For people who don't like IBJJF rules or state of sports BJJ

mtruitt76

mtruitt76

Purple Belt
@purple
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Messages
1,911
Reaction score
0
With the Worlds recently completed we are getting the yearly dose of threads complaining about sports jui jitsu, IBJJF rules, and the new techniques of sports jui jitsu. Similar complaints are voiced in each thread- there is too much stalling, the new guards are too convoluted, sport jui-jitsu does not translate to MMA, watching sport jui jitsu is not appealing non-practitioners, etc.

What I am wondering is how many people who dislike the current state of sport jui jitsu compete in IBJJF tournaments or any tournaments for that matter. For those not currently competing how many would if the rule set or sport jui jitsu game was closer to their ideal version of BJJ or grappling. Or are you just an avid BJJ spectator.

Not trying to call anyone out and invalidate your opinion because you don't compete, just curious about peoples background and the impetus of the complaints.
 
I don't think it can be improved enough to make people watch. This is all up to the mindset of the competitors. The UFC understand this and that's why Dana White puts his all in to those pre fight speeches and performance bonuses. While we can't have anything like that in BJJ, I think a cultural change would fix things. Put more energy in to performing well instead of doing the bare minimum to win the fight. Rafael Lovato has attempted this with his "Save jiu jitsu" campaign but I think as long as all the medals and recognition goes to the winners instead of the best performers, things won't change all that much.
 
My bet, knowing little of the BJJ scene, is that it'll be the older guys who dislike what its become. In judo, people who were serious judoka in the 70's and 80's, who remember when whole matches could take part on the ground with almost no referee interaction, when to win a match with a throw (ippon) meant a very hard, very controlled throw where you either ended up on top of or standing above the person thrown (uke), who remember where there were almost no illegal grips except the belt, those folks are the ones who hate the IJF and what its done to judo.

Younger judoka, who never knew anything differently (ie started in the 90's or later) don't mind modern judo (tho I'll note there are a lot less younger judoka than there were earlier, even in Japan from what I've been told). I'll bet its the same with BJJ. My only data point is the BJJ club where I teach throws/takedowns - the instructor (started BJJ in the 90's) hates current BJJ rules, and laments the loss of the old school (and is going more and more to sub-only and MMA because of that).
 
I don't like them.

I compete in BJJ tournaments fairly regularly( 3 - 4 times a year) . I actually made a point to stop competing IBJJF tournaments in 2008 and opt to support any other grappling org I could find.

In the long run I think those principles kind of cost me.
 
I don't really complain about IBJJF competitions other than if I want to win; I have to develop a narrow game plan. I've grown tired of my "A game." I'm bored at the moment. I want to grow and develop the weaknesses in my game. I am considering switching to wrestling and kickboxing. (for a little bit/few lessons)

I don't care about the lack of fighting applications in competition jiu jitsu. I don't see myself developing too many bad habits like pulling guard in a street fight.
 
I've come to prefer sub-only. With all the options out there now, I can focus on competing how I like, instead of having to deal with what's available.
I compete 3-4 times a year.
 
I highly dislike the IBJJF and their style of tournaments/rules etc, however the majority of the tournaments i compete in are IBJJF because they put up the most amount of tournaments, and are closest to my area.
It's really more of a "it's all we have" market, especially considering it's the only tournaments my coaches attend, so attending other tournament styles you are left coachless unless you can manage to convince an upper belt to go with you.

I suppose i should list some of my gripes with the IBJJF:
1. Reaping rule is bogus. Get rid of it. It limits leg lock play. Guard pulling is also dumb but that will never change.
2. No heel hooks even at black....these things should be legal at brown.
3. some of my takedowns being outlawed, not the biggest deal but it does change my style moderately.
4. The discrepancy of what is and isn't a slam; i've been DQ'd because i slipped while pulling out of an armbar. Yet, i can uchi mata someone and break their ribs all day...or throw someone out of bounds, into steel barricades and so forth.
5. Lack of safety mat area, IE 1.5 feet.
6. Everything runs on brazilian time. Scheduled for 3, compete at 6 after a 5:15 weigh in. Everytime...
7. They run it like a monopolistic Imperial Empire.
8. Each tournament has a different idea of weight; some allow 1lb to make up for discrepancies etc, others won't even allow a 0.2
9. Single elimination.
10. People refusing to compete against one another because they end up closing out the division. This should be a team points DQ IMO but it's not the end of the world.

I suppose there is more but these are some of my frustrations.
 
It's actually at a point i wish not to compete under IBJJF, and train for everything in the gym; kneebars, hooks, slicers and so forth. I've lost a number of my skills after not being able to utilize them because of this rule set i'm forced to train irregularly.
 
We train heel hooks and everything in the gym yet still have multiple medalists at pans and worlds. You can Stoll train all of BJJ and tailor it for ibjjf when needed.
 
Not saying it's impossible by any means, but when your coaches don't allow it because of IBJJF rules...nope. Our purples are afraid of heel hooks still and even most slicers. That level of "you'll shred yourself" mentality is bred deep within the system. So unless i move to another city miles and miles away, i'm stuck in this stagnation. Factor in most BJJ guys don't understand heel hooks as well as sambo guys due to lack of utilizing them, you can breed further bad habits as a result, similar to how most BJJ guys suck at takedowns/defense because they are used to pulling guard. It's an ineffective style. I love the art of BJJ/submission grappling, i am beginning to dislike the sport of it because it is so limiting.
 
