide to Russia's National Martial Art

Sambo is Russia's national combat sport, combining judo throws, wrestling takedowns, and submission techniques including leg locks. The name is an acronym of the Russian phrase samozashchita bez oruzhiya, meaning "self-defence without weapons." Developed in the Soviet Union during the 1920s and 1930s, sambo is today one of the most effective grappling systems in the world, with three official disciplines and practitioners competing in over 100 countries. Athletes like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Fedor Emelianenko built their careers on a sambo foundation, bringing the sport to global attention through MMA.

In this article

• What does "Sambo" mean?
• When and where was sambo created?
• What are the three disciplines of sambo?
• What do sambo competitors wear?
• What are the key techniques in sambo?
• How is sambo different from judo and wrestling?
• Which famous fighters use sambo?
• Is sambo in the Olympics?
• How do I get started with sambo?
• Frequently asked questions

What does "Sambo" mean?

Sambo is an acronym derived from the Russian phrase Самооборона Без Оружия (Samozashchita Bez Oruzhiya), which translates directly to "self-defence without weapons." The name reflects the original intent of the founders: to create a complete unarmed combat system that could be applied in real situations, not just competition.

The sport is sometimes written as "SAMBO" in English to reflect its acronym origin, though "sambo" (lowercase) is the widely accepted international spelling used by the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) and the International Olympic Committee.

When and where was sambo created?

Sambo was developed in the Soviet Union during the 1920s and 1930s. Three figures are most closely associated with its creation.

• Vasili Oshchepkov was a Russian judoka who trained directly under judo founder Jigoro Kano in Japan, earning his black belt at the Kodokan. He brought judo's throwing and groundwork principles to the Soviet military and physical education system, adapting them to a Soviet context.
• Viktor Spiridonov developed a parallel system called "Samoz," focused on soft defensive techniques that could be applied regardless of the practitioner's size. His system drew heavily on Japanese jujutsu and other combat traditions.
• Anatoly Kharlampiev is often called the "father of sambo" in Russian sporting culture. He studied combat systems across the Soviet republics and synthesized their techniques with the systems developed by Oshchepkov and Spiridonov into a unified sport.

The sport was officially recognized by the USSR All-Union Committee on Physical Culture and Sports in 1938. From there it spread through the Soviet military and sporting system before becoming an internationally recognised discipline.

What are the three disciplines of sambo?

FIAS officially recognises three sambo disciplines, each with distinct rules and equipment requirements.

Sport Sambo

Sport Sambo is the original and most widely practiced form. Rules are similar to judo, but with key differences: leg locks are permitted, choke holds are not, and the scoring system rewards dominant takedowns and positional control. Competitors wear a jacket (called a kurtka), shorts, and sambo shoes. Matches are contested on a mat, with colour-coded uniforms in red and blue assigned at competition.

Combat Sambo

Combat Sambo adds striking to the ruleset, making it the discipline closest to MMA. Competitors wear boxing gloves, a helmet, shin guards, and a groin guard alongside the kurtka and shorts. Punches, kicks, elbows, and knees are permitted alongside the full grappling arsenal of sport sambo, including choke holds. Combat Sambo is the discipline that produced many of the world's top MMA fighters.

Beach Sambo

Beach Sambo is the newest FIAS discipline, practiced on sand. It follows sport sambo rules but on a beach mat or sand surface, with adapted equipment. The discipline has grown rapidly as part of FIAS's push to expand sambo's global reach and include the sport in multi-sport beach games.

What do sambo competitors wear?

The sambo uniform is distinctive and specific to the sport. Unlike judo's gi or BJJ's kimono, sambo uses a jacket-and-shorts combination that allows for both throwing and leg work without excess fabric for an opponent to grip.

• Kurtka (jacket): A short, close-fitting jacket made to FIAS specification, typically 500 to 700 GSM canvas or similar material. Competition kurtkas must be FIAS-approved and come in red and blue. Colour is assigned on the day of competition.
• Sambo shorts: Tight-fitting shorts worn underneath the kurtka, also in red or blue. Sport Sambo shorts have no pockets and are cut for mat work.
• Sambo shoes: A unique feature of the sport. Sambo shoes are low-cut boots with a smooth, grippy sole and ankle support. Unlike wrestling shoes, they have no raised heel. They are mandatory for competition.
• Belt: A belt is tied around the outside of the kurtka and used for grips, similar to a judo belt in function.

For combat sambo, additional protective gear is required: boxing gloves, an open-face helmet, shin guards, and a groin guard.

What are the key techniques in sambo?

Sambo is built around three technical areas: throws, takedowns, and submissions. The combination of all three is what makes it effective across both competition formats and MMA.

Throws and takedowns

Sambo inherits a large portion of its throwing arsenal from judo and Japanese jujutsu, augmented by techniques from wrestling traditions across the Soviet republics. Hip throws (similar to judo's o-goshi), leg sweeps, and sacrifice throws are all common. Unlike judo, sambo allows you to grip the legs, enabling double-leg and single-leg takedowns that are more familiar to wrestlers.

