Sambo, short for “Self-Defense Without Weapons,” is a martial art developed in the Soviet Union during the 1920s and 1930s by Vasily Oshchepkov and Viktor Spiridonov. Drawing from diverse combat traditions—including judo, jiu-jitsu, Greco-Roman wrestling, and indigenous wrestling styles from across the Soviet republics—Sambo was designed to be a powerful and practical system. Oshchepkov brought the structured efficiency of judo from Japan, while Spiridonov developed a gentler, more accessible approach influenced by his wartime injuries. United by a vision to create a distinctly Soviet martial art, they forged a style that was both deeply traditional and highly effective.

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By the mid-20th century, Sambo had earned global recognition, eventually becoming a sport acknowledged by the International Olympic Committee in 2021. Today, it exists in two major branches: Sport Sambo, which focuses on throws and joint locks with no striking, and Combat Sambo, which adds punches, kicks, and chokes for military and self-defense applications. Its influence can be seen worldwide, especially in MMA, where Sambo practitioners like Fedor Emelianenko and Khabib Nurmagomedov have become icons.