This is fact in the art of grabbing (
qin na-Chinese/
tuite-Okinawan). While there may be times when an opponent gives you a "freebie" opportunity to grab/counter grab and utilize it effectively, those times are rare and I wouldn't count on such "gifts." Your grab/counter grab needs to be set up 90% of the time, not only to set it, but to then use it for a twist, lock, break, controlling his motion, take down, etc.
The two main ways to set up a grab, for me, are:
1. To land a good strike first. This can be to the target arm, or anywhere that can hurt, thus breaking his mental balance.
2. To break his physical balance which in turn breaks his mental balance.
This loss of balance means that for a half second, the opponent is frozen, unable to respond to your grab before you have it well set and continue with your technique. Without this breaking of balance, chances are the opponent will slip or break out of your grab, or worse yet, counter/reverse it.
I believe even aikido once commonly used strikes in this manner, though perhaps I am misremembering. It is a necessary thing for using grabbing techniques in actual combat, but not so much when practicing aikido as a pure art.
By the way, I think aikido in any form is cool. I love the way it teaches to combine and flow with the opponent and stay relaxed while doing it. That has to be good for
something.