7 Best Grappling Dummy Reviews

Best BJJ and MMA Grappling Dummies

Having a good grappling dummy helps you improve your skills significantly and if you get a suitable one for yourself, you will definitely see a drastic difference in your training performance. And the cool part is that you don’t need a sparring partner 😉 I have been doing Jiu-jitsu training sessions with grappling dummies for a really long time and benefited from them in many different ways. I have a considerable amount of experience with them. With that, I also gathered information from forums, contacted authoritative figures… Shortly I did my homework and came up with 7 best grappling dummies on the market.

Below you can find the reviews of these, thorough buyer’s guide, and my experiences as well. Also, you can find sizing information on product pages or here for every dummy on this list.

1. Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy


the best grappling dummy in 2018Training Quality: 9.9 / 10.0

Durability: 9.8 / 10.0

Exclusive Features

  • Ideal for grappling
  • Change arm and knee positions for different techniques
  • Sturdy (good stitching) and flexible
  • Materials wick the sweat quite well
  • Many color selections
  • Sizing information on the product page
  • The Best Grappling Dummy on the market!

Celebrita Grappling Dummy gets always amazing feedback on BJJ forums for its training performance and durability.

You can change knee and elbow positions for a myriad of techniques and the limbs provide very realistic resistance. When you read that you can change these positions, some of you already realized that you can implement positions like turtle, quarter etc. without any problem whatsoever. So it is suitable for chokes, kimuras etc.

Another important quality is that this dummy’s head and neck are flexible so when you do submission techniques, you feel “natural” with it. Considering my experiences, people tend to overlook this quality however it is quite important for a realistic experience.

You can change the angle of legs and make it straight. It can stand up on its own. So after adjusting the arms, you can practice throws. So it can be also used for wrestling training as well. With that, even though the following is not a negative side you should know that the construction is not suitable for catching. Actually, all grappling dummies (as far as I know) on the market are not suitable for catching.

The material (polyester coated vinyl) is very good at absorbing the sweat and as you may know, odor and hygiene can be huge problems for grappling dummies. With that, it can wear Gis and you should dress your dummy in one. So just get a cheap Kimono and use it.

Thanks to these, you can clean your Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy less frequently.

Seriously, we just can’t ask for anything more from this grappling dummy and this is why Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy is at the top place of this list! You can have a closer look at the other colors (red, black…) and detailed sizing (height, weight) information on here. If you get filled version, you are ready to roll on BJJ mats!

As a final note, this dummy is the first choice of many commercial MMA and BJJ gyms.

2. Bubba 2 Grappling Dummy


a review of the best grappling dummy for BJJ Size: One size (life size dummy)

Training Quality: 9.7 / 10.0

Durability: 10.0 / 10.0

Warranty: 1 year

Exclusive Features

  • Ideal for grappling
  • One of the sturdiest grappling dummies on the market!
  • Lasts 5+ years!
  • Can wear BJJ Gis (kimono)
  • Change the arm position for different techniques
  • One of the Best Grappling Dummies for BJJ!
  • 1-year warranty

Cons

  • It will cost you initially more

Bubba 2 is made of ideal materials for a grappling dummy and basically, you can go hard as you can and it can take a lot of punishment for long years. This is actually why people get Bubba 2 for submission sessions.

It does not kneel however other than that you can implement any submission technique, chokes (rear naked arm triangle). Also, the anatomical structure gets easily A+. It is made according to human size. So when you do submissions, you can literally imagine your sparring partner/opponent.

You can do all of the basic sweeps and it has the anatomical structure of the human face so you can also implement all face related techniques such as eye gouge and you simply can’t practice these with a lot of dummies on the market!

Alright, the price is high however, it gives the longest durability. You can train with it more than 5 years!

Also, it can wear BJJ Gis and if you use a cheap BJJ Gi, this can improve the durability and save you from cleaning frequently. In addition to these, Bubba 2 also provides a myriad of BJJ techniques (omaplata, bars etc.). If you want to know more about the best submission grappling dummy, click here to check out more information about it. As a final note, Bubba 2 comes with the 1-year warranty period. This includes parts and labor too!

