Do you call matches "fights"?

Chris Beeby

Chris Beeby

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When speaking of BJJ (or other grappling competition), do you call a match a fight? When it's convenient? All the time? Only when it means saving syllables?

This is a pretty big joke among MMA guys. I have no personal problem with people saying they "fought yesterday" or whatever, but I think it's very funny when BJJ competitors will say "I had 6 fights" because that just SOUNDS preposterous without context. IMO a "fight" means there was a chance you could have been seriously injured/maimed/killed, and while a strong choke or a deep leg lock can cause bodily harm, IMO a fight includes striking.

I have also noticed it's mostly BJJ guys that do this. Judo/wrestling do not say "fights". Perhaps this is because a fight can be executed like a BJJ match i.e. early Demain Maia MMA fights (choosing not to strike much in lieu of getting the submission).

This will probably devolve into a flame war, so let's try and keep it civil and include logical explanations as to why or why not.
 
It meets the general definition of fighting for most people, so it can be used in that context.

When talking with other competitive martial artists, fight has a specific technical meaning (something sanctioned by the athletic commission that goes on your record), so in that context it doesn't fit.
 
I think it is because it is a submission fight. You win by submission.
 
I say it because it's easier than saying 'I had 6 grappling matches'. Also, why on earth would anyone care that much?
 
I personally say "matches". Personally, I feel like saying "fight" means punches.
 
I don't but it depends on how the term "fight" is defined. Certain MMA people may laugh if they hear a jiu jitsu practitioner say they had a "fight" but that's based on their definition, most likely similar to yours, that it involves striking. But by that definition point sparring is a "fight".

I think what happens a lot is that whatever area or skill you're involved in there are always others who try to diminish the skills or attributes of others within the same area. For example, theoretical physicists will joke they don't consider experimental physicists "real" physicists. Cognitive psychologists will joke they don't consider clinical psychologists real psychologists. Your same MMA friends would be laughed at by people who consider fighting where everything goes, including weapons, eye gouging, ball crunching, etc.

Personally, I say I rolled or had a match with someone but I think the term "fight" is such that it's open to a lot of different definitions.
 
I usually say 'matches' because it's a sporting contest, not a fight (MMA or otherwise), though if I have a tournament coming up I'll say 'I'm fighting on Nov 9th' or whatever just because it's a lot less awkward than saying 'I'll be grappling in a BJJ tournament Nov 9th'. I use 'competing' about as often, it just depends. But I'm very well aware it's not really a fight, any more than a wrestling match is a fight.
 
Funkoar said:
I highly doubt that.

Fyi, I just say "I competed", "I am competing" or any variation of the word depending on the context and situation.
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No it's common. They don't like to hear they are not in a fight as well. All those arbitrary rules about kicking someone on the ground, punches to certain parts of the head, GLOVES, etc.....

Edit:
With that said, also think it is silly. I like match, or i was playing, or rolling. I like to say "I have an upcoming tournament".

"I had three matches"
I "played 3 times"
 
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I say match but I'm guessing it's cuz I used to wrestle. Really it's all just nomenclature. Why is it a football game but a soccer match or a wrestling meet? Why do people call their bjj style their bjj game?

It's all just based upon what people are used to calling it and if mma guys think it's a big joke then I hope it's good natured otherwise I would just think he's a dick.
 
Early brazilians called it fights cause they didn't know the word matches. Early Americans never corrected it and it just stuck. Lol at anyone thinking this is a fight.
 
I call it a match. I used to hear people calling them fights, and calling BJJ competitors fighters, much more when I started training 7-8 years ago, when BJJ was more closely aligned with MMA. Nowadays I can't remember the last person I heard call it a fight.
 
Chris Beeby said:
I have also noticed it's mostly BJJ guys that do this. Judo/wrestling do not say "fights". Perhaps this is because a fight can be executed like a BJJ match i.e. early Demain Maia MMA fights (choosing not to strike much in lieu of getting the submission).
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No, it's because BJJ is still relatively close to its roots as a fighting art, whereas Judo and wrestling, in the minds of many who compete intensely in them, is a pure sport. Judo competitors call themselves players. They play Judo. Wrestling is purely approached as a sport, it's only recently that it was thought of in conjunction with actual fighting (at least widely thought of).
 
I use the terms 'match' and 'fight' interchangeably.
 
mat worm said:
Early brazilians called it fights cause they didn't know the word matches. Early Americans never corrected it and it just stuck. Lol at anyone thinking this is a fight.
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I wouldn't be shocked if that was the origin of the whole thing.
 
Chris Beeby said:
When speaking of BJJ (or other grappling competition), do you call a match a fight? When it's convenient? All the time? Only when it means saving syllables?

This is a pretty big joke among MMA guys. I have no personal problem with people saying they "fought yesterday" or whatever, but I think it's very funny when BJJ competitors will say "I had 6 fights" because that just SOUNDS preposterous without context. IMO a "fight" means there was a chance you could have been seriously injured/maimed/killed, and while a strong choke or a deep leg lock can cause bodily harm, IMO a fight includes striking.

I have also noticed it's mostly BJJ guys that do this. Judo/wrestling do not say "fights". Perhaps this is because a fight can be executed like a BJJ match i.e. early Demain Maia MMA fights (choosing not to strike much in lieu of getting the submission).

This will probably devolve into a flame war, so let's try and keep it civil and include logical explanations as to why or why not.
Click to expand...


I have called them fights sometimes, as well as matches, it just depends on what comes out, I agree that BJJ matches are not street fights, but the phrase street fight denotes that it is sub genre of fighting, as if that is not the ONLY kind of fighting.

Lets to early BJJ, how many "Gracie Challenges" were there, where the Gracie fighter never threw a punch, and some of them neither threw a punch...were they fights? Sure.

I could start yelling at my wife, and someone would call the cops saying we are fighting...

A fight is basically a conflict between two or more entities which may lead to physical confrontation...

The "free dictionary" online defines it as such:

"1. A confrontation between opposing groups in which each attempts to harm or gain power over the other, as with bodily force or weapons.
2. A quarrel or conflict.
3.
a. A physical conflict between two or more individuals.
b. Sports A boxing or wrestling match.


1) gaining power over would equate to mounting, holding position, and even submitting.
2) a BJJ match is a quarrel and conflict...and even if he rules are against it, strikes DO happen.
3a) it is definitely a physical conflict, you can't tell me grappling is not physical
3b) sport boxing or wrestling match...wresting has no strikes, and grappling equates to wrestling...and it says a match is equevelentvto a fight.

Not to mention, if my 11 year old son hip tosses a kid at school, mounts him takes his back and chokes him out..guess what the school would be calling me saying "your son was in a fight today" regardless if blows were thrown or not...

I say that to say this...is a BJJ match a fight...YES...but I do feel weird saying it..and usually say matches...but to say it is a fight, wouldn't be wrong at all.

This is my LOGICAL break down and understanding of the concept and question.
 
SuperSuperRambo said:
I wouldn't be shocked if that was the origin of the whole thing.
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I don't think that's true. IBJJF uses combate and lute as ref commands. Both of those are of the sense of a fight, not a match. You wouldn't say lute to a soccer player.

Also the Portuguese IBJJF rulebook has luta all through it. Luta means fight, not match.
 
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