As far as I know the only and most popular school sponsored sport that pits man against man is a quasi-combat arena is wrestling.

Today while training at the dojo I was working with one of my favorite training partners Louis. Louis is former active duty MP, now reservist and full time Corrections Officer. He is one of my favorites because he trains rough since his life may depend on it and has a very good attitude.

Today we were working on various attacks and counters. Besides practicing Yo Shin Ryu Ju Jitsu Louis also takes Brazilian Ju Jitsu. Many times today during his counters he reverted back into BJJ and pulled me into his guard. Sensei caught on that I was being too nice and not continuing the fight.

As I stated in the beginning there are a bunch of people out there that have a formal wrestling background that may have started in a very early age. Many around three years old. Most of the training is concentrated on the take down and gaining control on the ground.

As I have explained to my wife time and time again boys unlike girls can not help but wrestle each other when they get together. It is very natural. Even men with no formal grappling training have at least wrestled other boys and may have found what worked for them as far as getting someone on the ground.

Now fast forward to the trained or untrained grappler when is about 25, standing in the parking lot of bar getting ready to fight you. Do to either technique or luck on his part or yours you end up on the ground.

All of a sudden he snaps into the “familiar territory” I have written about before and being a former wrestler he now becomes confident to try something else and realized he needs to win the fight and there is referee there to award him the match.

I would say that the two most obvious things he will do is grab you by your ears/hair and smash your head into the ground or start hammer fisting you in the head. Maybe a choke.

Try never to fight an opponent in their area of expertise. Running into a guy at a bar you will probably not have any idea what his area of expertise is. It would be my advice to stay away from the last phase of combat being the ground if at all possible.

Again because if he has any training at all there is a good possibility that grappling may be it. Many grappling skills are also very gross motor, with the adrenal dump and intoxicants even if he has other training he may just revert to the grappling anyway.

I know all of the talk about the majority of fights going to the ground. In real street combat this should mean that your opponent in on the ground and you are standing or at least in advantageous kneeling position.