Grappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial arts that are practiced both as combat sports and for self defense. Grappling does not typically include striking or most commonly the use of weapons, however some grappling disciplines teach tactics that include strikes and weapons either alongside grappling or as part of it.

Grappling techniques can be broadly subdivided into Clinch fighting; Takedowns and Throws; Submission holds and Pinning or Controlling Techniques; and Sweeps, Reversals, Turnovers, and Escapes.

The degree to which grappling is utilized in different fighting systems varies. Some systems, such as amateur wrestling, submission wrestling, judo, sumo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu are exclusively grappling arts and do not allow striking.

Francisco Santos Miranda, III (born May 24, 1979), better known as Frank Mir, is an American mixed martial artist, as well as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kenpō Karate.

Mir, one of the most accomplished heavyweights in MMA history, is a two time UFC Heavyweight Champion . He currently holds the record for most victories in the heavyweight division of the UFC with 14 and most wins by submission in UFC Heavyweight division history with 8. He is also the only man in UFC history to win a bout by toe hold. As of January 2012 he is ranked the #4 In the ESPN MMA Power Rankings.He holds the distinction of being the first and only man to both knock out and submit MMA legend Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. Mir is the only person to submit former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NCAA Division I wrestler Brock Lesnar and highly regarded striker Cheick Kongo. Frank Mir has had more fights in the UFC than anyone else currently competing in the heavyweight division.

His father convinced him to begin wrestling, on the basis that it could help him avoid submissions. Mir then began wrestling at Bonanza High School in Las Vegas, Nevada where during his junior year he lost his first nine matches. During his senior year (1998) he went 44–1 and won the state championship. He was also on the school's football team that reached the Southern Zone semifinals in 1997 and where he played as fullback and defensive end. He also took up track and field in 1998 where his discus throw of 177 feet, 10 inches is still a Sunset Regional record.

Eddie Bravo (born Edgar Cano on May 15, 1970) is a Mexican-American practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who holds a second degree black belt under Jean-Jacques Machado. He is most famous for his win as a brown belt against Royler Gracie by triangle choke in the 2003 Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling championships and his particular style of no-gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, called 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. He is also known for his mixed martial arts commentating on the Ultimate Fighting Championship and music composition. In an interview he advocated marijuana as performance enhancing. He lives in Hollywood, California, where he ran his 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu school out of Legends MMA until 5/11/12. Is presently teaching at 10th Planet in Burbank, Ca.

Eddie Bravo has released several Instructional Manuals:

Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie, Sr. → Carlos Gracie, Jr. → Jean Jacques Machado → Eddie Bravo

At UFC Fight Night 24, Chan Sung Jung, aka "the Korean Zombie" forced Leonard Garcia to tap to a spine lock called "the twister", the lock is also known in amateur wrestling as a "guillotine", not to be confused with the guillotine choke which is used widely in MMA. It was the first time the submission had been used to finish a fight in UFC history. He talked about the move after the fight, "It's something I saw a long time ago on the Internet on video," Jung said. "It's one of Eddie Bravo's moves. It's something I practiced because it looks fun and I do it quite a bit in practice. I have always told people I was going to try it sometime in competition. I wanted to do it in the UFC and I was able to, finally."

Manvel "Manny" Gamburyan (Armenian: Մանվել Գամբուրյան; born May 8, 1981) is an Armenian American mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter 5. Gamburyan is currently fighting in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is currently ranked as the #10 featherweight in the world by Sherdog.com, and #9 by MMAFighting.com.

In May 1991, Gamburyan's family relocated from Armenia to the United States. Shortly after his arrival, he began training in judo at Gokor Chivichyan's and Gene LeBell's Hayastan MMA Academy and quickly became one of the top judokan in the country, winning junior nationals less than two years later. He went on to win junior nationals eight times, the junior Olympics once, and was a member of the 2000 judo junior world team.

Gamburyan began his career in 1999 at the age of 17. He won his first four fights, then lost a decision to future UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk in 2001. His cousin Karo Parisyan nicknamed him "Pitbull" for the tenacity he displayed in the fight.