3. Ring to Cage Deluxe MMA Grappling Dummy Overview


an overview of a good quality submission dummyTraining Quality: 9.4 / 10.0

Durability: 9.1 / 10.0

Size: Adult and Kids

Company: Ring to Cage

Exclusive Features

  • Suitable for throwing and grappling
  • Change arm and knee position for different techniques
  • Really good stitching
  • Sturdy
  • Suitable for many martial arts
  • Suitable for ground and pound
  • Has the greatest quality-price ratio!

This dummy can be used for many techniques as well. These techniques include full mount, arm choke, arm, and leg triangles, bars… You can do these because you can change leg (kneeling, sprawl, turtle) and arm positions. This dummy can stay on its legs and it is suitable for throwing.

So it is suitable for BJJ, MMA, wrestling and other martial arts which include the techniques above. With that, this dummy is made of heavy-duty polyester coated vinyl. I know that reading the material’s name doesn’t make much sense and this material actually does not slide while training and yes, it is actually a huge problem for many dummies. So when you do submission (straight ankle lock etc.) techniques on BJJ mats, it stays in place. In addition to these, this material is also “more suitable” for throws.

If you are interested, you can see Ring to Cage Deluxe from many angles on the product page and see what it looks like. You can also see the sizing information in there.

When you consider the durability and the price, it has the greatest quality-price ratio among all good quality grappling dummies on the market!

4. Century VS.2 Versys Overview


an overview of good quality MMA grappling dummyWeight: 15 Lbs.

Height: 45.5”

Training Quality: 9.6 / 10.0

Durability: 8.8 / 10.0

Exclusive Features

  • Suitable for many martial arts
  • Perfect for MMA and Judo!
  • Sturdy cover material
  • Reinforced and flexible limbs
  • Provides groundwork and stand-up striking!
  • I have awesome experiences with it!

I can easily say that Century Vs.2 Versys is the best MMA grappling dummy and it is the second and last grappling dummy on this list which I have experiences with!

Shortly, VS.2 Versys provides groundwork, reversals etc. and thanks to the support at the back it also provides stand-up striking sessions as well.

You can also do takedowns and throws with it since the limps are rigid.

Considering all grappling dummies, the shell has medium thickness and when you think about the versatility, it actually makes sense. Because in this way, it can provide many training types (striking, grappling, takedown…). If you are interested, check out this good and versatile grappling dummy. I also have experiences with other Century Grappling Dummies and also checked out forums and VS.2 Versys has the most sturdiness and versatility.

5. Title MMA Legged Grappling Dummy


a review of the most quality throwing dummyCompany: Title

Weight: 100 Lbs. , 70 Lbs.

Height: 68”, 64″

Training Quality: 8.8 / 10.0

Durability: 9.4 / 10.0

Exclusive Features

  • Suitable for many martial arts (MMA, BJJ, wrestling, boxing, kickboxing…)
  • Suitable for throwing, grappling, ground, and pound
  • Can be used as a heavy bag!
  • Good stitching
  • Sturdy

It comes with cables and chain attachment so you can punch, kick Title. You can also change the position of limbs. The company calls it 360-degree maneuverability.

As you can guess these make this dummy suitable for throwing, submission, chokes, ground, and pound.

It can withstand all of these for many years. According to my research on boxing, MMA forums and my old trainer, you can expect to train with it around 3-4 years.

It is triple stitched and it is solid and improves the durability. This also provides better striking (elbow, knee, kick) sessions. But the joints are rigid and while you practice triangle attack, it does not give you the most realistic experience. However, it is a preference and if your main goal is to perform strikes, throws and do less grappling techniques, then Title MMA Legged Grappling Dummy is a really solid option. If you are interested, check out the latest price.

6. Ring to Cage MMA Grappling /Jiu Jitsu Dummy Review


an overview of a good all around MMA grappling dummySizes: Adult and Kid

Training Quality: 9.0 / 10.0

Durability: 8.6 / 10.0

Exclusive Features

  • Suitable for throwing and grappling
  • Change arm, leg positions for different techniques
  • Good feedback from authoritative figures in BJJ!
  • Kids and adult size

The arm and leg positions (kneeling) are adjustable and you can do all grappling techniques. Also, you can make it suitable for throws. Shortly, this dummy is suitable for BJJ, wrestling…

Military-grade Cardura can take a lot of punishment and it is one of the most durable and suitable materials for submissions.

