Great Sambo Great Wrestling

A couple of different films for you
1) Russian Film on the origins of Sambo notice it is a lot of self defence and is not called Combat Sambo very simular to my own CombatSombo
2) Film on a young lad doing proper wrestling not that boring MMA Street Wrestling good fighter stupid haircut

Woodside Side Judo Club IBF GB Top Club

Woodside Judo and Sambo Club, Bedford, travelled to Dalfsen, Holland, to compete in the Dutch Open Judo and Sambo Tournament on the 18th and 19th March.




The International Tournament boasted over 1000 competitors from 19 different countries.



The first day saw the club competing in Sambo. First up was Richard Lilley, 11, a judo competitor who was fighting in his first ever Sambo tournament. In the first round Richard found himself 4 points behind early on, he then showed great strength to find a 4 point throw and followed with a 4 point hold. He then went on to gain 1 more point from a throw to eventually win 9-4. In the next round Richard immediately went 4 points ahead, and his opponent had to withdraw with an injury. This meant Richard was in the final, where he lost 10-0 to a very experienced Dutch fighter. Richard finished with the Silver medal.



Next up was Cyeanne Eaton, 13. Due to the female entries being low in numbers for the Sambo, Cyeanne found herself in a weight group 11kg above her weight in the under 52kg's. Cyeanne was winning 4-0 in her first fight but went on to lose 8-4. Her next fight, against the favourite for the Gold, her opponent was too strong and cyeanne found it difficult to unbalance her. she went on to lose 10-0. Cyeanne finished with the Bronze medal.



Vinny Dragan, 22, grew up and trained sambo in Lithuania. He moved to England last year and has recently re-started training at Woodside. Vinny was looking strong through the preliminary rounds winning fights comfortably 12-0 and with submission work. The final against a French oponent was a much closer contest. Both fighters picking up points and swapping the lead between them. The fight went the distance with Vinny unfortunately losing 8-6. Leaving him the Silver medal.



Next up Head Coach Ian Parker, 25. After dislocating his finger early in his first fight, Ian was finding it difficult to keep any grips on his opponents and was knocked out the tournament in the second round with an Ultimate win from a Kata Guruma.



Adam Dodds, 14, has recently moved from the junior section up to Youth (14-17 yr olds). Adam dominated his first opponent and won the fight 12-0 with 2 4-point throws and a 4-point Hold. Adam then found himself facing an experienced Ukraine fighter. Adam fought extremely well to take the fight the distance but lost on points 10-0. Adam received the Silver medal.



Russell Dodds, 43, had earlier in the year retired from fighting the youngsters to concentrate on masters and veteran events. However he was tempted to fight once more. Russell won his first fight against an experienced Scotsman 12-0. He then went on to beat a French opponent 12-4 at the end of the fight. Russell lost his next fight on points and his final contest he withdrew from with breathing difficulties. Russell finished with a Bronze medal.



With the club exceeding the club coach, Ian Parker's expectations on the first day, everyone was excited for the judo on the saturday.



Anton Parocki, 8, was looking to defend his Gold medal from the year before. Anton found himself in a large group of 16 youngsters. Anton had a total of 8 fights and won 7 of them with maximum points from either Ippon throws or Holds. Anton was looking very tired by the time he got to the final but found one last bit of energy to throw his opponent for a Wazari score which he successfully defended to take the Gold medal.



Vinny Dragan, 22, had never entered a judo tournament. Despite knowing the rules his instinct took over and he immeadiately performed a leg grab! The referee spared him disqualification and this fight went the distance with no score. In the Golden score Vinny got Caught with a Tani Otoshi to lose the fight. Vinny then had 3 more fights which he won with ease and with maximum points and finished with a Silver Medal.



Head Coach Ian Parker, with his dislocated finger heavily strapped up, was forced to fight very tactically, not his usual style of fighting. he won his first four fights with 2 Ippons, a Yuko and a Wazari. He then lost to the eventual Gold Medallist to a Drop Seio Nage for Ippon score. He finished with the Bronze Medal.



