Control without fabric
No collar, no sleeves — so you grip the body: hooks, underhooks, wrist control.
No-Gi · Wrestling without the gi
GrapplingNo-Gi
Grappling is ground fighting stripped of the gi. No collar or sleeve to grab: you control the body, the neck, the wrists. Everything moves faster, everything gets slippier, and leg attacks take centre stage.
Where it comes from
The history
Modern grappling is a melting pot. It draws on catch-as-catch-can, born at the fairs of 19th-century Lancashire, on Olympic freestyle wrestling, on judo and, of course, on Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
It really took off in 1998 with the creation of the ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, a practitioner himself. The tournament brought wrestlers, judoka and jiu-jitsu players together under a single ruleset, with no gi. It became the world benchmark for the sport.
Since then, no-gi has developed its own grammar: body-lock passing, systematised leg attacks, a higher pace. Many practitioners now switch between gi and no-gi, each one feeding the other.
The principles
What we actually drill
Speed
Sweat and the lack of grips make escapes easier. You have to chain your moves faster.
The leg game
Heel hooks, straight ankle locks, 50/50 entries: the lower body becomes a target in its own right.
Straight into MMA
It's the form of grappling you can use most directly with gloves on.
At Arcano
How we teach it
Grappling classes run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from the 10:30 session right through to the evening, with a Fundamentals class at noon and a Grappling Kids session at 17:45. It's the natural partner to BJJ — and a must for anyone who wants to get into MMA.
Who is it for?
- BJJ players looking to round out their game
- Wrestlers and judoka switching disciplines
- MMA fighters
- Children, with a dedicated class
Schedule
Grappling this week
TUESDAY
GrapplingAdults
Grappling FundamentalsAdults
GrapplingAdults
Grappling KidsKids
THURSDAY
GrapplingAdults
Grappling FundamentalsAdults
GrapplingAdults
Grappling KidsKids
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Frequently asked questions
Straight answers
Do I need to do BJJ before grappling?
No, you can start straight with no-gi. And if you do both, each one makes the other stronger.
What should I wear for grappling?
Fight shorts with no pockets or zips, plus a rashguard. The academy will advise you for your first class.
Are there belts in grappling?
The belt system comes from BJJ. In pure no-gi, progress is measured mainly through competition and technical level.
Other disciplines
