*pictured BJJ World champion Adam Wardzinski and Romanian giant Robert Bobroczkyi (225cm) playing the finals of Under 15 championship in Italy
A social media post sparked heated debate in the martial arts community when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt William Watts, of opennotegrappling.com, controversially claimed that achieving a BJJ black belt is among the least impressive athletic achievements from a list of notable physical accomplishments.
The discussion began when Twitter user Rob Mohr posed a question asking followers to choose three achievements from a list that included athletic feats such as a 405-pound bench press, running a sub-4-minute mile, and completing a sub-8-hour Ironman triathlon.
The tweet received unprecedented 1.9M views.
William’s response, stating that “the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is the least impressive thing on this list,” quickly went viral, drawing reactions from both practitioners and non-practitioners alike.
Supporting his stance, William pointed out that “there’s more than a 100 BJJ black belts in Austin alone,” while comparing it to rarer achievements like sub-8-hour Ironman finishes, which fewer than 100 people have ever accomplished.
The statement sparked immediate pushback from community members. Steven Bleich argued, “With all due respect the black belt is the only thing on this list that is only possible with literal years of dedication… anything else on this list is highly influenced by genetics.”
B team’s Chris Wojcik added he’s gunning to get a second accomplishment on the list.
William maintained his position, particularly when comparing it to dunking a basketball, noting that “They’re tied for last but dunking is extremely height dependent. Anyone can be a black belt. Some people will never be able to dunk.”
The discussion highlighted an interesting divide between those who train in BJJ and those who don’t, with William observing, “People that don’t train are fetishizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu like it turns you into a samurai.”
The viral thread continues to generate discussion about the relative difficulty and impressiveness of various athletic achievements, challenging common perceptions about martial arts accomplishments in comparison to other physical feats.
It’s interesting to see how attitudes toward BJJ accomplishments are changing in the modern era. Just this past week we covered a BJJ Black belt that insisted you would have a better chance relying on other grappling arts in a self-defense situation. Meanwhile, BJJ legend Jeff Glover questioned if BJJ black belts should be given out on attendance-based criteria.
To boot, BJJ seems to be losing steam in the UFC, where noteworthy BJJ champions are struggling to become champions. UFC currently has Mackenzie Dern, Rodolfo Vieira, Gilbert Burns, Ryan Hall, and Kron Gracie (who just finished his contract) on the roster. Each of them is struggling to get to the title shot.
Mackenzie Dern
- UFC Record: 9 wins, 5 losses.
- Overall MMA Record: 14 wins, 5 losses.
- Recent Performance: Dern has demonstrated strong grappling skills but has faced challenges against top-tier competition.
- Current Standing: Dern is set to headline the first UFC card in 2025 in a rematch against Amanda Ribas.
Rodolfo Vieira
- UFC Record: 5 wins, 2 losses.
- Overall MMA Record: 10 wins, 2 losses.
- Recent Performance: Vieira has showcased his BJJ expertise with multiple submission victories.
Gilbert Burns
- UFC Record: 17 wins, 5 losses.
- Overall MMA Record: 22 wins, 5 losses.
- Recent Performance: Burns has been a top contender in the welterweight division, with notable victories over high-profile opponents.
- Current Standing: Burns remains a formidable contender, consistently competing at the highest level.
Ryan Hall
- UFC Record: 3 wins, 2 losses.
- Overall MMA Record: 11 wins, 2 losses.
- Recent Performance: Hall underwent a number of surgeries that have kept him sidelined for an extended preiod of time
Kron Gracie
- UFC Record: 1 win, 1 loss.
- Overall MMA Record: 6 wins, 1 loss.
- Recent Performance: Gracie has demonstrated his BJJ prowess but has faced challenges in the UFC.
- Current Standing: Gracie’s UFC contract has concluded, and he is currently a free agent.
While BJJ remains a foundational discipline in MMA, the evolving nature of the sport requires stars to be well-rounded. The success of BJJ practitioners in the UFC often depends on their ability to integrate striking and other aspects of MMA into their skill set.
