Two Random Grappling Arts That I Trained in the Early 90's
Outside of my High School Wrestling (which included elements of Sambo, Judo and Greco Roman Wrestling) and training in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu / BJJ two obscure Grappling Arts that I trained in during the early 90's was Wadu Ryu JuJitsu and Trapfighting (a blend of JKD and Shoot Wrestling).
It was through my instructor Dan Allegro at Family Karate that I begun to train with Grand Master J. Pat Burleson in JuJitsu, around this time he was doing Vale Tudo fights in Europe. GM Burleson was an old School Full Contact Karate guy from the 60's / 70's area along with Joe Lewis, Bob Wall and Chuck Norris. Pat Burleson's grappling came from his early days of training Wadu-Ryu JuJitsu. Pat Burleson was considered a Blood-and-Guts Karate Pioneer and was a US National Championship as well as Founder of American Karate System. Along with Joe Lewis and Pat Burleson and a few others he created the American Karate System which has elements of Karate, Joe Lewis system (that had elements of JKD) and Wadu-Ryu JuJitsu among other arts. I remember when I was training Pat Burleson we were doing Juji Katame (Armbar), Americana's and the like around the time the UFC debuted.
"Traditional Jujutsu schools frequently felt it important to retain their attachment to the bladed weapons; sword, short sword or dagger (in some cases the iron fan)."
Pat Burleson's original martial arts training came in the wado-ryu style in 1957 in Iwakuni, Japan. Wado Ryu Jujutsu s a blend of Okinawan karate and Japanese Jujutsu, was more influenced by Ju-jitsu. It originates in Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu. Traditional Ryu-based Jujutsu has a different flavor to it, and goes beyond the mix ‘n’ match approach of modern Jujutsu. Wadō-Ryū is considered a style of JūJutsu rather than karate. Hironori Ōtsuka embraced jujitsu and was its chief instructor for a time. Ōtsuka began practicing Koryū JuJutsu under Chojiro Ebashi. From 1905–1921, he studied Shindō Yōshin-ryū JuJutsu under Tatsusaburo Nakayama. The style was called "Shinshu Wadō-ryū Karate-Jūjutsu," a name that reflects its hybrid character. Most of the underlying principles, however, were derived from Shindō Yōshin-ryū, an atemi waza focused style of Jujutsu. A key principle in Wadō-ryū is that of tai sabaki (often incorrectly referred to as 'evasion'). The Japanese term can be translated as "body-management," and refers to body manipulation so as to move the defender as well as the attacker out of harm's way. Because of the complex history of the warrior arts in Japan, traditional Jujutsu schools frequently felt it important to retain their attachment to the bladed weapons; sword, short sword or dagger (in some cases the iron fan). They did not consider this aspect of their training as outdated, or hold on to it out of a sense of some kind of nostalgia. The politics of this skill involved such scenarios as; how to survive an encounter in which the warrior has lost his weapon and has to grapple with an armed or unarmed adversary – common in a number of sword schools. Also defenses in situations where the wearing of weapons is limited, for example within the confines of the Imperial Palace. There were numerous strategies for preventing an opponent from drawing his weapon, as well as tactics for the reversal of the situation. However, understanding of the bladed weapons remained a crucial part of the training. It is no coincidence that in some circles modern Aikido, an art developed out of Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu is sometimes referred to as “fencing without the sword”, as hand movements, angles of entry and footwork deliberately mimic the actions of attack and defense with the long or short bladed weapons.
Tantodori (knife defense), Idori (kneeling defense) and Tachidori – Shinken Shirahadori (sword defense) are generally regarded as the most easily identifiable aspects of modern Wado Karate to correlate with Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu.
Trapfighting is another obscure grappling art I trained back in the early 90's, Trapfighting is essentially a blend of JKD, Wing Chun, Shooto and Catch Wrestling. Trapfighting
A Chinese based hybrid martial art that integrates Jeet Kune Do style trapping, Western Boxing, Muay Thai, Western and Eastern Wrestling techniques. It utilizes sticky hands techniques, trapping skills, stances, footwork, Chi Sao exercises, strikes, kicks, takedowns, and work in the four zones of fighting. It is similar to the Japanese Shooto styles. It includes elements of Chi Sau exercises, trapping skills, sticky hands, stances, shields, footwork, strikes, kicks, the four zones, takedowns, attack defenses and more. Wadu Ryu, BJJ and and Trap Fighting took my high school wrestling is what I used to when when I was doing the Mid Night Fight fights back in 1997/1998 in Texas.