under the IBJJF rules he has to actually be a blackbelt in bjj and have a 2nd degree blackbelt sign off on his experience. If Comprido gives him a black belt, he could compete. But I understand that he is a purple belt. Some instructors require you to have overall skill and knowledge of all positions, but not everyone sees it the same way- to some people, if you can beat a bb, then you are a bb.
2012: +19.33
2012 Parlay project: +16.5u
2012: +19.33
2012 Parlay project: +16.5u
It seems strange to me that anyone would feel differently. I mean, Shogun didn't instantly become a karate black belt because he knocked out Machida. It just makes him a good muay Thai guy.
I heart cock
Right, but some people feel differently. I mean, Rolles gave Rashad a blackbelt. I am sure he has a good working knowledge of all positions... but I would be pretty shocked if he had the guard of a black belt. So when he is too weak to get on top all of the time, is he no longer a blackbelt? How does he teach the guard submissions and sweeps? Who knows what he does in the gym, but I would be surprised if he had a well rounded game.
2012: +19.33
2012 Parlay project: +16.5u
Well this brings up the question of whether being a black belt is more about knowledge or more about ability. I think you could have a working knowledge of something and be able to teach it without necessarily being very good in competition. My judo instructor back in the day used to say that some judoka are just never going to be good at competition, but he didn't feel that meant they shouldn't be promoted.
I heart cock
It is a combination of both things in bjj. A bjj blackbelt definitely has to be able to roll. The only real exceptions are for old people, in which case you sort of ask yourself how they would deal with another old man. At some point, your physical attributes fail you and even a ton of knowledge is not going to make you competitive. We have a bb at my gym who is 60. I saw him go from purple to black, when I got there as a 30 year old white belt, he could tap me out despite weighing 130 pounds and being 57 years old. These days, he can't really roll with me if I went full speed, but he can keep in step with me if we just flow roll. He still taps out white belts of all shapes and sizes though.
In bjj, you really don't get to black belt without being able whup a minimum amount of ass. BUt there are blackbelts with red panels (which signifies a teaching bb) as opposed to the traditional black panel (a fighting bb).
Last edited by MMA_scientist; 01-03-2012 at 03:31 PM.
2012: +19.33
2012 Parlay project: +16.5u
Teaching BB and Fighting BB. . . That's interesting. . .
So is it possible to become a black belt in BJJ without ever going to a competition? Because I know that in most martial arts competition is optional. It's not required to advance up the ranks.
I heart cock
yeah, you don't have to compete. Danaher never competed once (one of GSP's bjj coaches), but I hear that he submits everyone including world champs. Some guys compete, some don't. Most schools have competition teams. If you are on the comp team, a little more rolling proficiency is expected. Some schools have comp team patches on the gi to delineate the "fighters" (they call competitors fighters) from the guys just training for fun.
Last edited by MMA_scientist; 01-03-2012 at 04:33 PM.
2012: +19.33
2012 Parlay project: +16.5u
That wasn't his BJJ black belt he was given in the middle of cage?
I heart cock