What is the difference between combat sambo and MMA?

Question

What is the difference between combat sambo and MMA?

Answer 1

They are the same thing. MMA stands for mixed martial arts, any martial art or fighting system that is "mixed" or  borrows from other systems is MMA. So combat sambo, which borrows moves from other martial arts, is MMA. Now if you are talking about the competitive sports involved with these martial arts than you have asked the wrong question and should've asked something like: "What's the difference between the UFC and the combat sambo competitions?"

Answer 2

Totally different Ruleset.

Think of Combat Sambo as Judo with amateur boxing  There are some time limits as to how long you can work on the ground, scoring is different, it is done with a Gi, while wearing head protection, and elbows, knees, etc. are not allowed. If you knock a person down with a strike in Combat Sambo you cannot jump down on them and finish them off. The area you fight in is much smaller, (much more like a wrestling area)

There are no strikes on the ground... Really the GI is a very important factor, as there are more chokes, and throws to have to defend while wearing a Gi.

There are guys who can get a lot more into it as far as the entire ruleset. But Combat Sambo is much more likely to be an Olympic Event than MMA. Due to the protective gear and ruleset that has the safety of competetors in mind.

Hope that is of some help..