How does groundwork score in ju-jitsu fighting?
B · Beginner · Scoring · 5 of 6On the ground a fighter scores by pinning the opponent, which is called osae-komi, or by a submission hold. A pin held for 15 seconds is an ippon of two points, and one held for more than 10 seconds is a waza-ari of one. A submission that forces a tap is an ippon of three points. Strikes are forbidden.
How it works
- Osae-komi: announced when the opponent is lying on the back, side or abdomen, well controlled and unable to move freely, and the legs of the fighter on top are free.
- 15 seconds: ippon, 2 points.
- More than 10 and under 15 seconds: waza-ari, 1 point.
- The clock keeps running: if the pinned fighter catches one leg, or the pin moves to back control.
- Toketa: the pin is broken. It is called when the pinned fighter catches both legs, turns the opponent over, gets up, gets to all fours or when both leave the area.
- Submission: ippon, 3 points.
- A hold that is also a pin: if it brings no submission within 15 seconds, the referee stops it and gives 2 points.
- No adding up: a pin that ends in a submission scores the 3 points only.
The glossary has the osae-komi, the toketa, the part 3, the submission hold, the ippon and the waza-ari.
Tricky cases
A pin is broken after 12 seconds. What is scored?
A waza-ari, one point. The pin lasted more than 10 seconds and less than 15.
The pinned fighter wraps both legs round the opponent. Does the pin continue?
No. Catching both of the opponent's legs, a closed guard, ends the pin, and the referee calls "Toketa".
A fighter holds a pin for 11 seconds and then gets an arm lock and a tap. Is that 1 point plus 3?
No. Points for a pin and a submission are not added together. The referee calls "Toketa" for the pin and awards 3 points for the submission.
Are leg locks allowed for children?
No. Leg locks are not allowed in the under-16 group and younger. For those ages the referee also stops a correctly applied submission hold early and awards the 3 points.
Why the rule exists
A pin shows control without injury, and the clock turns that control into a score that everyone can see. Capping it at 15 seconds keeps the match moving. Refusing to add a pin score to a submission score stops one sequence from being paid for twice.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pin of 15 seconds | Ippon, 2 points | JJIF Fighting 6.3.1 |
| Pin of more than 10 seconds | Waza-ari, 1 point | JJIF Fighting 6.3.1 |
| Submission | Ippon, 3 points | JJIF Fighting 6.3.1 |
| Under 16 and younger | No leg locks; holds stopped early | JJIF Fighting 6.3.1 |
| Judo | A pin of 20 seconds wins the contest | C |
From the rule book
Ju-Jitsu International Federation, Ju-Jitsu Fighting Rulebook (version 4.0, approved October 2022), Section 6.3. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Ju-Jitsu Fighting Rulebook.