Aimee Lilley, 13, was next to fight. Aimee had 4 fights in total all of a high standard. Aimee showed great maturity in her style of fighting by being very controlled in her fighting. In all Aimee's fights she took the lead then defended her lead until she had an opening to attack again. she won the Final with a hold to take the Gold Medal.



Elora Parocki, 13, also had a large group. Elora was fighting particularly well and didnt take any chances. she dominated all her oponents and won all her fights to take the Gold medal.



Cyeanne Eaton, 13, first fight was dissapointing as she lost to a hold against an opponent cyeanne and her coach thought she should have beat. Cyeanne showed great mental strength to pick herself up, win her next 3 fights, and then be faced with the same opoonent that beat her in the first round, in the semi-final. Cyeanne made no mistake this time winning with Ippon throw to get into the final. Cyeanne lost the final to a hold and finished with a Silver medal.



Shannon Lilley, 11, had a pool of 4 girls. All experienced players shannon new it would be a tough group. Shannon did well to win one of her fights with a hold and took the Bronze medal.



The total tally of Medals was 3 Gold, 5 Silver and 4 Bronze. 12 Medals from 14 Fighters. This is the best result the club has ever had from this competition.

Chris Dolman Worlds Greatest Grappler

Worlds Greatest Grappler “Chris Dolman”


Whilst at the Dutch Open this year I had the pleasure and privilege to meet up with an old adversary Chris Dolman. Chris had travelled down from Amsterdam to Dalfsen to visit me; we have seen each other for 19 years. I fought Chris in the final of the World Games Sambo in 1985 and lost to him on a leg lock, I was 35 and he was already 40.

Chris was already a famous Judoka, Olympic Free Style and Greco Roman Wrestler, Samboist he had won World Medal in all disciplines so he had made his mark by the time he was 40 but he was not going to stop there. After the World Games the new Sport of Bushido was capturing the World of Martial Arts and promoters were soon on to Chris to take on all comers. Bushido was the for runner of cage fighting but done in a ring and people from all over were pitted in this limited rules Matches. Chris first fights were against people like Geoff Capes the famous GB Shot Putter and World Strongest man Bill Kazmaier , he beat Capes on a leg lock (I know how painful they are) and Kazmaier threw in the towel after have his legs kicked to pieces both of his opponents dwarfed him and out strengthen him but he proved that technique will beat just brute strength but his critics said he would never beat a good striker well once again he proved them wrong when he took on from Holland Chris proved he could take a punch and a kick defeating his opponent in the last round with that famous leg lock. The Japanese got to hear about him and became a star attraction in Japan for over 5 years taking on all comers and beating them,

So can I justify the claim Worlds Greatest Grappler YES because I do not know anyone else who has reach World Standard in so many different Grappling Skills?

Please go to YouTube and type in

Chris Dolman VS Geoff Capes

Chris Dolman VS Bill Kazmaier

Dick Frij vs Chris Dolman 1/2

Chris Dolman vs Gary Barber (USA) & Chris Dolman vs Martin Clarke (Great Britain)

Point of interest for those who have read my book “Martin For Moscow” you will see I mention an altercation with Peter Adelaar, well Peter can be seen at the end of the Geoff Capes fight he is the very very tall Gentleman who pushes Geoff Capes

Chris if you are reading this it has been an honour to have known and fought against you.

The photograph was taken at the Dutch Open I am now 61 and Chris is 67

CombatSombo US affiliates to AASF

Great News CombatSombo International USA has affiliated to the American Amateur Sambo Federation. The AASF is headed by legendary David Rudman and Jack Kogan, AASF is the only US Body to be recognised by FIAS the International Body for Sambo.
Frank Fuller is CombatSombo International USA Rep appointed by the founder of CombatSombo Martin Clarke. Working along side AASF gives CombatSombo the credibility it deserves plus CSI USA can help promote Sambo throughout the USA

Frank Fuller





A Reminder of what CombatSombo is?




