• Home
  • Features
  • BJJ News
  • MMA
  • Interviews
  • BJJ Rankings
  • Shop
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Features
  • BJJ News
  • MMA
  • Interviews
  • BJJ Rankings
  • Shop
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home BJJ News

Rickson Gracie Opens Up About Modern BJJ: ‘The Dilution Is Already Beginning’

Jackson Williams by Jackson Williams
October 26, 2024
in BJJ News
0
Rickson Gracie Modern BJJ
204
SHARES
1.7k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Rickson Gracie recently shared some of his thoughts on the state of modern BJJ and he was pretty critical about the direction the sport has taken. A lot has changed since he first began training of course, and BJJ looks remarkably different today than it did when he was actively competing. When he was in his early 20s and actively competing himself, both the IBJJF and the UFC were a long time away from existing yet. In fact, the opportunities for competition back then were so few and far between that Rickson had to enter Sambo tournaments in order to test himself.

The opportunities for elite BJJ competition were so few and far between that Rickson even had matches even against his own family members. Fast-forward to today and there are hundreds of BJJ matches taking place all around the world every single weekend. While some might argue that this has meant that modern BJJ has been able to develop tremendously, Rickson Gracie doesn’t see it that way:

“The dilution is already beginning because it’s becoming a very athletic sport. You know, it doesn’t favor the weak the way it’s supposed to favor them. The core of jiu-jitsu, in my vision, is self-defense, not competition. Competition is great for people who like to compete, but for everyone, you’d love to learn how to survive; how to defend yourself from an attacker, how to protect someone you love.”

It’s understandable that he might focus on that because that was originally how the Gracie family approached the martial art. Of course it was also Vale Tudo that really gave Rickson his fame, particularly his legendary fights with Rei Zulu. Although he was already in to his 30s by the time that professional MMA really started to take shape, Rickson still competed under the more formalised ruleset. He is perhaps best known for his back-to-back Vale Tudo Japan titles that culminated in a submission win over Yuki Nakai. Even after retiring, Rickson still teaches regularly and he went into a little more detail on what he sees as the true value of BJJ:

“The idea of being prepared for the unpredictable is what has always given me the passion. It’s about increasing your knowledge to stay safe, comfortable, and prepared. I love teaching this to an average person who’s just walking around, to a police officer who needs to arrest someone, or to women who might feel threatened by a larger man. I want to empower people with the knowledge they need to feel safe and secure.”

The full interview with Rickson gracie where he discusses the state of modern BJJ was uploaded to the official YouTube channel of Ironclad:

Tags: Rickson Gracie
Previous Post

ADXC 6 Full Results And Highlights

Next Post

Khamzat Chimaev Breaks Robert Whittaker’s Jaw With Rear-naked Choke At UFC 308

Jackson Williams

Jackson Williams

Jackson Williams is a former lifelong wrestler who left the sport towards the end of high-school, and discovered MMA shortly after. After a few years of suffering injuries in training that prevented him from fighting, he ended up focusing on BJJ alone and is now a purple belt in the sport.

Related Posts

BJJ Connection Morocco 2025
BJJ News

BJJ Connection Morocco Hits Marrakech For The First Time In 2025

by Alex Lindsey
August 12, 2025
Enheist Invitational Debut
BJJ News

Enheist Invitational Prepares For Debut Event In Newcastle

by admin
August 12, 2025
Heath Pedigo Emergency Eye Surgery Injury
BJJ News

Heath Pedigo Undergoes Emergency Surgery After Eye Injury

by Phil Jones
August 11, 2025
Finishers Summer Bash 4 Results Highlights
BJJ News

Finishers: Summer Bash 4 Full Results And Highlights

by admin
August 11, 2025
Gordon Ryan How Much Private Lessons
BJJ News

Gordon Ryan Reveals The Prices He Charges For Private Lessons

by Todd Blackett
August 11, 2025
Next Post
Khamzat Chimaev Dislocates Robert Whittaker’s Jaw With Rear-Naked Choke At UFC 308

Khamzat Chimaev Breaks Robert Whittaker’s Jaw With Rear-naked Choke At UFC 308

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Revgear Banner
Free John Danaher BJJ Instructional
Jitsmagazine.com

Your home for the latest BJJ and grappling news.

Categories

  • BJJ News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • MMA

Browse by Tag

ADCC ADCC 2022 ADCC 2024 ADCC Open ADCC Trials Celebrity BJJ Craig Jones Craig Jones Invitational Dan Manasoiu Dante Leon Diego 'Pato' Oliveira Elder Cruz Fabricio Andrey Felipe Pena Fellipe Andrew Ffion Davies Fight 2 Win Gabrieli Pessanha Gordon Ryan Gracie Family Helena Crevar IBJJF Kade Ruotolo Kaynan Duarte Law Enforcement Mayssa Bastos Mica Galvao Mikey Musumeci Nicholas Meregali Nicky Rodriguez Oliver Taza ONE Championship Opinion Pieces Polaris Roberto Jimenez Tainan Dalpra Team Grappling Throwback Tye Ruotolo UFC UFC Fight Pass Invitational Who's Number One Women's BJJ Women's MMA Wrestling

Recent Posts

  • BJJ Connection Morocco Hits Marrakech For The First Time In 2025
  • Enheist Invitational Prepares For Debut Event In Newcastle
  • JitsCast #41: Pedro Marinho

© 2020 JitsMagazine.com

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Features
  • BJJ News
  • MMA
  • Interviews
  • BJJ Rankings
  • Shop

© 2020 JitsMagazine.com

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?