Pat Downey recently entered the IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2024 as a BJJ blue belt, and the decision attracted quite a lot of criticism. It all stemmed from the fact that Downey is an elite wrestler and has been grappling under a different ruleset for well over a decade at this point. What many critics have overlooked is the fact that the IBJJF has strict time requirements for when athletes can be promoted to the next belt level. Without any formal training or grading in BJJ, the most that any competitor from another grappling discipline can do is to be promoted to blue belt and compete there.
It’s difficult for anyone to claim that Downey is avoiding tough competition when he has wrestled at the highest level for years and recently faced some of the best grapplers in the world at the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational. Downey started out by explaining how his approach to grappling has had to change in order to compete in this particular event:
“I’m definitely gonna try to play more of a Jiu-Jitsu game because this is, from my understanding, the most strict and stringent ruleset. Especially for American wrestlers going into this specific ruleset. So I wanna avoid the typical things that I’m known for which could probably get me DQ’d… I’ve really had to rewire my grappling instincts, and what I know. Which is cool, I’m all about it you know! I love playing the game, just tell me the rules!”
He also explained that his goal isn’t just to win, Pat Downey wants to dominate the IBJJF no gi world championship at blue belt and there’s a reason for that:
”So I have a couple of goals, I either wanna submit everyone or score the most points that’s been scored in this event. Either one would make me happy and I think if I do those things, I’ll get my purple belt too. So that’s another incentive.”
Being promoted to purple belt would allow him to face an even higher level of competition next time around and not only is Downey up for that, he’s not overlooking this event either:
“Take out the purple right? I’m gonna be purple at the next one, assuming things go according to plan. There’s been a high level wrestlers come into blue belt and not win it.”
Downey finished off by addressing the critics who’ve accused him of sandbagging, and he pointed out that he doesn’t really have a way to make everyone happy:
”So the fact that everybody is calling me sandbagging, which I have no control over what division the federation puts me in, that’s crazy. But also, if I came in as a black belt they’d be like ‘he doesn’t know any Jiu-Jitsu’. If I came in as a white belt: ‘He’s too good for Jiu-Jitsu as a white belt!’”
The full interview with Pat Downey where he explains his reasons for competing at the IBJJF No Gi World Championship at blue belt is available to watch on the official JitsMagazine YouTube channel, click here to subscribe for more or check out the interview below:
