SAMBO: How A Russian Martial Art Used By Soviet Forces Is Set To Be An Olympic Sport

Sambo might now be a mainstream sport that could be adopted by the Olympics but it has its roots in military combat and was developed in Soviet-era Russia.

Many martial arts around the world have had military connections at some point in their history and the style of wrestling in Sambo can trace its history back to forms of hand-to-hand combat.

What is Sambo?  

Sambo is a martial art, fighting style and combat sport that was once said to have been used by the special forces of the Soviet states, Spetsnaz.

The technique was first developed by the Soviet Red Army with the primary goal of being able to end a fight as quickly as possible. Disabling the opponent with speed and ease is key.

A trained Sambo fighter is said to be able to rapidly disarm their enemy and place them in a hold without hurting them until they surrender.  

The word Sambo is a creative acronym for three Russian words: "samozashchita bez oruzhiya" which translate to self-defence without weapons.  

Although initially designed for military purposes, the wrestling aspect of Sambo became an internationally accredited combat sport in the 1960s. 

Sambo is recognised by United World Wrestling (UWW) and practised globally.  

In 2018, the sport received international attention due to a high-profile Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight between Sambo-trained Russian fighter, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Conor McGregor. Khabib won, forcing McGregor to tap out in the fourth round and dominating the fight on the ground and in the stand-up. 

The off-rink feud between the two fighters turned into one of the most bitter rivalries in UFC history. McGregor, a former UFC featherweight and lightweight double-champion, was trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. During the weigh-in, photos Khabib famously wore a T-shit to mock and berate his opponent that said 'If sambo was easy, it would be called jiu jitsu'.

It has been recently announced that Sambo has received recognition from the International Olympic Committee and there is a chance of it featuring in the games in Los Angeles in 2028.  

There has been a push since 2009 to make Sambo an official Olympic sport, and although it might be too late for Khabib to participate as he has resigned as a competitor, this highly anticipated news was met with great enthusiasm in the Sambo community.  

What Makes Sambo Different? 

Sambo has many features in common with mixed martial arts, in that you can kick, punch, grapple, do submissions on the ground, flip your opponent over, pick them up and then throw them down again … if you wanted to. The point of the fight, similar to Greco-Roman wrestling, is to pin down your fighting partner until they submit or tap out.  

Sambo fighters wear a uniform inspired by jiujitsu. However, the Sambo jacket has plates in the shoulder pads that one can grab and perform specific techniques that are not possible in judo or jiujitsu. 

But what makes Sambo uniquely different compared to other martial arts is the Russian work ethic, at least according to Fedor Emelianenko, the number-one ranked heavyweight mixed martial artist in the world.  

After mastering Sambo and Judo and serving in the Russian army, the heavyweight champion published a book titled ‘The Fighting System of The Undisputed King of MMA’ in which he wrote:

"I can teach you techniques to win fights, but I cannot teach you the Russian work ethic.” 

History of Sambo 

Sambo had three ‘founding fathers’ who each contributed and shaped the sport in their own ways. The hand-to-hand combat style that later became a sport was created to disarm opponents by using skill rather than strength.  

In the 1920s, First World War veteran Viktor Spiridonov introduced a unique fighting style to the Soviet elite troops and police force called ‘samozashita’ which means ‘self-defence’ or ‘samoz’ for short. It was based on classical boxing mixed with Greco-Roman wrestling and formed the basis of the Russian fighting style. This foundation was then developed by Vasili Oshchepkov who moulded Sambo into what it is today.  

Oshchepkov had a fascinating life story that ended in tragedy. Born into a family of exiles in 1893, he was an intelligence officer during both Tsarist and Soviet periods.  

The biggest influence in Oshchepkov's life was Judo which he studied in Japan at the beginning of the 20th century. He perfected his craft at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo and became the first Russian to receive a black belt in the sport.  

After returning to the USSR, he focused on realising his dream of creating a unique Soviet Martial Art that could be used by both the military and civilians. He pioneered not only the sport itself but also the uniforms that are still used in Sambo today.  

In 1938, the All-USSR State Sport Committee declared Sambo the Martial Art of the Motherland, and thus it became the Soviet Union’s official national combat sport. Although at the time is was called 'borba volnovo stilia', literally translated as 'freestyle wrestling.' 

Sadly, Oshchepkov did not live to see this. He perished a year earlier in a prison under suspicious circumstances. Due to his close ties with Japan, he was accused of being a double agent and despite his important contribution to Soviet sport and the training of the Red Army, he became a victim of the Stalinist political purges of 1937.  

Twenty years later, after Stalin’s death, he was posthumously cleared of wrongdoing and his reputation was re-established. 

However, if not for the efforts of Oshchepkov's student Anatoly Kharlampley, the martial art might have been lost to the public and only used to train elite Spetsnaz operatives. 

Due to Oshchepkov being falsely discredited as a double agent, there was a push from above to classify Sambo fighting techniques, keep them for the KGB and away from Russian civilians. 

In 1936, Kharlampley completed his thesis in the fighting style developed by Oshchepkov and went on a USSR-wide tour to inspect 57 other ethnic wrestling styles that the 15 Soviet Republics had to offer. He managed to convince Soviet leadership that this was a uniquely 'Soviet' fighting style and lead the All-USSR State Sport Committee in 1938 where it was declared the Martial Art of the Motherland. 

Sambo in the military  

Similarly to another uniquely Russian martial art called Systema, the combat fighting techniques of Sambo were specifically developed for the military in the 1920s with efficiency and effectiveness as a top priority. 

According to Mark Galeotti, a London-based lecturer and Russia expert, a variation of Sambo is taught to Spetsnaz - Russia’s elite special forces.  

As well as learning the drills, they are taught to stay vigilant at all times and scan their environment for potential threats and weapons.  

In the eyes of a trained Spetsnaz operative, anything from a streetlamp to an opponent’s shoelaces can become a deadly weapon. 

Of course, this type of fighting style is vastly different from the official Sport and Combat Sambo that we see in the wrestling rink. However, the origins of the hand-to-hand combat are the same, as well as the technique. 

Former KGB operative and current Russian President Vladimir Putin is also an honorary president of the International Sambo Federation. 

Different types of Sambo  

Apart from the classified Sambo techniques used by Spetsnaz, there are three types of competitive Sambo.  

Sport Sambo incorporates elements of judo, but with some variations in rules and uniform.  

Combat Sambo is more similar to mixed martial arts and features fighting manoeuvres such as grappling and extensive forms of striking. The jackets with shoulder pads are the same as in Sport Sambo, however, a lot more protection is worn such as helmets, gloves and sometimes shin and head guards. 

Unlike Sport Sambo, women are not allowed in the Combat Sambo.

Headbutts and groin strikes are permitted. Taking place on the mat and in the sand, Beach Sambo is the third type of competitive Sambo. The main difference is that each round is limited to three minutes and there are no penalties.  

Sambo as an Olympic sport  

Sambo has come a long way and has spread around the world since it was recognised as an official sport by the USSR All-Union Sports Committee in 1938. In the 1960s, it became an accredited combat sport with international championships taking place annually. However, it was not until 2009 when the intention to make Sambo an official Olympic sport was first announced.  

It took nine years for the sport to secure temporary recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2018. 

It has recently been announced that the Sambo Federation has now received full recognition, making it likely to feature in the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.  

Along with Sambo, kickboxing and Muay Thai are the two other sports federations that also received full recognition. While receiving recognition from the IOC does not automatically grant inclusion in the Olympic games, it is a major step in that direction.