18yr old purple belt Tainan Dalpra submits black belt Bill Cooper

[NSchoke]

For sure. We have a 17 year old kid in his senior year in highschool that comes to the gym. He’s a wrestler and literally looks like a comic book character. His muscles have muscles.

Not saying it doesn't happen but the eye test standard seems low. 100% this level of muscle can be put on naturally.

There are people who are past this and most definitely enhanced IMO. If I just saw this picture PED's wouldn't even come into my mind.

 

[yetanother]

Not saying it doesn't happen but the eye test standard seems low. 100% this level of muscle can be put on naturally.

There are people who are past this and most definitely enhanced IMO. If I just saw this picture PED's wouldn't even come into my mind.

I think the original claim was that the gyno looks suspect, he doesn't normally look like on a filtered post workout instagram photo.

 

[NSchoke]

The RVCA owner Pat Tenore fronted them the money for AOJ and/or just built it for them. I'm not sure if he is a part owner or not, or if he gets a cut of the profit there, or if the Bros had to pay him back or not. I've heard they didn't have to pay him back but I can't imagine as a successful business man that he would agree to that. But regardless Pat Tenore was definitely the guy that helped them put them gym together and helped finance them moving to the United States and getting them set up over here.

Yes, this sounds accurate.
Good deal for them, they worked very hard obviously! I wish Rafa was still hungry and competing though.

You can pretty much guarantee a guy who owned a successful clothing brand either did the branding himself or had his team do it.

 

[Knock Out Ned]

How do you know he doesn't take steroids? Not saying he is.

His dad would put his foot up his ass.

 

[anaconda]

The RVCA owner Pat Tenore fronted them the money for AOJ and/or just built it for them. I'm not sure if he is a part owner or not, or if he gets a cut of the profit there, or if the Bros had to pay him back or not. I've heard they didn't have to pay him back but I can't imagine as a successful business man that he would agree to that. But regardless Pat Tenore was definitely the guy that helped them put them gym together and helped finance them moving to the United States and getting them set up over here.

Could be a million different set ups. Maybe he owns the building and is renting it out to them. In which case there's nothing to pay back, he just did the build out.

It's also not that expensive to build out a bjj gym (relatively speaking). And having a solid long term tenant like that would be a great business opportunity. Or maybe he owns part. Who knows.

But it seems to have been a good opportunity for all involved.

 

[mataleaos]

Yes, this sounds accurate.
I wish Rafa was still hungry and competing though.

I can understand the burnout from 6 World and 2 ADCC titles on some 'what else is there to do' type shit. At the same time I do really wish we could see Rafa in another ADCC or a Polaris type thing. I would really love to see how he would play against the current no gi style.

 

[yetanother]

I can understand the burnout from 6 World and 2 ADCC titles on some 'what else is there to do' type shit. At the same time I do really wish we could see Rafa in another ADCC or a Polaris type thing. I would really love to see how he would play against the current no gi style.

Polaris rule set is bullshit. Ref decisions suck.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

Rafa vs Marcelo for 100 k prize... best of 3 so we can be sure who’s the best

 

[SUPERGRAPPLER]

The kid doesn’t have gyno for fuck sakes, that is just some fat...

Kid has good genetics, it’s a full time grappler and 18 years old, no reason why he couldn’t achieve that body, plus there’s a shit ton of lighting... I hope you guys are not serious about him looking like a per user, he does not.

I agree man. At 18 I just lifted weights, hiked all the time and snowboarded and I had a very similar build to that kid. Like you said, it comes down to lifestyle and genetics at that age.

 

[cakemuncher]

I think he has had really good gains through puberty.

This is him at 13 years of age:


And here he is 17:


In his 2018 videos his voice sounds even deeper, so yeah, I think now he's reached the stage where his body can be considered comparable to that of a full-grown adult. And in IBJJF terms, he's also an adult now.

 

[NSchoke]

I can understand the burnout from 6 World and 2 ADCC titles on some 'what else is there to do' type shit. At the same time I do really wish we could see Rafa in another ADCC or a Polaris type thing. I would really love to see how he would play against the current no gi style.

His technique is so sharp!

I would love to see him against Marcelo, I think he would do fine against him.

Probably not enough money available at this point, both guys seem to be doing very well and even though it's my dream I doubt it'd do much PPV.

I gotta get rich somehow so I can go broke setting up matches like this.

 

[dimmyfinster]

This is my concern as well. I actually don't have that much of a problem with older people using drugs to try and stay competitive, to heal, etc, but I do worry about the culture of steroid use creeping down into lower and lower ages because you're talking some permanently fucked up hormones if you're using when you're not even out of puberty. Not to mention, should any 16-18 year old be making a decision that will effectively sign him up for drugs for life? You can make such large gains totally naturally with training and good nutrition in your mid-late teens, just do that.

I dunno. I think most college footfall players are on the gear and a number of high school players too. For sure Olympic athletes. It's everywhere at the top level of sport.

ATOS does not have a monopoly on steroids, far from it.

 

[nefti]

Meth... wtf? Thats a lifelong battle there...

 

[rmongler]

Meth... wtf? Thats a lifelong battle there...

It is, which is why many lose...

Bill is lucky enough to have an extensive group for support, and more importantly, a passion for something that goes beyond himself to focus on.

 

[BIGthingsSON]

It's crazy how much hobbyists hate on competitors

 

[mataleaos]

Meth... wtf? Thats a lifelong battle there...

https://www.flograppling.com/articl...jj-the-troubled-life-of-bill-the-grill-cooper

 

[Uchi Mata]

I dunno. I think most college footfall players are on the gear and a number of high school players too. For sure Olympic athletes. It's everywhere at the top level of sport.

ATOS does not have a monopoly on steroids, far from it.

Didn't say anything about Atos in particular, though they are pretty well known for heavy steroid use. And I agree, it's rampant in many high school sport with football probably being the worst offender. I don't think it's good for anyone in their teens or early 20s.

 

[5thDimensionMMA]

PEDS or not,kids a beast. A lot of ppl take PEDS in BJJ,they dont make you a top dog. Theres a bunch of big muscular guys and they aren't shit.

 

[JustTheTip]

I really dislike the current trend of judging belts in competition. The old "X belt beat Black belt' thing is BS nowadays. The top Blue belts are have the same or more mat time and competition experience as most Blackbelts. Many trained and competed for a decade before they were even eligible for adult belts. If you watch the top juveniles, they are good Purple belts as far as level. Then they become adults and start competing at Blue then Purple.
While steroid use might be rampant in BJJ, it is certainly possible to have that body type at 18 without roids. I am from an inner city and grew up around multiple pro athletes(NBA and NFL) and knew plenty of guys that were way swoler than many of these accused BJJ guys that i'm positive never used roids. A good diet,weight training, and BJJ can yield a really muscular body.Even with average genetics.

 

[JustTheTip]

Pretty much this. Not that the kid isn't good, obviously he is. But I've talked to people who say they literally get a contact high rolling with Bill at his place because there's typically so much pot being smoked by him and around him in his gym.

Have you ever smoked and rolled? I'm getting convinced that marijuana actually helps your BJJ rather than hurt it.