This study proposes a novel adaptive control approach using a feedforward Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy approximator for a class of highly unknown multi-input multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear plants. First of all, the design concept, namely, feedforward fuzzy approximator (FFA) based control, is introduced to compensate the unknown feedforward terms required during steady state via a forward TS fuzzy system which takes the desired commands as the input variables. Different from the traditional fuzzy approximation approaches, this scheme allows easier implementation and drops the boundedness assumption on fuzzy universal approximation errors. Furthermore, the controller is synthesized to assure either the disturbance attenuation or the attenuation of both disturbances and estimated fuzzy parameter errors or globally asymptotic stable tracking. In addition, all the stability is guaranteed from a feasible gain solution of the derived linear matrix inequality (LMI). Meanwhile, the highly uncertain holonomic constrained systems are taken as applications with either guaranteed robust tracking performances or asymptotic stability in a global sense. It is demonstrated that the proposed adaptive control is easily and straightforwardly extended to the robust TS FFA-based motion/force tracking controller. Finally, two planar robots transporting a common object is taken as an application example to show the expected performance. The comparison between the proposed and traditional adaptive fuzzy control schemes is also performed in numerical simulations. Keywords: Adaptive control; Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy system; holonomic systems; motion/force control
