Is Rashad Evans black belt level?

Zankou said:
I disagree, because having a bjj black belt is about more than just being competitive in an MMA match with a black belt.

After all, I'm sure most all-American wrestlers would torch your average black belt judoka at grappling. Should they be given a black belt then? There's more to the art than just being competitive within a narrow focus.

BJJ is the art of fighting your way out of bad situations. If you are bad fighting off your back, you aren't good at BJJ. You may still be an incredible grappler, and an awesome MMA fighter, but you aren't a BJJ black belt in my book.
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Nate Mardquart(sp)? Sonnen gets subbed alot...yet he was able to do nothing from his back
 
I think that bjj rank is held to a high esteem and earned through dedication, not just because you beat someone that is a black belt in bjj.

Just because a bjj blackbelt beats a olympic wrestler does not make them a automatic gold medal olympian, or if he beats a sambo or judo blackbelt that does not make the bjj guy automatic black belt in those arts, so why is it so important that wrestlers get a black belt in bjj for beating a bjj black belt?

I wish everyone could just accept that a wrestler took down a black belt in bjj and passed guard and was good on top. I give wrestlers props, they are awesome, and by using wrestling that they have trained for years they can beat bjj guys, judo guys, sambo guys, pankration guys, whatever grappling style guys. It does not mean they should be given black belts. Master Kano did not give the U.S. wrestler a black belt in judo that beat his student. Why is it important to do so now?
 
Normot said:
What makes you think Rashad doesn't know how to use the GI or have a good guard that fairs well against other blackbelts while wearing a GI? What evidence do you have for him not knowing the GI or guard work?
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lol that's what I've been saying. Rashad could probably go to most BJJ schools and own everyone except the instructor.
 
phillys-finest said:
Nate Mardquart(sp)? Sonnen gets subbed alot...yet he was able to do nothing from his back
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Eh, Silva couldn't do it in 3 rounds either.

I don't question Nate's BB though. He trained for years, in the gi, under a very legit instructor. I think since his UFC stint he probably hasn't been focusing much on his guard game, as many MMA fighters neglect. You'd be surprised how much your guard can deteriorate when you don't work on it.
 
juji gatame said:
lol that's what I've been saying. Rashad could probably go to most BJJ schools and own everyone except the instructor.
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Cool, way to not read the arguments in rest of the thread! And for the record I don't disagree with you.
 
SuperSuperRambo said:
It's comparing apples and oranges. To be a bjj black belt most would say that you need to have a really good guard. It doesn't need to be your game, you can focus on top position, but the guard has to be there. The guard and positional hierarchy is at the core of what differentiates bjj from other grappling arts.
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And that's why Joe Rogan isn't a black belt, for which I'm now respectful of Eddie Bravo. Eddie could have easily promoted Rogan for a publicity stint but no he said Rogan's guard needed some working on.

But some BJJ instructors are more lenient towards their grading than others. That's why in Judo there's an international or national organization that recognizes a curriculum for achieving a certain rank. I'm not saying that BJJ should go the way of Judo but at least there should be a universal test of achieving black belt level.
 
juji gatame said:
And that's why Joe Rogan isn't a black belt, for which I'm now respectful of Eddie Bravo. Eddie could have easily promoted Rogan for a publicity stint but no he said Rogan's guard needed some working on.

But some BJJ instructors are more lenient towards their grading than others. That's why in Judo there's an international or national organization that recognizes a curriculum for achieving a certain rank. I'm not saying that BJJ should go the way of Judo but at least there should be a universal test of achieving black belt level.
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I'm all for instructor discretion, but there has to be some consistency.

Sorry if I came off a bit harsh in my previous post. Apparently you did read the thread.
 
SuperSuperRambo said:
Cool, way to not read the arguments in rest of the thread! And for the record I don't disagree with you.
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SSR I understand that you are a very knowledgeable grappler and I respect your input, but questioning a professional MMA fighter's BJJ ability is just plain... silly. You're also one of the very few posters on Sherdog who believe in Rashad's black belt thank you.
 
i think rolles and the fact he has actually stepped onto the mat with rashad makes him a pretty good judge..
 