Every few years I have to remind people what is CombatSombo and the fact I developed the system. Yes the fact that I say I am the inventor of the system seems to upset some so called experts, who continue to maintain that CombatSombo is a Russian style of Martial Art. So let me correct some of the misunderstanding yes I have used the Sombo as part of my name solely because I use much of the grappling techniques of Sombo and Judo in my style and putting the word Combat in front of name is not unusual I believed I was the first to do this in 1983 but I was corrected as someone from the USA back in the 1950’s used Combat Judo. Sambo is a Russian Self defence Sport and was started in the early 1900’s and I am very active with International Sambo and FIAS being placed in the Top 10 of the most influential people in the World for Sambo. Pre the break-up of the USSR the word Sambo meant all concepts Sport and Military self-defence, with the collapse of Communism many ex soviets wanted to make money from their expertise. The first time the Self Defence of Sombo was seen was in the USA and was called Military Sambo several magazine carried articles eventually they realised my name was more suitable I refused them permission to use the word CombatSombo because I wanted to keep control, they eventually used the word Combat Sambo. Now when I registered the name in 1988 with the British Trade Marks Registry I stupidly only registered it the UK not World Wide but I can stop people in the UK using the word CombatSombo or wording similar i.e. CombatSombo, Combat Sombo. Combat Sambo something I have done on a few occasions and something I will continue to do.

So why am I so paranoid about the name CombatSombo well quite simply it is my Philosophical approach to it (please read below) this make it entirely different from the Russian Combat Sambo who system is extremely more violent and more suited to the Military a very effective system if you are a Soldier but I want to teach CombatSombo as an educational system to make better human beings so the two styles are not compatible. Some people use the word Sambo Combat which I think distinguishes the difference a lot better. Finally CombatSombo was accepted by the World Governing Body FIAS in 1988, the first FIAS Combat Sambo Commission was started in 1992, something I was invited to serve on but I declined, The Soviet Union Collapsed in 1985 I started CombatSombo in the 1983.

So is CombatSombo big in the UK No it is very small and that is intentionally I have only trusted a few people to carry on my work here but over the last 8 years I have suffered with bad knee and hip and have been restricted to walking with a stick. The good news in February 2009 I had a new knee and March 2010 I had a new hip and now I am in fine fettle, I am back teaching Sport CombatSombo, Sombo Wrestling and in September will be starting CombatSombo classes, plus I will be teaching at the annual Summer camp and hope to run CombatSombo Instructors course in December.

CombatSombo will remain pure because the system was developed by me (Martin Clarke) and is owned by me (Martin Clarke) If in the early days of Martial Arts the traditional styles had been registered you would not have so many bastardise forms and so many inflated grades with overrated Chief Coaches believing in their own hype. Recently I saw a 40 year old claiming to be a 10th Dan! yet that particular grade was reserved for old men who had spent in access 50 years in the Martial Arts, someone who had contributed more then the average who was recognised throughout the World a rare Martial Arts Practitioner. CombatSombo will have that purity



CombatSombo Philosophy

 

As you can see by my cv which is enclosed I have been involved in the Martial Arts/Combat Disciplines since the age of 5 (1955) I was born in 1950. I have always enjoyed the competitive side of Combat and I have won medals at international and national level at Judo, Sombo, Jiu Jitsu and Free Style Wrestling. I have also been a keen advocate of the Founder of Judo Jigaro Kano, in one of books he made the following statement “Judo is more than just a sport or Martial Art, it is a means of Physical and Cultural Attainment” in other words “it is a way of producing better human beings” I apply this philosophy to all my Martial Arts and Combat Disciplines. Grappling sports I feel help you achieve this by teaching us such simple things as:

 

Respect (all grapplers have respect for there opponent, note I use the word opponent not enemy, they may not always realise it)

Duty of care (this is a must as if some of the techniques are very dangerous that we could damage our opponent. This is not we trying to do we are trying to win but not at the expense of an injury).

To abide by the rules (competitions have rules not only to keep the activity as safe as possible but to make contest equal)

Comradeship.

 

In my CombatSombo system I try and introduce people to a Self Defence/Combat Discipline system that has a set of morals. Unlike other systems I advocate control and restraint. My aim is not to turn people into Barbaric Animals with no consideration for others. After saying all this I am a practical man, I realise that self-defence has different degrees. Dealing with a drunk is different to dealing with several assailants with weapons. Although my system teaches techniques that can maim, they are only to be used in extreme cases. Remember no one has the right to cause life long disablement to another human being.

