Grappling refers to the gripping, handling and controlling of an opponent without the use of striking, typically through the application of various grappling holds, choke holds, and counters to various hold attempts. Grappling forms an important part of both ground fighting and standing clinch fighting. Sports that use grappling include Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Judo, mixed martial arts and Wrestling.

Grappling is a mode of fighting used by many different martial arts around the world. It is not a distinct martial art, but rather, similarly to striking, a collection of techniques and strategies aimed at defeating an opponent, these can be subdivided into:

Throws (as used in Glima, Judo, Jujutsu, Shuai jiao and Sambo).

Joint locks (as in Aikido, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Hapkido, Judo, and Malla-yuddha).

Pinning Techniques; a victory condition in Wrestling and Judo and as transitional technique in others.

Most include all of the above aspects while others focus on one. There is no definite dividing line between the sections as locks may be used in throws and a throw may lead directly to a pin. A possible fourth category are sweeps and escapes, used to improve position in ground fighting either escaping from or moving into a position where a lock or pin may be better applied.