Roberto Jimenez is one of the prominent BJJ competitors of a new generation.
Despite receiving offers from numerous promotions, he remains a sought-after commodity whose price tag proves to be an obstacle.
Jimenez has voiced his dissatisfaction with the compensation offered by promoters, citing his undeniable worth and the value he brings to any event fortunate enough to feature him.
Jimenez has earned his reputation as a fan favorite due to his dominant style. He has taken down some of the top names in the game since his promotion to black belt in 2020.
He’s faced top notch opposition including Nick Rodriguez, Pedro Marinho, Keenan Cornelius and Gordon Ryan.
His biggest claim to fame might be his two victories over the Ruotolo brothers.
Jimenez is also an outspoken opponent of PED use, which he’s previously used to dismiss his opponents.
In the previous year, he won the Polaris middleweight grand prix. By winning Polaris he pocketed $20,000.
It is worth noting that last year was arguably Jimenez’s most successful competitive season, as he secured the 77kg division title at the ADCC South American trials.
Recently, Roberto Jimenez shared a story on his official Instagram account stating that various BJJ promotions had reached out to him but were unable to satisfy his asking price.
His staunch stance on his worth is not surprising given his record and the value he brings to any event. The issue of compensation is still a hot topic in BJJ. Gordon Ryan previously publicized a 7 figure non exclusive deal with flograppling. It was argued that this could be a sign that competitive grappling is moving towards properly compensating the talent but Ryan appears to be the exception that proves the rule.
There’s also the issue that Felipe Pena raised recently. He explained that Nogi was now paying athletes up to four times bigger purses than it used to while Gi compensation remains more or less he same.
Jimenez is not the only person choosing to stay on the sidelines. B Team’s Craig Jones previously said that he’s only willing to compete for the right price.
