Fort Worth Sambo

Sport and Combat Sambo in Fort Worth

Sambo is a fast-paced combat sport that combines throws, takedowns, wrestling, ground fighting, and submissions into one complete grappling system. Combat Sambo takes that foundation even further by adding punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and other striking techniques.

At Fort Worth Combatives, students can train both Sport Sambo and Combat Sambo under one roof. Whether you're brand new to martial arts, an experienced grappler looking to cross-train, or interested in competition, our program allows you to develop skills across multiple ranges while training at a level appropriate for your experience and goals.

Sport Sambo emphasizes explosive throws, takedowns, positional control, scrambles, and submissions, combining elements familiar to students of wrestling, Judo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Combat Sambo builds on that grappling foundation by integrating striking and clinch fighting, creating a combat sport with many similarities to modern MMA while maintaining Sambo's distinctive techniques, rules, equipment, and competitive identity.

Students can train recreationally or pursue opportunities to compete in Sport and Combat Sambo at the local, national, and international level.

No previous Sambo or martial arts experience is required to get started.

Sport Sambo — Throws, Takedowns & Submissions

Sport Sambo is a fast-paced grappling sport built around powerful throws, takedowns, positional control, and submissions.

Students learn to combine standing grappling with ground fighting, using techniques influenced by wrestling and Judo along with Sambo’s distinctive approach to throws, leg locks, and transitions. Matches move quickly between standing and ground positions, rewarding both technical control and aggressive, effective attacks.

Training includes technique, drilling, and live resistance, allowing students to develop timing and skills against partners who are actively trying to counter them. Beginners can build these skills progressively, while experienced grapplers can adapt techniques from their existing background and explore the differences between Sambo and other grappling sports.

Competition is available for students who are interested, but competing is not required. Students are welcome to train Sambo recreationally for fitness, skill development, and the challenge of learning a different style of grappling.

Best for: Wrestling, Judo and BJJ-style grappling, throws, takedowns, submissions, live training, and students interested in combat sports or competition.

Combat Sambo — Striking & Grappling

Combat Sambo combines the throws, takedowns, submissions, and ground fighting of Sport Sambo with a complete striking component, allowing students to train across multiple ranges of combat.

Training includes punches, kicks, knees, clinch fighting, takedowns, throws, submissions, and transitions between striking and grappling. Rather than treating striking and ground fighting as separate skills, Combat Sambo teaches students how to connect them together against a resisting opponent.

This combination gives Combat Sambo many similarities to modern Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) while maintaining its own rules, techniques, equipment, and competitive format.

Students develop their skills progressively through technical practice, partner drills, and live training. Beginners can start without previous striking or grappling experience, while experienced martial artists can use Combat Sambo to expand their skills outside their primary discipline.

Competition opportunities are available for students interested in testing their skills in Combat Sambo, but competition is not required to train.

Best for: MMA-style training, striking and grappling, kickboxing skills, takedowns, submissions, live resistance, and students interested in a well-rounded combat sport.

Looking for MMA, Kickboxing or Muay Thai?

If you're searching for MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai classes in Fort Worth, Combat Sambo may be worth considering—especially if you're interested in learning both striking and grappling rather than focusing exclusively on one style.

Fort Worth Combatives does not offer a traditional Muay Thai or kickboxing program. Instead, our Combat Sambo classes combine punches, kicks, knees, and clinch fighting with throws, takedowns, ground fighting, and submissions.

For students interested in MMA, Combat Sambo offers many of the same fundamental skill areas: striking at distance, fighting from the clinch, taking an opponent to the ground, controlling positions, and finishing with submissions. The primary difference is that these skills are taught within the rules and training methods of Combat Sambo rather than modern MMA competition.

If your goal is specifically to train or compete in Muay Thai or kickboxing, a dedicated school for those sports will be a better fit. If you're looking for a combat sport that combines striking, wrestling, throws, and submissions, Combat Sambo provides a different—and much less commonly available—option in Fort Worth.

Not sure what Sambo is? Come try a class and see how striking and grappling come together.

Already Train BJJ, Judo or Wrestling?

You don't have to leave your current grappling style behind to train Sambo. Many students come to Sambo specifically because it gives them an opportunity to develop skills and strategies they may not regularly encounter in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, or wrestling.

BJJ practitioners can add more standing grappling, explosive takedowns, throws, leg attacks, and faster transitions between standing and ground fighting.

Judo practitioners will find plenty of familiar throwing concepts while adapting to different grips, rules, leg attacks, and Sambo's approach to transitioning from throws directly into submissions.

Wrestlers can build on their takedown and scrambling experience while adding submissions, jacket grappling, and—in Combat Sambo—striking.

Because Sambo regularly brings together techniques and athletes from different grappling backgrounds, experienced students are welcome to bring what they already know rather than starting over from scratch.

Whether Sambo becomes your primary combat sport or simply complements the training you already do elsewhere, it can provide a different way to challenge and expand your existing grappling skills.

Best for: BJJ, Judo and wrestling practitioners looking for cross-training, additional takedowns and throws, leg locks, jacket grappling, or experience transitioning between different combat sports.