There is a very big problem with the scoring system in Jiu Jitsu. The scoring these days discourages action and encourages stalling. Some thought submission only events would cure this problem. This would be a viable solution, if most of the matches actually ended with a submission. At this moment, Metamoris is the biggest submission only show. Of the 30 matches Metamoris has put on, only 10 of them have ended in a submission. I find this extremely disappointing. If Jiu Jitsu wants to appeal to more people and continue to grow as a sport, a new scoring system needs to be put in place.
I think the best solution to this problem would be to adopt the 10 point must system, like they have in MMA and Boxing. I also think that the matches should be split into three rounds, instead of a 10 or 20 minute match. The judging would be based on aggression and submission attempts. This rule change would guarantee a winner, and force the competitors to push the action. No more draws and no more stalling.
Harsher penalties are needed for stalling. One warning and then a disqualification should be the standard. I’ve seen too many matches where one competitor sweeps his opponent, only to stall for the rest of the match. Higher level competitors need to stop doing this as well. It seems they are too afraid of being submitted, so they completely abandoned their offense. Gary Tonon is a perfect example of what Jiu Jitsu should look like. Tonon attacks from all angles, at all times. If more competitors would emulate his style, Jiu Jitsu would grow as a spectator sport.
The current Jiu Jitsu promotions also need to do some tweaking, but I’ll save that for another article. If these rules are put in place, I believe Jiu Jitsu can grow to unimaginable heights. Comment below and tell me what you think!
