RICKSON promoted to RED BELT!

SBJ

SBJ

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http://jiujitsumag.com/rickson-gracie-awarded-red-belt/

http://www.flograppling.com/article/58615-rickson-gracie-promoted-to-red-belt

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Rickson Gracie has been promoted to red belt by his brothers and other high-ranking members of the jiu-jitsu community.

The surprise promotion was held while Rickson was giving a seminar in Las Vegas.

Rickson's older brother Rorion was the one to orchestrate the promotion, accompanied by younger brother Royler and well-known figures such as Jean Jacques Machado, Pedro Sauer, Fabio Santos and even 9th degree red belt Alvaro Barreto. Former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum also attended the ceremony.

Rickson was originally promoted to black belt in 1977 at the age of 18. With forty years of experience at black belt, he expressed no small amount of emotion in being presented with the red belt.

I've been putting my life and soul into this, we are here for jiu-jitsu. I'm very thankful for this. But, I feel like this is something which will be a great facilitator for me, for the legacy of jiu-jitsu and what we bring for the future. Rickson used his promotion speech to call for unity and consistency among the jiu-jitsu community in standardizing promotion requirements, explaining that he felt that if the standard guidelines had been followed he should have had to wait a total of 45 years as a black belt before receiving the red belt.

Rorion and Alvaro Barreto explained that the belt in the case was symbolic of the journey Rickson had undertaken, with no doubt in anybody's mind that it was fully deserved.

Watch the full video of Rickson's promotion here
Direct link
Click to expand...
 
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Awesome! Imagine how many more arm bars he'll be able to win by now.
 
Awesome accomplishment and crazy to think...

My only question is: I thought you had to be a black belt for like 48 years. If he was a black belt at 18, it doesn't quite add up. I'm just curious and would love if someone could explain how this works entirely. Thanks
 
206crazy said:
Awesome accomplishment and crazy to think...

My only question is: I thought you had to be a black belt for like 48 years. If he was a black belt at 18, it doesn't quite add up. I'm just curious and would love if someone could explain how this works entirely. Thanks
Click to expand...

Isn't that some IBJJF guideline? I'm not sure Relson, Rorion, Royler etc feel bound by that.
 
206crazy said:
Awesome accomplishment and crazy to think...

My only question is: I thought you had to be a black belt for like 48 years. If he was a black belt at 18, it doesn't quite add up. I'm just curious and would love if someone could explain how this works entirely. Thanks
Click to expand...

If you watch Rickson's speech, he addresses this topic.

Rickson said he's not ready (time wise). Says he's honored, but wants to put it in a safe until later.

Everyone else there was arguing, trying to talk sense into him.. lol Gracie family drama!

As head of JJGF, Rickson wants to standardize promotion..

Black Belt
(stripes 1, 2, 3 are 3 years each)
(stripes 4, 5, 6 are 5 years each)
(stripes 7, 8, 9 are 7 years each)

Since he got his Black Belt at 18, he thinks he should have to wait until he's 63-65ish. (He's 58 now)

But since Rorion out ranks him and wants him to wear it (and all the other red and coral belts there were insisting too), he said "what the hell.. okl" and will wear it.

Politically, this is better for Rickson. Rorion told him that as Red Belt, there's no dispute when he decides to set his own belt standards.
 
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Congrats to Rickson!
 
206crazy said:
Could be..But then the question is, what makes you a red belt then?
Click to expand...

A huge combo of technical knowledge, ability to grow and represent the art at high levels, an ability to inspire others in the art. With the highest rank in any art, its hard to put an exact hard and fast rule. It's more decided by your peers, which is probably why it was done by Ricksons brothers and closest student's like Pedro Sauer.
 
Good for Rickson!!!!
 
SBJ said:
If you watch Rickson's speech, he addresses this topic.

Rickson said he's not ready (time wise). Says he's honored, but wants to put it in a safe until later.

Everyone else there was arguing, trying to talk sense into him.. lol Gracie family drama!

As head of JJGF, Rickson wants to standardize promotion..

Black Belt
(stripes 1, 2, 3 are 3 years each)
(stripes 4, 5, 6 are 5 years each)
(stripes 7, 8, 9 are 7 years each)

Since he got his Black Belt at 18, he thinks he should have to wait until he's 63-65ish. (He's 58 now)

But since Rorion out ranks him and wants him to wear it (and all the other red and coral belts there were insisting too), he said "what the hel.. okl" and will wear it.

Politically, this is better for Rickson. Rorion told him that as Red Belt, there's no dispute when he decides to set his own belt standards.
Click to expand...



Thanks and that;s cool. I was just curious. And would love to see a video of his speech. I think that's fair. I mean the guy has been a black belt for 40 years. I've been a black belt for almost 3 and it feels like forever already. I can't imagine that feeling of 4 decades. Crazy and huge congrats to Rickson.
 
206crazy said:
Thanks and that;s cool. I was just curious. And would love to see a video of his speech. I think that's fair. I mean the guy has been a black belt for 40 years. I've been a black belt for almost 3 and it feels like forever already. I can't imagine that feeling of 4 decades. Crazy and huge congrats to Rickson.
Click to expand...

I figured it would be fine to break any rules for Rickson, considering that he's regarded almost universally by anyone who matters as the GOAT. Plus he is still passionate to preserving/spreading the art of Gracie Jiujitsu.

oh and @206crazy I'm just a blue belt so 3 year late on the black belt congrats :)
 
I know two of the guys in the picture. They said it was an amazing experience.
 
Edison Carasio said:
I figured it would be fine to break any rules for Rickson, considering that he's regarded almost universally by anyone who matters as the GOAT. Plus he is still passionate to preserving/spreading the art of Gracie Jiujitsu.

oh and @206crazy I'm just a blue belt so 3 year late on the black belt congrats :)
Click to expand...

I think Rickson had a big hand in inventing (along with his deceased brother Rolls) what we think of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, as in being more of a Mixed Martial Art than the modified judo that Helio was doing.
 
Edison Carasio said:
Isn't that some IBJJF guideline? I'm not sure Relson, Rorion, Royler etc feel bound by that.
Click to expand...

Excuse me but Rickson runs his own federation and last time I checked he has the same time requirements as per ibjjf.

Hence, why he had to tell rorion: thanks but I will put it aside.

Otherwise he will break the standards of his own federation.
 
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206crazy said:
Awesome accomplishment and crazy to think...

My only question is: I thought you had to be a black belt for like 48 years. If he was a black belt at 18, it doesn't quite add up. I'm just curious and would love if someone could explain how this works entirely. Thanks
Click to expand...
The article mentioned this. Rorion and Royler told him he would have to discuss honor if Helio was there with him. Or something like that. If you read the list of red belts there is no doubt he deserves it
 
Was at Pride GP 2000 said:
The article mentioned this. Rorion and Royler told him he would have to discuss honor if Helio was there with him. Or something like that. If you read the list of red belts there is no doubt he deserves it
Click to expand...

Well the fact that he turned down the red belt from Rorion says it all.
 
I don't know if he's ready yet .Does he know the modern game ? I mean how is his berimbolo ? Jk lol . Dudes a legend and deserves it obviously . Living legend .
 
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