Why Jiu Jitsu in the UFC Is Declining, but Rising Again

For years Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was the linchpin of mixed martial arts. In the early UFC era, submission specialists shifted the balance of fights and established a clear path from the mats to the top of the sport. Over time the landscape changed. Wrestling foundations and advanced striking became the dominant bases for champions. Today many top contenders are wrestlers who control pace and position, or strikers who keep fights standing and use distance and timing to avoid grappling exchanges. That shift has made pure BJJ less visible in title pictures than it once was. 

There are several reasons for the decline. Rule standardization and judging criteria have rewarded control, octagon savvy, and striking output. Coaches emphasize takedown defense and guard passing so fighters can neutralize submission attempts before they start. Training camps build well rounded athletes who blend wrestling, striking, and grappling into a single game plan, rather than specialists who rely mostly on chokes and joint locks. At the same time the influx of high level wrestlers into MMA lowered the success rate for classical BJJ in isolation. Grapplers still win, but they are now expected to have the wrestling and striking to dictate when grappling happens. 

Even so, the story of BJJ in MMA is not finished. A new wave of submission experts who can also impose physicality and deliver pressure is changing perceptions again. One of the clearest examples is Reinier de Ridder. De Ridder arrived in the UFC after building a resume as a dominant submission force in ONE Championship and other circuits. He mixes high level BJJ with size and top control, making his submissions come from positions that modern MMA training has trouble neutralizing. His recent run of wins and his quick finishes have reminded fans and coaches that expertly applied grappling can still end fights decisively at the highest level. 

De Ridder’s influence goes beyond his own record. He forces opponents to prepare differently. Wrestlers who used to count on positional defense now add submission awareness. Strikers who planned to keep the fight upright must consider pressure entries and clinch resets. When a fighter like de Ridder wins on a visible stage, it ripples through gyms and camps, and young athletes take notice. That cycle can revive interest in specialized grappling training within the modern, mixed approach. 

The upcoming De Ridder fight provides a useful preview of how BJJ can reassert itself. His match with Brendan Allen this month frames a classic clash between an elite grappler and a dangerous, well rounded submission artist who has learned to pressure and strike. How de Ridder imposes his game, how Allen defends and counters, and how judges score control versus activity will all signal where grappling sits in the current meta. If de Ridder finishes or wins decisively, coaches will treat his approach as a model worth copying. If he struggles to secure position and is outpaced, it will underline the continued need for hybrid skill sets. 
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In the end BJJ was never dead. It evolved. The gap between classic submission art and modern MMA narrowed because the rules and athlete profiles changed. Now, with fighters who combine elite grappling with wrestling and striking, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is finding fresh life inside a more complex sport. Reinier de Ridder is one example of how submissions can rise again, not as a nostalgic throwback, but as a refined tool in a complete fighter’s arsenal. When that tool is used with size, control, and modern conditioning, it can shape the division and remind everyone that the fight can still end on the mat