Why Beginners Should Stop Chasing Submissions in BJJ (+ What I Wish I Knew Earlier)

🥋 My MMA Introduction: Confusion, Flying Knees, and Hugs?

So, when I talk about my BJJ journey, it technically all started with MMA.
The first time I watched an MMA fight, I thought it was just like boxing or kickboxing—people throwing punches, kicks, and basically trying to knock each other into next week.

But then reality hit me harder than a flying knee.
I was like, “Wait… why are they hugging now?” I knew boxing had that weird clinch thing, but this? This was a whole different level.
And just when I thought it couldn’t get weirder—bam! One guy takes the other down and just sits on him.
I looked around and asked the only logical question: “Why is the ref letting this happen?!”

At that point, I had zero clue what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu even was. I didn’t even know the word “grappling.”
It took me a minute to realize MMA wasn’t just “boxing plus kicks,” but a whole underground world of wrestling, submissions, and turning people into human pretzels.

Luckily, I had a brother who was also into MMA. We geeked out together, watched fights, Googled everything, and slowly made sense of it all.

🤔 The Invitation to BJJ: How I Finally Said Yes

One day, my brother says:

“Hey, my coworker trains BJJ and invited me to join a class. Wanna come?”

You’d think I’d be all over that, right?
Nope.
I hit him with a confident, “Nah, I’m good.”
He shrugged and said, “Suit yourself. If you change your mind, here’s the address.”

What changed my mind?
Honestly, I just thought:

“Why not? If I hate it, I’ll just never go back.”

And that’s how I randomly stumbled into my first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class on a Saturday afternoon—with no clue what I was doing, but fully ready to find out if hugging strangers was my thing.

🔥 My First Roll: From YouTube Hero to Tap Machine

The first thing I noticed when I showed up: there were two instructors, both running the club as a passion project.
No hardcore fight camp vibes—just people who genuinely loved BJJ.

Perfect, because I wasn’t trying to be a fighter. I was just curious.

Then came my first roll.
One of the instructors offered to roll with me and said:

“Your only job is to try and keep me on the ground.”

Simple enough, right?
Hah. Wrong.

Instead of following instructions, I went full YouTube Warrior mode and tried to submit him with a move I half-remembered from a highlight video.
Spoiler alert: not only did I fail miserably—he took my back in 10 seconds and made me tap in under 30.

That was my first big lesson:
“Don’t go for the checkmate right out the gate.”

♟️ Human Chess: Why Control Matters More Than Submissions

BJJ is human chess—you don’t just leap for the king on move two.
You set up. You build pressure. You dominate position.
And your opponent is trying to do the exact same thing.

To land a submission, you need control.

Manage the pace.
Manage the space.
Bait your opponent into your traps.

Sounds logical, right?

But when you’re a beginner, you don’t know enough to set traps.
That’s why my instructor told me:

“Just try to hold him down.”

Control first. Submission second.

So many beginners (me included) rush to “win” before they even understand how to not lose.

🐻 Lessons from Khabib: The Power of Relentless Control

Take Khabib Nurmagomedov—one of my favorite fighters.
Some people say his style is boring: hugging, grinding, smothering.

But me? I think that’s what made him terrifying.
Everyone knew exactly what Khabib was gonna do when the cage door closed…
And still, nobody could stop it.

He didn’t rely on surprises.
He relied on inevitability.
Once he got control, the fight was basically over.

That’s real dominance.
And that’s the type of energy I wish I brought into my early BJJ days.

💬 Final Thoughts: Control First, Submissions Second

Looking back, getting tapped out in under 30 seconds was probably the best thing that could’ve happened to me.
It taught me something no YouTube highlight ever could:
Control isn’t just part of the game—it is the game.

Submissions are flashy.
But without control, they’re just wishful thinking.

So if you’re starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu:

Don’t rush to “win.”
Focus on learning how to not lose.
Learn to control the pace, the space, and yourself.

The submissions will come naturally once your control game is strong.
I promise.

And hey, if you’ve already been on the mats for a bit…
👉 What would you do differently if you could restart your BJJ journey?

Drop a comment, share your first roll story, or tag a friend who needs to hear this.
Let’s get better together—one awkward roll at a time. 🥋✨