Few voices from Australia have been as authentic and critical of the commercialization of the martial art as John Donehue. As one of the earliest BJJ black belts in Australia and a pioneer of mixed martial arts in the country, Donehue has witnessed firsthand how the martial art has evolved—sometimes for the worse.
During a candid interview on the MMA History Podcast, Donehue shared his concerns about the increasing trend of undeserved black belts being awarded in commercial gyms:
“A lot of that stuff isn’t localized to Brazilians… like a lot of things that have become so commercial, there are so many guys who are black belts now. It’s almost like the Taekwondo situation because everyone needs a friend, and they don’t want people to leave, so they give them belts.”
Donehue, who trained under legendary martial arts figure Gene LeBell in the United States before the UFC even existed, emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards:
“Some people just aren’t meant to be black belts legitimately, and that’s okay. That’s not a personal thing, but sometimes things are going to elude people because of age or physical limitations or whatever it might be—work, family, whatever. But I don’t really prescribe to the adage of ‘well, you’ve been here long enough and paid enough fees, you get the belt.'”
The stark contrast in belt-awarding philosophies became evident when Donehue compared his approach to others in the Australian BJJ community:
“I think I’ve given out in 25 years, I don’t know, seven maybe black belts. I think John Will‘s done over 100… I guess I’m still very old school that way where it’s like you don’t just get it because you showed up.”
Donehue‘s criticism extends to what he sees as a shift away from the martial art’s self-defense roots toward a more sport-oriented approach:
“It got away from self-defense, became so sport oriented. I hated guys sort of pulling guard… at my gym now, if someone pulls guard, everyone gets stuck into them because it’s like, ‘Dude, what are you gonna do that on the street?’ Play from top, be aggressive, try to win from top. You don’t really lose the essence of it being a martial art as such and a fighting art.”
The Australian pioneer, who was also a respected referee in early MMA events like Extreme Fighting, believes this dilution of standards is part of a larger trend of commercialization:
“I just think a lot of things become commercial and then becomes more sport, and I understand it, but I prefer the old way.”
Donehue‘s perspective serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of martial arts in an age where commercial interests often take precedence over traditional standards and practical application.
