In a recent podcast appearance, B-Team’s Haisam Rida shared his thoughts on what it takes to be a true black belt in MMA, sparking a debate in the martial arts community. Rida, known for his impressive grappling skills, expressed his opinions on who he considers to be a legitimate black belt in the sport.
According to Rida, a true black belt is more than just a rank or a title.
“When you see a guy that’s a black belt in MMA, what would you qualify to be a true black belt?” UFC’s Joaquin Buckley questioned. “Because I feel like there’s a lot of black belts popping up in the UFC right now. So what qualifies a black belt?”
Rida believes that a true black belt is someone who has a strong background in martial arts, particularly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He cited Gilbert Burns as an example of a legitimate black belt. “Guys like Gilbert Burns, they are legit black belts. I’ll consider that legit black belt because they actually used to compete in the highest level due to before transitioning to MMA,” he said.
Burns, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, has an impressive resume in the grappling world, having competed at the highest level before transitioning to MMA. Rida, who has trained with Burns in the past, has firsthand experience with the Brazilian’s skills. “I lived in Brazil for like six months, I trained at the gym he used to be at, and he was a killer. So yeah, he comes from pure Jiu-Jitsu. So he’s really about it,” Rida explained.
Rida also mentioned Damian Maia, a multiple-time ADCC champion, as another example of a legitimate black belt. “Damian Maia is super legit too. Yeah, this is a guy who’s like, has experience in competing in the ADCC. And to us, he’s like one of the highest of the highest,” he said.
On the other hand, Rida expressed skepticism about some fighters who claim to be black belts. He mentioned Alex Perreira, saying, “Someone like Alex Perreira, I don’t really know, you know? Like, I’ve seen Izzy take him down, and like, you know, he struggled to get up there. So I don’t know what he does behind the scenes. I’ve never really seen him. He never really showed his Jiu-Jitsu past.”
Rida’s comments have sparked a debate in the MMA community, with many fighters and fans weighing in on what it takes to be a true black belt. While some agree with Rida’s stance, others argue that the term “black belt” has become watered down in modern MMA.
Regardless of one’s opinion, Rida’s comments have brought attention to the importance of authenticity in martial arts.