SuperSuperRambo said:
I'm all for instructor discretion, but there has to be some consistency.

Sorry if I came off a bit harsh in my previous post. Apparently you did read the thread.
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That's why you see some guys who are the same rank as others are on a totally different level. At some clubs the black belt guys are as good as the purple/blue belt guys and vice versa.
 
juji gatame said:
SSR I understand that you are a very knowledgeable grappler and I respect your input, but questioning a professional MMA fighter's BJJ ability is just plain... silly. You're also one of the very few posters on Sherdog who believe in Rashad's black belt thank you.
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Here's what I said earlier in the thread on that point:

SuperSuperRambo said:
My position on the video I posted is that I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. I've never seen much of Rashad's grappling besides his wrestling in MMA, and that's not necessarily indicative of what he's capable of, because there are tactical decisions you make in a fight. Likewise I've never seen him roll in the gym, and I've never spoken to anyone who has trained with him. On the other hand I know Rhadi Ferguson is a top notch grappler, and who am I to say he's wrong?
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It's more like I don't think he's not a black belt. I don't know enough to say, I have to defer to word of mouth. That's why I posted this video. Here we have a legit grappler vouching for Rashad.
 
SuperSuperRambo said:
Rhadi Ferguson sure seems to think so.



Discuss.
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I'm not directing this comment at you or Sensei Rhadi, but I just thought about something. Sensei Rhadi has trained and rolled with Rashad and is confident of Rashad's ability. If Sensei Rhadi is saying Rashad is a bjj black belt and they have done randori, why not,as a judo Sensei, award Rashad a judo black belt as well. Surely if he can give a judo black belt all he can handle then he is at the judo black belt level? Maybe he should be both a judo blackbelt and bjj blackbelt?

Discuss.
 
jjmuaythaiguy said:
I'm not directing this comment at you but I just thought about something, if Rhadi is saying Rashad is a bjj black belt and a handful why not award him a judo black belt also and say he is a judo and bjj black belt?

easier to say its bjj only?
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I dunno. Maybe they were just grappling on the ground and weren't doing judo. To be a black belt in judo means you can do all the throws and what not. Many involve the gi. I don't think Rhadi was in any position to assess that. However when you roll with someone on the ground, you can take a guess at their general level.
 
jjmuaythaiguy said:
I'm not directing this comment at you but I just thought about something, if Rhadi is saying Rashad is a bjj black belt and a handful why not award him a judo black belt also and say he is a judo and bjj black belt?

easier to say its bjj only?
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I'll bet Rashad would do well in a sambo tournament as well...
 
SuperSuperRambo said:
Here's what I said earlier in the thread on that point:



It's more like I don't think he's not a black belt. I don't know enough to say, I have to defer to word of mouth. That's why I posted this video. Here we have a legit grappler vouching for Rashad.
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I wasn't saying that you weren't questioning his BJJ level I was directing that comment to others that have no clue what they're talking about. Any Gracie praising a fighter's grappling game is something to be proud of.
 
jjmuaythaiguy said:
I'm not directing this comment at you or Sensei Rhadi, but I just thought about something. Sensei Rhadi has trained and rolled with Rashad and is confident of Rashad's ability. If Sensei Rhadi is saying Rashad is a bjj black belt and they have done randori, why not,as a judo Sensei, award Rashad a judo black belt as well. Surely if he can give a judo black belt all he can handle then he is at the judo black belt level? Maybe he should be both a judo blackbelt and bjj blackbelt?

Discuss.
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There's many intricacies to being a Judo black belt which most MMA fighters don't train in or are familiar with.
 
I'm sure Rashad can beat some good BJJ black belts in no-gi grappling, but as we all know, that does not make oneself a BJJ black belt. You have to put a gi on and train in BJJ for a long ass time to be a BJJ black belt.
 
Pretty sure everyone who doesn't work guard is like Sonnen(R), that is, a Republican extraordinaire.
 
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