I have competed since 2004. Most recently competed in Gracie Nationals in January and will compete at GQ on July 5th.

I have always refused to compete in IBJJF tournaments.
 
Badger67 said:
I highly dislike the IBJJF and their style of tournaments/rules etc, however the majority of the tournaments i compete in are IBJJF because they put up the most amount of tournaments, and are closest to my area.
It's really more of a "it's all we have" market, especially considering it's the only tournaments my coaches attend, so attending other tournament styles you are left coachless unless you can manage to convince an upper belt to go with you.

I suppose i should list some of my gripes with the IBJJF:
1. Reaping rule is bogus. Get rid of it. It limits leg lock play. Guard pulling is also dumb but that will never change.
2. No heel hooks even at black....these things should be legal at brown.
3. some of my takedowns being outlawed, not the biggest deal but it does change my style moderately.
4. The discrepancy of what is and isn't a slam; i've been DQ'd because i slipped while pulling out of an armbar. Yet, i can uchi mata someone and break their ribs all day...or throw someone out of bounds, into steel barricades and so forth.
5. Lack of safety mat area, IE 1.5 feet.
6. Everything runs on brazilian time. Scheduled for 3, compete at 6 after a 5:15 weigh in. Everytime...
7. They run it like a monopolistic Imperial Empire.
8. Each tournament has a different idea of weight; some allow 1lb to make up for discrepancies etc, others won't even allow a 0.2
9. Single elimination.
10. People refusing to compete against one another because they end up closing out the division. This should be a team points DQ IMO but it's not the end of the world.

I suppose there is more but these are some of my frustrations.
Click to expand...

That is a very good post.


Personally, i would go with sub only, but Gokors way ; if there is no winner after the official time is up, they go for takedown goldenscore. First one to get a clear takedown wins. Meaning you have to prove your competence in the two sides on grappling.

Dont like takedowns ? Just fucking sub the guy.
 
Last edited:
I'd like that but even sub only tournaments aren't too common in my area, and my coach is oddly against it. I haven't asked him why though.
 
I was just day dreamin' ! There are none around here either to my knowledge
 
Badger67 said:
I highly dislike the IBJJF and their style of tournaments/rules etc, however the majority of the tournaments i compete in are IBJJF because they put up the most amount of tournaments, and are closest to my area.
It's really more of a "it's all we have" market, especially considering it's the only tournaments my coaches attend, so attending other tournament styles you are left coachless unless you can manage to convince an upper belt to go with you.

I suppose i should list some of my gripes with the IBJJF:
1. Reaping rule is bogus. Get rid of it. It limits leg lock play. Guard pulling is also dumb but that will never change.
2. No heel hooks even at black....these things should be legal at brown.
3. some of my takedowns being outlawed, not the biggest deal but it does change my style moderately.
4. The discrepancy of what is and isn't a slam; i've been DQ'd because i slipped while pulling out of an armbar. Yet, i can uchi mata someone and break their ribs all day...or throw someone out of bounds, into steel barricades and so forth.
5. Lack of safety mat area, IE 1.5 feet.
6. Everything runs on brazilian time. Scheduled for 3, compete at 6 after a 5:15 weigh in. Everytime...
7. They run it like a monopolistic Imperial Empire.
8. Each tournament has a different idea of weight; some allow 1lb to make up for discrepancies etc, others won't even allow a 0.2
9. Single elimination.
10. People refusing to compete against one another because they end up closing out the division. This should be a team points DQ IMO but it's not the end of the world.

I suppose there is more but these are some of my frustrations.
Click to expand...

Yeah heel hooks should be allowed at Black.
 
My beef is that it's rigged. Why am I DQed before the thing even starts?
 
Os3y3ris said:
My beef is that it's rigged. Why am I DQed before the thing even starts?
Click to expand...

because you do not have a BBby a recognized black belt in the eyes of the ibjjf

why don't you just compete in ADCC PRO trials and get some sweet sweet oil money?

according to you work on atama you can tool rodolfo. you are losing money not going to abu dabi
 
because you do not have a BBby a recognized black belt in the eyes of the ibjjf
Click to expand...

Funny, neither my instructor nor my students, nor any other tournament seem to have a problem recognizing me. This has happened before. Hillary Williams, Sam Osman, Cassio, etc. Either everyone's all of a sudden faking their black belts (after a decade or so of training) or these fuckers are shady. But somehow a two thousand dollar affilation package makes you a legit black belt? Yeah...

according to you work on atama you can tool rodolfo. you are losing money not going to abu dabi
Click to expand...

Who's Rodolfo? World Cup Pro trials I don't know about, as they use a similar system, but ADCC I plan on giving a go at the trials next opportunity.
 
Last edited:
One post from the OP and than gone. Did we just get trolled?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
1,236,962
Messages
55,457,299
Members
174,787
Latest member
Freddie556

Share this page

Back
Top