Who Has the Best Jiu-Jitsu in the UFC? A Look at the Top Grapplers

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu has been one of the most important martial arts within MMA since the very beginning. Being able to control your opponent on the ground to neutralise the threat of their striking whilst also posing a threat with deadly submissions is what makes BJJ a special type of martial art.

The best part about Jiu-jitsu is that it allows fighters that may be small physically to be dominant on the ground, even against fighters with a strength advantage. BJJ focuses on technique grappling, and with good technique, this can allow the smaller fighter to be the more dominant grappler compared to a physically stronger opponent.

Once the fight has hit the mat, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners focus on locking in limb locks such as armbars, leglocks and chokes. What stands BJJ out from other grappling disciplines is that there is a heavy focus on controlling fighters from the bottom. Even if a BJJ fighter ends up on the bottom, they are still equipped at finding a submission to finish the fight. They can also transition to the top by using expert BJJ sweeps.

There isn't really a position on the ground where a Jiu-jitsu fighter isn't effective. There are armbar and guillotine opportunities from top mount, there are kimura and americana opportunities from side control, there are triangle chokes and gogoplata opportunities from bottom full guard. The list is endless.

The Importance of Jiu-jitsu in Modern Day MMA

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As MMA has evolved, Jiu-jitsu is becoming more and more important in fighter's game plans. Having BJJ in your back pocket as a fighter allows you to defend against wrestlers and strikers. Often, if a BJJ expert feels uncomfortable in striking range, they will pull guard in order to take the fight to the mat and neutralise their threat on the feet.

Being a very knowledgeable submission artist allows fighters to have a clear advantage over most opponents, thus giving them a chance to finish fights without really sustaining any major damage.

Lastly, if a BJJ fighter is put in a compromised position, for example a back mount, then they will be able to keep their composure and find their way out of the submission, and perhaps even reverse the submission to find themselves in a dominant position.

Who Has the Best Jiu-jitsu in the UFC?

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There has been several elite Brazilian Jiu-jitsu fighters in the UFC, but these are the top five best Jiu-jitsu fighters in the history of UFC. 

5. Brian Ortega

With 8 submissions on his record, Brian Ortega has proven himself to be one of the most dangerous BJJ fighters that the UFC has seen. His victories over Renato Moicano and Cub Swanson are particularly famous. Ortega has a good blend of striking and grappling but, unfortunately, he has not managed to win UFC gold in his career.

4. Gilbert Burns

Gilbert “Durinho” Burns is a veteran of MMA. The Brazilian is a fan-favourite because of his exciting style which blends explosive striking with excellent submission skills. Burns’ Jiu-jitsu has yielded 9 submission victories in his pro MMA career.

3. Rousimar Palhares

Rousimar Palhares is one of the Brazilian Jiu-jitsu legends of MMA. “Toquinho” was known for his brutal arm and leg locks, his knee bars particularly were his speciality. Palhares won 15 pro MMA fights by submission.

2. Demian Maia

A prime Demian Maia was a difficult man to beat; the Brazilian had exceptional Jiu-jitsu skills and would most often find his way latching onto his opponents back and trying to lock in a rear naked choke. 14 of his pro MMA victories have come via submission.