Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has ignited controversy with his recent scathing critique of Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners, delivering a harsh assessment that has sent waves through the grappling community. The irony? Rockhold was featured in the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational making his harsh words all the more surprising.
During a candid appearance on a podcast Rockhold didn’t hold back when discussing the current state of BJJ.
“Jiu-Jitsu is popularizing but where’s the money? I don’t see the money right now”
he told .
“I still think jiu-jitsu guys are all [censored]”
His criticism went beyond financial concerns questioning the very legitimacy of grappling as a martial art.
The former Strikeforce champion made it clear he doesn’t consider pure jiu-jitsu to be real combat.
“Jiu-Jitsu is not fighting and everyone thinks they’re a fighter these days and it’s just like come on man. You’re not a fighter. It’s different”
Rockhold explained. He particularly took issue with modern BJJ tactics expressing frustration with guard pulling and what he perceives as unrealistic scenarios.
Rockhold‘s most pointed criticism centered on the leg lock game that has become prevalent in contemporary jiu-jitsu.
“This leg lock game is just annoying. There’s a reason why you don’t see leg locks in fighting because you get punched in the face”
he argued.
“The vulnerability of modern day jiu-jitsu is pathetic to me. You’re dropped to your ass.”
He went on to say this is not viable in real life.
The timing of these comments creates an interesting contradiction. Rockhold‘s participation in Craig Jones‘ high-profile grappling event seemed to legitimize the art he now openly criticizes. His appearance suggested respect for the craft yet his recent statements paint a dramatically different picture.
When asked about potential UFC BJJ involvement Rockhold dismissed the rule sets as
“dumb”
and reiterated his preference for sports where striking is allowed.
“I would do it if I could punch him in the face or slap him in the face if they’re going for my legs”
he said referencing combat jiu-jitsu as a more viable alternative.
Rockhold‘s rant extended beyond technical criticisms to broader philosophical concerns about authenticity in combat sports. He positioned himself as competing
“for the greater good of real men”
and expressed his desire to
“set the world straight”
through his career.
While some may view Rockhold‘s comments as unnecessarily harsh they reflect a longtime MMA star’s perspective on the evolution of martial arts. His critique raises questions about the practical application of sport jiu-jitsu versus traditional training for real-world scenarios.
Despite his harsh words Rockhold‘s participation in Craig Jones Invitational 1 suggests a more complex relationship with the grappling world than his recent comments might indicate.