Ring to Cage MMA Grappling Dummy was actually reviewed and got quite good feedback from many authoritative figures and one of the top-rated BJJ Magazines (you can see all references at the end of the page). So it is fair to say that this dummy is a safe choice. If these are appealing to you check out Ring to Cage MMA Grappling / Jiu Jitsu Dummy. There are kids and adult size selections.

For more details, check out Ring to Cage Grappling Dummy Review.

7. Combat Sports 70, 90, 120 & 140 lb. Grappling Dummy


good grappling dummy review Weight: 70, 90, 120 and 140 Lbs.

Training Quality: 8.7 / 10.0

Durability: 8.9 / 10.0

Exclusive Features

  • Suitable for throwing and grappling
  • Change the arm position for different techniques
  • Military grade construction
  • A solid and more affordable option!
  • The most popular grappling dummy on the market!

Combat Sports is made of quite durable materials and even though it has a cheaper price it actually provides longer durability period than many other best grappling dummies! By the way, the material is military-grade vinyl and you can clean it easily with wipes.

It does not have foot and it is the only negative side of the dummy. However if the submission, grappling techniques do not involve the foot, you can practice pretty much everything (elbow locks etc.).

As you can guess, you can do takedowns, throws, ground and pound with it. Combat Sports also got quite good feedback for the training performance in Judo and BJJ forums (bullshido) from trustworthy members.

Alright, I have been in a myriad of BJJ and MMA gyms (the U.S, Thailand, and Europe). I seriously can’t remember how many times I saw Combat Sports Grappling Dummy.  I also did online research and it is one the most sold grappling dummies on the market. It is just too popular. Honestly, I was not surprised since it has a more affordable price tag and provides what you need from a grappling dummy.

There is a cool video below which shows a model of this dummy in action and you can click here to have a look at Combat Sports Grappling Dummy and detailed sizing information.

 >>>>Have a Closer Look at Combat Sports

Grappling Dummy Buyer’s Guide


As you may already know, grappling dummies are not cheap and when you do BJJ, wrestling, MMA or any other martial arts training, the equipment price can add up. Even though the grappling dummies above are just awesome you may want to know whether a particular grappling dummy is good or not and I am sure that the guide below can answer all of your questions.

Which Grappling Dummy Type is Suitable for You?

 Will you do takedowns or will you work on your submission? There is literally a myriad of techniques, positions… And the companies produce a lot of types for you. If you do BJJ training, the dummy should be suitable for submissions and it should mold into positions like turtle, sprawl etc.

If you do MMA training, it should allow submission and grappling techniques for MMA. This grappling dummy should be also suitable for striking.

However, some of you are wrestlers and in this case, you should get a throwing dummy which allows you to do suplex and takedowns. Also, if you will do suplexes and takedowns, it should stand up on its own and the dummy also should be heavy (more than 60 Lbs.) so you can get a better (“more realistic”) experience.

This list actually goes on and on. Shortly every martial arts has different training requirements. So definitely check the qualities and what you can do with the grappling dummy (submission techniques, strikes, chokes, throws etc.) beforehand. Also, the shape should be similar to the human body. Of course, the closer to the anatomical structure of the human is better. Since you try getting ready for a fight or sparring.

A good dummy can improve your skills and muscle memory significantly whereas bad one can do more harm than good.

Materials: Obviously material type plays a huge role in training performance and durability. Coated vinyl is actually one of the most preferred materials and even though it is sturdy it is not too thick. This quality makes it ideal for grappling sessions. One thing to note that this material can also withstand throws. I also have good experiences with one of the Century Dummies, which is made of this material, as well. Other good and popular materials are polysynthetic leather and military-grade vinyl. These materials are also good at absorbing sweat.