Leg locks

This is sambo's signature contribution to grappling. While BJJ and judo traditionally deprioritised or prohibited leg attacks, sambo has always included heel hooks, kneebars, and ankle locks as core competition techniques. The sambo leg lock system is considered the most developed in the grappling world and has significantly influenced modern MMA and submission grappling.

Arm locks and chokes (combat sambo)

In sport sambo, arm locks are permitted but choke holds are not. In combat sambo, the full submission arsenal is available, including rear naked chokes, arm triangles, and guillotines alongside the standard sport sambo submissions. This makes combat sambo the closest competitive analogue to MMA submission grappling.

How is sambo different from judo and wrestling?

All three sports share a grappling base but differ meaningfully in rules and emphasis.

The practical result is that sambo is the broadest grappling system of the three. A sambo athlete can throw like a judoka, shoot for legs like a wrestler, and finish on the ground with leg locks or arm attacks. This versatility is why sambo practitioners transition effectively to MMA.

Which famous fighters use sambo?

Sambo has produced some of the most dominant grapplers in combat sports history. Several of the best MMA fighters of all time built their games on a sambo foundation.

• Fedor Emelianenko: Widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. A two-time World Sambo Champion and decorated Combat Sambo competitor, Fedor used sambo throwing and ground-and-pound to dominate heavyweight MMA for nearly a decade.
• Khabib Nurmagomedov: Undefeated UFC Lightweight Champion (29-0). Khabib trained sambo from childhood in Dagestan, Russia, and is considered the greatest wrestling and grappling-based fighter in MMA history. His style is Dagestani sambo: relentless pressure, mat control, and submission threats.
• Islam Makhachev: Current UFC Lightweight Champion and Khabib's training partner. Makhachev is a sambo World Champion who has brought the same Dagestani grappling system to the top of the division.
• Khamzat Chimaev: A dominant UFC welterweight and middleweight contender from Sweden with a Chechen background. Chimaev is a European Sambo Champion whose wrestling-first style reflects his sambo base.

Is sambo in the Olympics?

Sambo is not currently an Olympic sport. FIAS (the International Sambo Federation) received provisional IOC recognition in 2018, which was a significant step toward potential Olympic inclusion. However, as of 2026, sambo has not been admitted to the Olympic programme. FIAS continues to pursue inclusion for future Olympic Games.

Sambo is included in the Asian Games and the World Combat Games, and it maintains a strong international calendar including annual World Championships sanctioned by FIAS.

How do I get started with sambo?

The most direct path into sambo is through a judo or wrestling background, as both provide the throwing and mat-wrestling foundation sambo builds on. If you have neither, starting sambo from scratch is perfectly achievable at a sambo club or a gym that teaches grappling.

To train sambo competitively you will need:

1. A FIAS-approved kurtka jacket in red or blue
2. Sambo-specific shorts
3. Sambo shoes (required for competition; some gyms require them in training)
4. A belt (for the jacket)

For combat sambo training, add boxing gloves, an open-face helmet, and shin guards. Your gym may have loaner equipment for beginners, but if you are committing to the sport, own gear is worth having from the first month.

To find a sambo club, check with your national sambo federation. In Australia, contact Sambo Australia. Internationally, FIAS maintains a directory of affiliated national federations.

Frequently asked questions

What is sambo fighting?

Sambo fighting refers to combat sambo, the striking-permitted discipline of sambo where competitors may punch, kick, and use submissions alongside throws and takedowns. It is the discipline closest to MMA and has produced many of the world's top professional fighters. Sport sambo, the more common form, does not include striking.

Is sambo Russian?

Yes. Sambo was developed in the Soviet Union during the 1920s and 1930s and remains Russia's national combat sport. It is most deeply rooted in Russian and Dagestani athletic culture, though it is now practiced in over 100 countries under the International Sambo Federation (FIAS).

Is sambo the same as judo?

No, but sambo draws heavily from judo. Vasili Oshchepkov, one of sambo's founders, was a trained judoka who studied under judo founder Jigoro Kano. The key differences are that sambo allows leg grips and leg locks (both banned in modern judo), uses a different uniform (kurtka jacket and shorts instead of a full gi), and does not use a belt-rank system in competition.

Is sambo better than BJJ?

Neither is objectively better: they cover different areas. Sambo has a more developed leg lock system and stronger throwing and takedown game. BJJ has a more refined guard and back-taking system. Many elite grapplers and MMA fighters train both. The overlap between the two sports has grown significantly in the last decade as leg locks from sambo entered mainstream submission grappling.

Is sambo in the Olympics?

Not yet. FIAS received provisional IOC recognition in 2018 but sambo has not been admitted to the Olympic programme as of 2026. FIAS continues to pursue Olympic inclusion for future Games.

What is a sambo jacket called?

The sambo jacket is called a kurtka (from the Russian word for jacket). FIAS specifies the construction, weight (500 to 700 GSM canvas), and dimensions of the kurtka for competition use. It must be FIAS-approved to be used in sanctioned events and comes in red or blue, with the colour assigned to each competitor on the day of competition.