Judo Score Ippon and Wazaari

Judo scoring (Ippon, Waza-ari, Yuko)

Since the 2017 simplification, IJF scoring comes down to two marks: Ippon = match win; 2× Waza-ari = Ippon. Yuko disappeared that same year, though a few federations and older records still carry it. A senior match runs 4 minutes, a cadet bout 3. On the penalty side, a shido is a warning, and the third one becomes hansoku-make, which means disqualification.

Kano Jigoro founded the sport in 1882 at the Kodokan in Tokyo. Brazil has two Olympic golds to its name: Aurélio Miguel at Seoul in 1988 and Rafaela Silva at Rio in 2016, both registered through the CBJ (Confederação Brasileira de Judô). The belt progression runs branca → amarela → laranja → verde → azul → roxa → marrom → preta, with black graded across 1-10 dan. Underpinning it all are Kano's principles of maximum efficiency and mutual welfare.

Applications

Refereeing at CBJ tournaments, tallying IJF World Tour ranking points, working out Olympic qualification across weight categories, running traditional dojos anywhere in the world, and tracking a student's path from beginner to master.

FAQ

What is Ippon? It ends the match. You earn it with a clean throw that puts the opponent flat on their back, a 20-second pin (osaekomi), or a submission (shime-waza/kansetsu-waza).

What is Waza-ari? A throw that almost reaches Ippon (the opponent lands partly on the back), or a pin held for 10-19 seconds. Score two of them and they add up to an ippon.

Judo vs BJJ? Judo leans on nage-waza (throws) and the stand-up game, while BJJ lives on the ground and chases submissions. Both trace back to jujutsu lineages.