Best Filler for Grappling Dummy: There are many filling materials however the most convenient ones are textile cutting and shredded fabric (clothes, t-shirts etc.). As a side note, many companies actually expect you to fill the grappling dummies with these materials.

If you want to save some money, you can go to a local garment factory and get fabric or you can cut your old clothes into little pieces. However make sure that these have no zipper, metal etc. Since these can hurt the durability of your dummy or lower your training performance. Also, make sure that body parts and limbs have the same material density and you can do it by stuffing the fabric down with a baseball bat.

But if you ask me, just get a filled version. Because even if you go to a garment factory and pay less for it, it is just not worth the time and you can’t actually save much. Also even if you follow the instructions carefully, you may feel “odd” with the grappling dummy. Well, at least it happened to me. So I highly advise you not to risk it for $10. Since if you can’t do it right, you can hurt the durability of your dummy and lose hundreds of dollars.

If you followed me on social media, you know that I am a cheap bastard. I try saving money as much as I can when I buy MMA equipment. However, when it comes to grappling dummies, I strongly suggest you get a good model from a reputable company!

As a side note,  some dummies need to be filled with sand and other materials. So you need to check the product description and fill it accordingly.

Stitching: The stitching should be solid and you simply can’t understand it from the company’s fancy product description, can you? You always need to check out the feedback about it. With that, according to my experience, the grappling dummy should be at least double stitched. Alright, this is my experience and triple-stitched ones can be too rigid and provide too much resistance. So you may not get good and “realistic” grappling sessions.

Training Quality: If you think of doing grappling and submission, limbs should not be stiff and provide optimal resistance (“realistic experience”). With that, in order to experience all submission techniques, the dummy should have feet and hands.

Also if you want to do takedowns, suplex you need to prefer “stiffer” limbs. So when you grab it, it doesn’t slide. The limbs should be also long enough.

If your dummy provides good training quality, you can transition from one technique to another quite easily and this provides you to get better at grappling techniques. Also, you simply can’t find an opportunity to do it during sparring!

Can Your Grappling Dummy Wear a BJJ Gi? If your grappling dummy can wear a BJJ Gi, the durability of it can improve significantly. Because sweat can ruin the construction of the dummy slowly and can create an odor. Thanks to a BJJ Gi, you can clean it less frequently. Also if your grappling dummy can wear a BJJ Gi, it stays in place.

Sizing: Sizing changes one type to another. For example, you need heavier dummies for takedowns, throws etc. However, a dummy’s weight should be light for submissions. So it depends! With that, the grappling dummies above have sizing information on the product pages or here. If you get it according to these, you won’t have any problem.

Recommendations:  I strongly recommend you wear grappling socks, wrestling shoes etc. while doing training with grappling dummies. Since you can experience mat burn as I experienced it on wrestling mats! Also, some of the grappling dummies can be used as punching bags and as you can guess these are though. If you don’t want to feel really sore after sessions, you should definitely wear good MMA shin guards and gloves well. I also witnessed people who do grappling with sports pants and as you can guess, they just could not do many techniques properly. So your martial arts clothing (BJJ Gis, MMA shorts etc.) should allow complete freedom.

Pricing: Material type changes the price most. Military-grade vinyl and coated vinyl types are the most expensive and the best materials. If you see these materials in the product description, you can easily expect to pay $100 more. As you can guess if the company has a certain reputation (Century, Ring to Cage, Celebrita) the price tag increases. Also, definitely don’t get smaller models for saving some money. Since the smaller models are made for kids and as you can guess these dummies are lighter and provide far less resistance than optimal so you simply can’t have a good session with these.

Brand Overviews (Good Brands, Bad Brands) 


Century: I have a lot of experiences with Century Grappling Dummies and considering my experiences, this brand always produces good quality products. I trained and rolled on MMA mats quite some time with VS.2 Versys and I also trained with one of the throwing dummies in Phetchaburi Thailand for 9 months! These always delivered what I expected. I also read fairly good reviews about other Century Dummies. So I can easily say that you can go with any Century Grappling Dummy.

Celebrita: Unlike other companies, Celebrita mostly focuses on grappling dummies and this is why you can find Celebrita Dummies on many best lists. The company definitely puts serious effort into these products since the limb resistance levels of many models are reviewed as “optimal” by many authoritative figures.

