It was and always has been a martial art. It's a very technical fighting art but it's just that a "fighting" art. You know fuck all about street fighting if you think GJJ was tailored for street fighting. Judging by your other posts and your overall complete fucking ignorance on the subject you obviously have no fucking clue and have never been in any type of real life self defense situation. In fact you're probably a young 20 something idiot like a lot of UFC fans or worse yet a fucking broad considering that is the UFC's biggest growing fan base.
GJJ is only a self defense system in so much as two guys are going to roll around on the ground barefoot in Gi's without the other one biting the shit out of them or gouging out their eyes. When you've faced down an ex-con ghetto hoodrat and two of his buddies holding a tire iron and a baseball bat ready to kill you for your cellphone and wallet then come back and tell me how fucking great GJJ is when it comes to self defense. You like most fucking UFC morons have no clue what "street fighting" really is. Hence why UFC is a fucking joke for anyone that really wants to protect themselves out in the real world. Go to the Phillipines and study the ancient art of arnis/kali/eskrima and you'll learn more about street fighting than any Gracie could teach you.
No if your faced by three guys and two have weapons the best fighting style is a GUN! I don't care what Marital art you train in you get hit with the Tire Iron or the bat you're getting your shit taken unless it's a 12 year old swinging it. However GJJ is great if the fight is one on one..
I would take a 1 on 1 fight wiht a GJJ guy and boxer or whatever...I got the GJJ guy, not only do they know something about striking, but they can put you to sleep or end the fight by breaking bones! Seems a little bit better to me then having to beat up my hands and hope to knock the guy out.
Most Martial Arts were designed to be a self defense art.. Look at Thai Kickboxing, not designed for the street, but the ring, yet if you ask guys what style they would want to train in for the street 70% say MT