Out of all grappling styles shown, I'm most impressed by the Mongolians.
Sure, its no gi but they use there natural surrounding and no mats. They stop once the throw is scored, which obviously limits ground work and keeps it sport, but I'd imagine in their old society, going to the ground would result in spitting, bitting, picking up a rock next to you, smashing it overhead or pulling out a hidden weapon to help you finish off your enemy. Not to say that ground work is useless, but I'd wager that wrestling like this was used to keep soldiers sharp and prepaired if they were in close. |