Should Competitor's Be Allowed To Compete Up A Belt Class?

[jack36767]

Today in "words this guy with a degree in this language learned on Sherdog"...

He always talks like that lol

 

[SubmissionarY]

Whats the point of a ranking system if we aren't going to use it?

Pay your dues, earn that chance to fight at a higher belt.

 

[Darwinambrosius]

I've been training for nine years and I always have. I've never thought of it being an issue.

 

[Habs fan]

I guess I just think its mostly silly. In most Judo tournaments there is advanced (black/brown) and everyone else. When I wrestled we had JV or Varsity. Winning the JV or the beginner divisions don't really mean dink. At best it indicated that some dude might be good in the future. In BJJ we get all sexed up over the "blue belt world champ". The guy has been a blue belt for 5 years and got 3rd in last years worlds but he is still a blue.

We talk about ego but it is a huge deal if a blue gets smoked by a white? Really? The problem is the structure of BJJ for profit tournaments and paying $100 to get beat as a blue in round one to a white. Make it double elimination with a $35 fee and a lot of the issues solve themselves.

I packed a lot of controversy in there so flame on.........

You asked is it a big deal that a blue belt gets smoked by a white belt?

Yes it is to that blue belt. Should we be mentality strong enough to handle any adversity. Yes of course but reality is it does bother most people. You get most bjj people ok with losing to lower belts and I be ok with lower belts taking on higher belts. Until the bjj community changes I will not support it. All I hear from people that lose is how much you weight?, what colour is your belt?, how long have you trained?, is your instructor a black belt? People don't just lose and be cool with it. People always look for reasons why they lose. I say it before and I say it again. I don't believe in the no ego myth.

 

[hutchdavidson]

You asked is it a big deal that a blue belt gets smoked by a white belt?

Yes it is to that blue belt. Should we be mentality strong enough to handle any adversity. Yes of course but reality is it does bother most people. You get most bjj people ok with losing to lower belts and I be ok with lower belts taking on higher belts. Until the bjj community changes I will not support it. All I hear from people that lose is how much you weight?, what colour is your belt?, how long have you trained?, is your instructor a black belt? People don't just lose and be cool with it. People always look for reasons why they lose. I say it before and I say it again. I don't believe in the no ego myth.

I think the more appropriate quote now is "You may check your ego at the door but you will leave with it"
Although I do catch blues every so often and I never get any of those questions or justifications from anyone.

 

[rmongler]

Sound like a line of Eagles' lyrics.

"You can check your ego any time you like / but it can never leave."

 

[yetanother]

A belt division is for people of that belt color. Like a weight division is. If you mix in other people, you are putting people in a potentially awkward spot.

You can fight up a weight division in BJJ.

 

[jr jr]

You asked is it a big deal that a blue belt gets smoked by a white belt?

Yes it is to that blue belt. Should we be mentality strong enough to handle any adversity. Yes of course but reality is it does bother most people. You get most bjj people ok with losing to lower belts and I be ok with lower belts taking on higher belts. Until the bjj community changes I will not support it. All I hear from people that lose is how much you weight?, what colour is your belt?, how long have you trained?, is your instructor a black belt? People don't just lose and be cool with it. People always look for reasons why they lose. I say it before and I say it again. I don't believe in the no ego myth.

I don't care if it is a big deal to the blue belt. This is a sport not magic. Does it bother the blue? Fine. Is it unreasonable to think a 22 year old white belt with 2 years of high school wrestling and 12 months of gi training could beat a 32 year old father of three who has been a blue belt for three months?

Belts are an arbitrary award of recognition of; knowledge, consistency, effort, and any number of a dozen other factors from hundreds of different instructors. Competition and sport is just that. We rank to make it easier to identify the people in class who know some from the people who know little.

I am a 43 year old Brown belt father of three. I am currently a lightweight that is at least one, possible two, divisions fatter than I should be. I have no delusions that there are not purples and probably a hand full of blues and even a white belt or two who could beat my ass. I don't even think that is controversial.

 

[jr jr]

Did I mention Brazilian Jujitsu is not magic..........