I'm doing this for personal development, confidence, self defense and the social aspect, all my friends have moved away.. I wouldn't rule out competing at an amateur level but thats not in my agenda right now. Just looking for some feedback. I'm really leaning towards either MMA or BJJ, but i'd like to learn striking too.. Thanks.
Over the years I've trained BJJ, boxing and muay Thai, with a smattering of MMA. Considering your goals (especially self-defense) and being as young as you are, I think the perfect plan for you would be to do 6 months to a year of boxing before getting into a grappling art and staying with it for the long term. One of the primary reasons I like boxing is because of the footwork. If you are ever attacked or have to angle out and run away from someone with a knife or potential multiple attackers, it will be footwork that saves you. I've been in the ring plenty of times with someone with superior hands and survived, but if someone has a combination of superior hands, head movement, and footwork, the amount of pressure that they can put on you is incredible.
I would take care of your brain, as mentioned in the above post by
@Mike Torres and
@Coyotl , and not spar with meatheads or have them throw you to the wolves, but if you can link up with a few guys who you can trust in a boxing gym (usually the more experienced guys with nothing to prove) and have them work with you at a light-moderate pace, you can pick up enough boxing to save yourself in most situations. It will also complement any grappling art that you train later, because you will be used to punches coming at you from different angles, which is essential to entering into the clinch and executing a takedown.
Regarding choosing a grappling art: if I were starting over in my journey, I would definitely train at least a few years of Judo and then transition into BJJ as I got into my mid-late 30's. As a full disclosure, Judo is rough on the body. It's another art where you have to choose your partners wisely -but- there are also plenty of older guys in Judo who have learned how to relax when being thrown, be choosy about their partners, and preserve their bodies as they continue to progress.
The reason why I would choose Judo is because, in a self-defense situation, Judo allows you to injure to the degree necessary to stop the fight. In an ego situation where you don't want to hurt someone but need to diffuse a physical struggle, you can set someone down and pin them, but Judo is an incredible art at taking someone out in a flash. Some of the high-amplitude throws would break someone's body and spirit in seconds. I shudder to think of what a judoka could do to someone if needed. It's also a great sport and a rich martial heritage with an interesting history and martial philosophy. It complements BJJ and someone trained in both is a dangerous person indeed in a self-defense situation. Not saying that you need Judo to be dangerous in BJJ, but that added ability to off-balance and throw in a heartbeat means that in a bad situation, you have the option of staying on your feet and putting the other person down, if the situation dictates the need. As I mentioned above, even if you only spend 5 years in Judo and then practice BJJ for the rest of your life, it will make you a complete martial artist and give you a lifetime of skills to work on.
Whatever you choose to do, good luck and be safe. The journey in the martial arts is an incredible one. Lots of great people and tremendous personal growth along the way.
