Compared to Oshchepkov's judo based system, then called "Freestyle Wrestling", Viktor Spiridonov's style was softer and less strength dependent. Spiridonov's background involved indigenous martial arts from various Soviet regions as well as an interest in Japanese JuJitsu (though he never formally trained it).

Spiridonov had envisioned integrating the most practical aspects of the world's fighting systems into one comprehensive style that could adapt to any threat. He eventually developed a softer, more aikido-like system called Samoz that could be used by smaller, weaker practitioners or even wounded soldiers and secret agents. Spiridonov's inspiration to develop 'Samoz' stemmed from his WWI bayonet injury, which greatly restricted his (left arm and thus his) ability to practice SAMBO or wrestle.

Each technique was carefully dissected and considered for its merits, and if found acceptable in unarmed combat, refined to reach SAMBO's ultimate goal: to stop an armed or unarmed adversary in the least time possible. Thus, the best techniques of jujutsu, judo, ond other martial systems entered the SAMBO repertoire. When the techniques were perfected, they were woven into SAMBO applications for personal self-defense, police, crowd control,border guards, secret police, VIP dignitary protection, psychiatric hospital staff military, and commandos.

Anatoly Kharlampiev, was a student of Victor Spiridonov, and  is often officially considered as the founder father of Sport SAMBO. This may be largely semantics, since only he had the longevity and political connections to remain with the art while the new system was named "SAMBO".

However, Kharlampiev is single-handedly responsible for politically maneuvering the USSR All-Union Sports Committee. to formally accept SAMBO as the official combat sport of the Soviet Union in 1938. This was decidedly the "birth" of SAMBO. And as such , Anatoly Kharlampiev could be rightly considered the father of "sport" SAMBO.

During the decade 1950 to 1960,  SAMBO developed and grew exponentially across the USSR and Soviet Bloc to become an International sport. National SAMBO Federations were established in Japan, Bulgaria and Mongolia and then spread to other nations of the world.

SAMBO under FIAS featured as an integral event of the World GAMES [IWGA} I n 1985 at London, United Kingdom and in 1993 Hague , Netherlands and in in 1998 SAMBO was included into the program of the World Youth Games held in Moscow.

There are TWO FIAS recognized competitive sport variations of SAMBO (though SAMBO techniques and principles can be applied to many other combat sports

In 1993, FIAS split into two organizations, both used the same name and logo and the two groups were often referred to as FIAS "East" (under Russian control) and FIAS "West" (under US and Western European control). This split mirrored the last days of Cold War politics of the time as well as the recent break-up of the Soviet Union.

In 2003 SAMBO was officially recognized as priority national sport of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan; SAMBO tournaments under the auspice of the Presidents of these respective Nations are being held annually

In 2005, FILA reached an agreement with FIAS "West" and re-assumed sanctioning over sport SAMBO and in 2005 at the XVI FIAS Congress, His Excellency Vladimir Putin the President of Russian Federation, who is an acclaimed SAMBO master, was UNANIMOUSLY elected as Honorary President of FIAS. Subsequently the various factions in FIAS regrouped and unified and the world wide promotion of SAMBO grew at an unprecedented pace.