Car-Jitsu: Inside the Wildest Combat Sport in the World

The designers of the 2006 Toyota Scion probably envisioned many possible uses for the car, from family road trips to morning commutes to drives to the grocery store. It's unlikely any of them could have predicted that, nearly two decades after its first hit the pavement, the unassuming sedan would become the stage for one of the most unusual combat sports on earth.

Then again, it's unlikely that anybody saw Car-Jitsu coming.

"The Toyota Scion—around 2006 or so—is the mint vintage that we like," said Mike Salvaris, one of the innovators developing the sport of Car-Jitsu. "It's sort of the right size, and it's got a sunroof, which is great for shooting [footage]."

Car-Jitsu—as its name suggests—is effectively jiu jitsu contested inside of a car. Each match begins with the two competitors sitting in the front seats, with their seatbelts fastened and their seats in the upright position. Once the match begins, it unfolds like any other jiu jitsu match—with a couple of crucial differences.

Most notably, athletes can use features like the seatbelt, steering wheel, and seat recliner to advance position and secure submissions.

"The seat comes into play quite a bit, so it's important to make sure the seat has a manual movement, and you can drop it back real quick," said Salvaris' collaborator Bill Yucatonis. "We did one test event where it was an electric seat and that didn't work very well.

"Obviously the seatbelts play a big role [too], so we want to make sure we have working seat belts."

Salvaris and Yucatonis are the co-founders of Pro League Network (PLN), a company that owns and promotes a roster of niche sports intended for entertainment and wagering. Car-Jitsu is one of their most compelling properties.

Like many bizarre sporting spectacles, this one first saw the light of day in Russia. After seeing clips of some matches online, Salvaris and Yucatonis sought out the Russian mastermind behind it, and after a period of careful collaboration and workshopping, filmed their first matches in the autumn of 2022, and posted them online just before the year ended.

It was an immediate hit, as far as online viewership metrics are concerned.

"[That first video] just blew up," said Salvaris. "I think that video, on various platforms, various accounts, it's got over 70 or 80 million views to date."

PLN has made huge strides with Car-Jitsu since then.

They began filming their first live matches this past March, and were also approved for legal betting in the state of New Jersey this year.

They have also received attention from a number of combat sports notables, including former UFC heavyweight champion and Hall-of-Famer Mark Coleman, who now serves as a commentator for Car-Jitsu matches.

"I didn't know what to expect," Coleman said, looking back on his first exposure to Car-Jitsu. "When it started, I was really happy to see the seatbelts come into play because it makes it so much more exciting.

"The seatbelts are a big factor—you have to be aware of those—and the steering wheel. You have to be aware of all parts of the car. People are just learning the game and every week people get better."

Coleman, who will turn 60 this December, would have loved to try his hand at Car-Jitsu if the sport was around when he was younger.

He's not the only MMA star to express interest in the sport, according to his co-commentator JT Tilley, who also helps with recruiting, matchmaking, and other creative endeavors at PLN.

"There's a couple guys we're talking to already," Tilley said. "Kevin Lee, he's all about it. Jason 'Mayhem' Miller also, we're having conversations with both these guys.

"[Former UFC heavyweight champion] Tim Sylvia wanted to do Car-Jitsu as well, but we don't have the budget for a semi," he added with a laugh. "The more that it becomes mainstream and identified as a sport, the more people will come over."

It remains to be seen if any high-level MMA veterans will step into a Toyota Scion, buckle up, and try their hand at Car-Jitsu, but it certainly isn't imperative for PLN's success. The organization already has a "stable of about 20 athletes" with about 200 other hopefuls on the wait list — and all of them are experienced jiu jitsu practitioners.

Salvaris, Yucatonis, Coleman and Tilly all have a lot of faith in Car-Jitsu's potential to become a popular attraction among combat sports fans.

For now, however, the four innovators and their colleagues are simply enjoying the ride.

"There is a lot, a lot of runway ahead of us," said Salvaris. "Look at the combat sports that are growing now. There's a lot of demand in the US, and all around the world, for our type of content that we're producing."

"I think it's just gonna continue to grow," added Tilley. "If it could get to a place where it was one of the top underground sports, I personally—as a sports creator—would be very happy... I just more like to stay in the shadows and do the crazy stuff. If it never got any bigger than what it is now, we would still love it, and jiu jitsu players would still love to compete here."