 

To do CombatSombo you need to be healthy and fit, we encourage our members to take regular excise and grapple on a regular basis. To understand any self-defence you need to practise in as near real situation as you get. To advise any one to get involved in a Pub fight to test their techniques would be immoral and irresponsible, so the nearest I can offer is some sort of controlled fighting, i.e. SportCombatSombo, CombatSombo Submission Wrestling, Sambo. Remember there is no easy route to becoming a proficient CombatSombo Practitioner.







'Impersonation is the highest form of Flattery'





They say that 'Impersonation is the highest form of Flattery'. Well that certainly is the case when it comes to CombatSombo. I invented the name CombatSombo in 1983 to register with the public my particular system of Combat. I registered it as a trademark with explanation " CombatSombo is a self Defence grappling system". It took many years plus many meetings to get the Trademark but I did, it then took further years for the International Governing Body for the Sport of Sombo/Sambo to accept it. You will find below a copy of letter which confirms what I say, what is unique about this letter it signed by the Founder of FIAS Mr Fernando Compte at the time when there was only one International Body. My mistake was not to register the name CombatSombo/CombatSambo on an International basis. At least in the UK the system is pure and protected. So what of the other Combat Sambo, Combat Sombo unless they are affiliated to CombatSombo International they do not do CombatSombo. They may claim to have authority from some Russian Master, this may be true but what they do may be a Martial Art but not CombatSombo.

Martin Clarke

MMA BJJ what is this

Martial Arts is no longer what it used to be I mean in terms of numbers, I hear of many clubs closing through lack of membership. Some forms of Grappling are kicking the trends not the traditional style like Judo and Sambo but the relative new ones lick Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA.


Some tell me Brazilian Jiu Jitsu BJJ will soon take over Judo in the UK in being the most popular Jacket Wrestling Sport. I much prefer Judo and Sambo to BJJ but then I would say that I have spent the last 55 years doing Judo and 35 years doing Sambo. Sometimes you have to move with the flow BJJ is very well organised with rules, syllabus and uniform and has a large World wide following. My main criticism is that there is no National Body representing the whole of the UK (to my knowledge any rate) I have for several years tried to get a BJJ section established at my DOJO in Sittingbourne, I have emailed several people but get no reply! I am not interested in running a BJJ club but want to offer my Dojo for rent as I know that my Sambo, Kurash, Judo clubs will benefit by having a BJJ section. So let hope sooner then later we get a National Body here is name for you BJJ UK or GB BJJ.

After complementing BJJ I can not say the same for MMA, this lot of rag a muffins start clubs up with no qualifications no experience. OK maybe I am to hard, some have credibility but not many, I have a name for it STREET WRESTLING, this where a group of youngster just chuck a couple of mats down and start rolling around the floor and all of sudden they are doing MMA what ever that means. I recently saw a MMA competition on YouTube what a mess, they were on some inferior mats the competitors looked like they had just come from the beach with those ridiculous shorts, the referee looked like some hippy from the 1960’s and the audience were all standing on the mat which had no demarcation area. I very much doubt if they had any insurance and totally ignored any health and safety issues but what was most frustrating was that the Wrestling itself was pretty good and enjoyable to watch There is light at the end of the tunnel FILA the International recognised Wrestling organisation has taken on board a lot of the more of the out landish grappling style such as Grappling- Pankration- Combat Wrestling – Beach Wrestling – Belt Wrestling. The British section of FILA is the British Wrestling Association and they have formed FILA GRAPPLING which run by Paul Ivaenus and Oliver Ellif while FILA COMBAT which covers the rest of the Grappling Styles this is run by Andrew Brownbridge who is also President British Grappling Association with these guys in charge Grappling can be become main stream with some credibility but lets get away from the name MMA.

Many years ago my club used to practise Freestyle Wrestling as I did myself, I also once organised a British Junior Wrestling Championships at Herne Bay, with the interest in Grappling I have decided to get the club to rejoin the BWA and get my members to learn how to do wrestling properly