In your opinion, who is...

[Relentless chase]

Who is the GOAT of BJJ as a whole? The one who trumps all? some people I talk to will say Rickson, some say Marcelo, some say Roger, some even say Buchecha.. although he's still actively competing and is arguably the #1 best in the world rn.

Skill is a huge factor, but I'm talking more so on who they beat and how they beat them.

All that said, I gotta go with Marcelo Garcia. He's beaten so many big names, and as you know, he easily could've went down a weight class or two, but chose to stay and fight the bigger guys. Don't forget he's a GOAT on and off of the mats, that says a lot too.

*GOAT list just for fun, it's (in order)
1. Marcelo
2. Rickson
3. Cobrinha
4. Roger
5. Buchecha

So who do you think? We're talking all the way from the Rickson Gracie generation to Today's generation of Jiu-Jitsu Athletes.

 

[yetanother]

Roger with Buchecha a close second.
Rickson isn't even in the top 100 of all time (likely not even in the top 1000)

 

[JagRoss]

I think you have to differentiate between Gi and No-gi.

IMHO in Gi after Roger v Buchecha you have to put Roger at No.1

Lepri should be up there somewhere as well.

 

[zeli_papa]

Achievement-wise it has to be Roger, however, for me there's something magical about the way Marcelo was tearing through the toughest competition so my vote goes to him.

 

[berimBOWLoh]

Bjj as a whole is a lot more than just a sport. Somebody who fights and uses it regularly in as close to real life fighting situations would be my GOAT. Maybe Maia.

 

[jac6303]

I don't believe you have to differentiate between Gi and No Gi because I think the same grapplers would top or be near the top on both lists. However, if you start including MMA or contribution to the art, I'm not sure.

My two GOATs would be Roger Gracie and Marcelo Garcia and both of them were able to win multiple Mundials and ADCCs and neither one had a noticeable drop off in ability between the two different skill sets. I mean Roger submitted everyone when he took double gold at ADCC and Marcelo went 7/8 in submissions in '07 and I think he has over 20 submissions overall at ADCC.

Their overall body of work in multiple rule sets over an extended period of time is literally almost unmatched and then you add other factors such as Marcelo sharing his entire game and still winning or being able to medal twice in the absolute division at ADCC or Roger MMA career the distance increases.

 

[DatCutman]

In an MMA context, Maia. His current form is beautiful, a pure expression of grappling in a fighting context.

In a grappling competition context, Marcelo. The innovations he brought, and the way he approached positions, is now considered the new "normal" in those positions. He revolutionized the entire game, consistently, over years, in Gi and No Gi, in his weigh class and absolute. The thrill of sports with open weight classes is watching a little guy skillfully defeat a big guy, and Marcelo delivered.

In terms of BJJ overall...I'm going to take a crazy stance, and say Rorion Gracie. Between using UFC 1 to the Gracie Family's advantage and the Gracie in Action tapes, he made BJJ a virulent idea in the martial arts communities in the U.S.; everything was either "how do I add BJJ" or "how do I anti-grapple." Sure, there are blow backs from the stuff he did, the cut-throat tactics. The dumb ideas like the Gracie Diet. But I don't know if BJJ would be as pervasive as it is today without his keen eye for marketing it as hard as he did.

 

[efficientjudo]

Imagine what Jacare could have been if he had stayed with BJJ. He only competed at black belt for two years, yet was spoken as top three with Roger and Marcelo at the time.
Rickson comes from that earlier era, so its difficult to measure his competitive record to the IBJJF era guys, I mean you would have to put Royler ahead of him in that regard.
The split between Gi and No-Gi competitors is quite recent, previously it was the same guys doing well in both, that specialisation has really only come about in the last few years with the growth of the no-gi scene.
Xande Ribeiro and Rafael Mendes deserve mention too if you are looking at it from a mainly competitive aspect.

 

[tekkenfan]

I think you have to differentiate between Gi and No-gi.

IMHO in Gi after Roger v Buchecha you have to put Roger at No.1

Lepri should be up there somewhere as well.

lucas is quite amazing i use to study him for his knee cut passes but dude is great everywhere tbh i think leandro lo should be up there too his normal weight is 167 and hes won gold in 4 weight classes thats insane i dont see anyone else doing this who competed at 167

 

[mrsenor]

Achievement-wise it has to be Roger, however, for me there's something magical about the way Marcelo was tearing through the toughest competition so my vote goes to him.

terere doesnt have rogers number

 

[mrsenor]

In an MMA context, Maia. His current form is beautiful, a pure expression of grappling in a fighting context.

In a grappling competition context, Marcelo. The innovations he brought, and the way he approached positions, is now considered the new "normal" in those positions. He revolutionized the entire game, consistently, over years, in Gi and No Gi, in his weigh class and absolute. The thrill of sports with open weight classes is watching a little guy skillfully defeat a big guy, and Marcelo delivered.

In terms of BJJ overall...I'm going to take a crazy stance, and say Rorion Gracie. Between using UFC 1 to the Gracie Family's advantage and the Gracie in Action tapes, he made BJJ a virulent idea in the martial arts communities in the U.S.; everything was either "how do I add BJJ" or "how do I anti-grapple." Sure, there are blow backs from the stuff he did, the cut-throat tactics. The dumb ideas like the Gracie Diet. But I don't know if BJJ would be as pervasive as it is today without his keen eye for marketing it as hard as he did.

arona deserves a mention

 

[Blue_Lou]

Werdum, for being the first to submit the GOAT

 

[trustdoesntrust]

three names easily stick out to me: roger, marcelo, rafa mendes.

 

[imarayda]

I usually pick someone in the holy trinity.

 

[Solidus Snake]

I honestly don't how how the name can't be Roger. He has the most dominant way of win championships. He subbed all his rivalries one way or another, and he never got submitted himself. He came back at 36 after a super long layoff and choked out a guy in his prime who is destroying himself all the competition around in the gi.

I mean, what more could he do?

 

[Deleted member 405583]

Marcelo
Roger
Maia
Carlson sr

 

[mataleaos]

Roger for gi and Marcelo for no gi.