History of SOMBO Wrestling
Sombo (also spelled Sambo, Somba or Cambo) is an acronym for the Russian phrase "self-defense without weapons" (Som-oborona Bes Orusyia). As its name implies, it is a self-defense oriented style of jacket wrestling which incorporates techniques from both JUDO and freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling. It originated in the Soviet Union (Russia) officially in 1939 as a form of hand-to-hand combat for soldiers, but its roots go back to ancient times. There are similar forms of jacket wrestling in the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain and also in the Cumberland-Westmoreland region of England. Currently, the former Soviet Block countries, Spain, France and the English field strong international SOMBO teams. CombatSombo is a grappling self defence system invent by Englishman Martin Clarke.