Ring to Cage: With that, as you may read it above Ring to Cage also uses good quality materials and grappling dummies of this brand literally can be found in almost every Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and MMA gyms. According to my research, it is the most popular grappling dummy brand.

I would normally bash some companies in this section but Grappling/throwing dummies are popular so there is a myriad of brands out there and honestly, many companies can’t figure out the design. So many companies have many garbage products. Shortly, if you haven’t read a review or simply don’t know the product, just don’t buy it!

How I Gathered This List? First of all, I spent a considerable amount of time (around 5-6 years) with grappling dummies during my MMA training sessions and in addition to my experiences, I have MANY online sources, friends (trainers, sparring buddies) who helped me gather this list. I also contacted authoritative figures, read BJJ magazines and watched that professional fighters do their regular training sessions with some of the grappling dummies on this list. According to all of these, I gathered these best grappling dummies and wrote the reviews. I also update this list regularly (so far 5 times) so you can be sure that you can always find the best grappling dummies!

Don’t Settle for a Low-Quality Grappling Dummy!


Guys, these dummies are not affordable at all so before you buy any grappling or throwing dummy, definitely read the trustworthy reviews. With that, if you are looking for truly the best grappling dummy on the market, you should definitely have a closer look at Celebrita Grappling Dummy which got amazing feedback for the training performance, versatility… on MMA, BJJ forums, and magazines. As you might read it above the materials are also top-notch!

In this writing, I covered everything you need to know about grappling /throwing dummies (their qualities, reviews of the top rated grappling dummies on the market), how can you get the most benefits during BJJ sessions, my experiences, and research as well.

I am sure that any grappling dummy on this list is sufficient for any fighter or people who do Martial Arts training. I really hope that you enjoyed reading and if you have questions about anything related to grappling dummies just have a comment below or shoot me an e-mail and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Image Courtesy of Micheal Malherbe via Creative Commons License, Some Rights Reserved
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10 thoughts on “7 Best Grappling Dummy Reviews”

  1. Awesome review, with great detail.

    I occasionally train at an MMA gym but they currently dont have anything like this. How is there overall balance when standing on there own?

    Cheers

    1. I have experiences with Celebrita MMA Grappling Dummy (first one on this list), it takes a bit of work but it can stand well.

  2. Great reviews and with all the necessary reviews. I’m only a beginner in BJJ but you clearly know what you’re talking about and have done your research. I love the way you offered many options as well and not just one.

    1. There are many grappling dummies on this list which are extremely suitable for beginners. You can basically do all submission techniques and try all positions like lying flat, turtle… with them.

  3. Great reviews, thank you for sharing.
    Never having used a grappling dummy before I am curious to know, from your experience, isn’t it better to spar with a live partner?

  4. Thank you, so much for this post! I have been debating whether to buy the Ring to Cage dummy or the Celebrita.

    But after reading your reviews, I am going to get the Celebrita dummy!
    Thanks again! 🙂

  5. Thanks for the informative, creative, helpful and engaging post, Furkan! You mentioned in your post that having a good grappling dummy helps in improving skills significantly.

    Thanks for teaching that by getting a suitable one for myself, I will definitely see a drastic difference in my training performance. I will apply this practical tip and get back to you in due time.

    What an informative post, Furkan! I will be visiting your site from time to time to learn more from your future posts.

    Wish you much success,
    Israel Olatunji

  6. This is really cool. I have a 13 year old son that is really into martial arts and I think he wants to get serious about the sport. He always in the backyard and his room practicing his fighting form and other techniques. I just want to make sure that I can provide him with all that he needs to accomplish his goals.
    These grappling dummies look like they really can improve his fighting performance and his trainer said he need to work on that part of his game anyways. I am definitely going to look into these for him. Thanks, a lot of help.

    1. I am glad that he is really ambitious at a very young age.
      Above, there are quite versatile dummies are quite versatile and you can find one for improving his grappling or fighting skills.
      Also, if you have a more detailed question just shoot me another comment Garret you know I am here all the time.

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