Where do people (mostly Judo/Jujitsu martial artists) get the figure 9 out of 10 fights end up on the ground?

Question

I am bearing in mind that many figures come from police activity where the main goal is to tackle and subdue a suspect in order to cuff him/her, so naturally in that instance, a takedown is the goal.

I want to know where this figure comes from, if it applies to somebody actually getting knocked down due to a strike, and if it applies to regular street fights (not to the above scenario).

I have heard this statement a lot, but no proof to back up this claim.

Allow me to clarify: I don't care what system you study, why standing fighting is better than ground-fighting or vice-versa, or how long you have trained. I have trained for over 16 years myself. I agree a lot of fights end up on the ground, but how can a figure be put on it?
Judoku, my goal isn't necessarily to put my opponent on the ground so much as it is to subdue or eliminate the threat. Chances are, that involves knocking him/her/them to the ground, but with multiple opponents, I am sure you wouldn't go to the ground first... I know I wouldn't!
I agree with the "sales pitch" explanation; I'll leave the question up for a while longer, but I'll probably pick that as the best answer.

Answer 1

well i dont know about the facts and figures but i would say that some bjj or judo exponent pulled a number out of thierarse doubled it and is trying to convince ppl it's true fact.
i do agree though that most street fights do end up on the ground especially when it involves alcohol.but thats only because most ppl ar'nt fighters never lone martial artists or ppl that have done any form of fighting/selfdefence.
only a fool goes to ground unless they have no choice.judo and bjj aredesigned to be used in a ring etc. where theres rules and control.we all know that they can be used on the street but what happens when they run into someone that can actually fight?of cause if you listen to bjj and judo exponents they can beat anyone,anywhere, anytime .but common sense tells you that is wrong,and you dont even have to be a ma to figure that out.all i can say is these ppl are in for a rude awakening when they get into a real fight against a real fighter.yes judo and bjj have their place in martial arts but you have to know it's limitations and it's intended purpose.and anyway to be a real ma you have to crosstrain. if you only do one style your always going to have a vunerable point?i think a lot of so called expert martial artists dont have a clue what ma is about or they have a distorted view on it.
you cant compare police work or actions to everyday situations or streetfights so to use thier facts and figures would'nt make any sense.and i'd like to see any judoka take down a thai fighter(even a half decent one)9 out of 10 times.

Answer 2

The idea, I think comes from observations of fights. I myself have witnessed many that wound up being little more than two people rolling around on the ground. I am not certain how the particular number was arrived at as it was never mentioned in MY training, but there are occasions when fights do wind up on the ground. Usually, however, this happens with untrained or inexperinenced fighters who easily lose thier balance and fall more than from a concerted effort to take the fight to the ground. This happen mostly in street fights and very few street fighters actually bother to learn any real fighting skills and assume that the tactics and experience they have are enough. IF you watch enough street fights between untrained fighters, you will get similar results, bet even a moderately skilled martial artist can avoid being taken to the ground under most circumstances.

Answer 3

Well it used to be 9 out of 10 fights going to the ground, when the Ultimate Fighting Championship started Royce Gracie used grappling to subdue all his foes. The Gracie family used this statistic because they were challenging or being challenged by other martial artists. Nowadays the fighters are more well rounded and the strikers know all the grappling moves, therby nullifying the grapplers/wrestlers takedown attempts and knocking them out. Believe it or not it is relatively easy to take down a kickboxer, karate, or kung fu man who does not know grappling(I trained in Shootfighting and MMA for several years and tested the theory). It is true also with street fights between 2 people who know nothing because when they throw haymakers and both move in at the same time they usually get tangled. In order to keep a fight standing you need to move in, strike, and move out. That is because if someone is getting hit they may try to grab you just to keep from getting hurt. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

For starters, this statement is the 'sales pitch' if you will to back up the reason why you need to take a grappling combat style. There's no evidence or some tally sheet with boxed checked marks on them to support this. Just as there's no figure to represent how quickly most assults are over with as soon as they begin. From my own experience both with street fighting and extreme martial arts, I would have to say that it's 50-50% with the variables changing 20-30% all the time in either direction and even that representation isn't carved in stone. Sorry, you just can't put a label on it and ship it as given fact.

Answer 5

I don't know where they get the statistics, I'm not even sure that accurate statistics are kept. Most fights that involve people who don't know what they are doing end up on the ground. Those involving a good stand up fighter do so far less often. Everyone should remember that ALL fights start out standing up.

Answer 6

Because the goal in each martial art is to get your opponant to the ground. Ju Jitsu is mostly ground based fighting where as Judo utalizes throws to get your opponant down and then use submisions. Both have weopons and striking defence.
So just like a Muay Thai fighter or Boxer says they're gonna keep it on their feet,
A Judo or Ju Jitsu fighter wants to get it on the mat so they can take their opponant out of their element.
In otherwords, I am a Judo fighter if I face a Muay Thai fighter 9 out of 10 times I will be taking him to the ground. Why because I am obviously not gonna out strike him and he is not gonna touch me on the ground.

Answer 7

I suppse from the fact that when "MOST" people get into a fist fight you don't have time to think and simply react therefore you're fighting with no specific fighting style, no game plan, just trying to survive. If someone was swinging for the fences with every punch he or she throws and happens to land one and knocks their opponent down them most likely they will strike them while on the ground. Now at the same time if you're throwing haymakers and your momentum takes both you and your opponent down I doubt you're going to ask for a stand-up. If anything you'll probably wanna sprawl back to your feet but that's if you're even thinking that since most fist fights in the streets last no more than 2 mintues, now that's a god given fact!

Answer 8

there is no proof.
unless they have studied every fight on the street, the amount is fabricated.
as a bouncer I have been in, and witnessed many fights. not many would have gone to the ground still fighting. only the messy novice scrappers go to the ground. sure, the BJJ people go to the ground, then they get their heads kicked in by the other guys mates. truth is truth people.
the only true % on fighting is that 10/10 people hit the ground when they are knockout cold. many street fights are ended this way, not through submission.
dont believe the hype. you will go to ground if you dont know sh!t from clay, because you will be knocked the f#ck out. the only fights I have seen wrestle on the ground are women, and guys that dont know sh!t. the BJJ people round here arent that stupid to think they can submit 3 guys. in a street fight, friends will join the situation.

I use Control & Restraint in most cases, and it isnt through Aikido's redirection of energy, its from the initial crack to the head that I give them when I grab the wrist, that allows me to put the lock on, and I only take them to the ground if I have cover from another doorman.

so I dont believe in the 9/10 fights go to the ground, unless it means to the ground knocked out/ fallen over. I dont believe they all become grappling/wrestling/rolling... a guy who knows his stuff wouldnt waste time getting to that point. yeah, yeah, you say, but what if... (just shut up fools) what ifs happen to everybody sometime. and if it happens, then you are just screwed, and I am no perfect weapon, and I have been taken out, but you learn.

Answer 9

i am with judoka on this question i train in aikido

Answer 10

I guess they don't watch much hockey.