Royce Gracie, one of the pioneers of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a legend of mixed martial arts, has often expressed his criticism of the competitive aspect of BJJ. In an interview with Luke Thomas, Gracie voiced his concern that martial arts were not meant for competition but rather for self-defense.
“Martial art in general, it’s not for competition. It’s for defending yourself,” Gracie stated emphatically.
Gracie’s perspective stems from the belief that the introduction of competition formats, point systems, and rules has diluted the true essence of martial arts. He argued that the addition of weight divisions and belt rankings has transformed martial arts into a “tag game,” undermining their practical application in real-life self-defense scenarios.
“By putting them to adding point system and rules and and weight divisions,” Gracie explained, “That means if somebody pinch a girlfriend on behind, on her behind, you’re gonna go say, ‘Hey, honey. Hold on. I’ll take care of this. Excuse me. How much do you weigh? What’s your belt? Really? Sorry, honey. I can’t fight this guy because he’s not on my division.’ It doesn’t work that way.”
Gracie’s criticism highlights the potential disconnect between the structured world of competitive BJJ and the unpredictable nature of real life. He believes that the emphasis on scoring points and adhering to rulsets has shifted the focus away from the practical application of techniques in real-life self-defense situations.
It should be noted that the father of Judo felt similarly, likening Judo to physical education rather than just a sport.
While acknowledging the significance of BJJ competitions in promoting the art and fostering skill development, Gracie’s perspective serves as a reminder of the martial art’s roots. It encourages practitioners to maintain a balance between the competitive aspects and the fundamental purpose of self-defense.
BJJ has changed significantly over the last 30 years since Royce used it to win UFC 1.
