*pictured Gracie Academies mail order blue belt that has since been discontinued
A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner with an extensive wrestling background found himself in an uncomfortable situation when his gym owner made an unusual business proposition—offering to promote him to blue belt after just six weeks of training in exchange for $800.
The student, who competed at the Division III collegiate level and placed in the top ranks at high school tournaments in Massachusetts and New England, had recently begun training at a gym specializing in BJJ with additional Muay Thai and MMA classes. Having expressed interest in eventually competing in mixed martial arts, he immersed himself in multiple disciplines at the facility.
The surprising offer came during what seemed like a routine conversation.
“I go the gym one day (this is about 6 weeks into training BJJ) a bit early. I’m warming up and the owner calls me into his office,”
the student recounted.
“He told me that given my wrestling background he can just promote me to blue belt if I pay him 800.”
Initially dismissing it as a joke, the student quickly realized the instructor was serious. Rather than jumping at the opportunity, he expressed concern about his readiness.
“I politely told him that I don’t know if it’s a good idea because there is still quite a bit of fundamentals I haven’t solidified yet. I don’t know a lot of the basic GI submissions but more importantly 6 weeks is just 6 weeks irrespective of my background,”
he explained.
The proposition prompted the student to reconsider other questionable moments during his brief tenure at the gym. He recalled an early lesson where the instructor described his approach to Muay Thai as superior to traditional methods, promoting what he called “the art of 9 limbs.” This allegedly involved headbutting opponents’ punches—an illegal technique in sanctioned competition—as a strategy to break hands while avoiding detection by referees.
When the student shared his experience on social media, the response was swift and largely humorous.
“I’ll do it for $50,”
one commenter offered, while another countered with
“$40 and a Starbucks card.”
The jokes highlighted the absurdity of the situation, with many practitioners pointing out that belts can be purchased online for under $30.
Several commenters from Massachusetts reached out privately, expressing interest in identifying the gym in question. One local black belt suggested he might already know the instructor’s identity, noting,
“If I’m right he sells all his belts. Its a shame because he knows jiu-jitsu.”
While some practitioners acknowledged that wrestlers often progress more quickly through the lower ranks due to their grappling foundation, the consensus was clear that charging money for promotions crosses an ethical line.
“You can be legitimately promoted to blue extremely quickly because you have a strong grappling background already but this is just a grift and a cash grab and a blue belt from this instructor is worthless,”
one experienced practitioner commented.
The situation underscores ongoing concerns within the BJJ community about “McDojos”—commercial gyms that prioritize revenue over legitimate instruction and earned progression. Belt promotions in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu traditionally represent technical proficiency, mat time and demonstration of knowledge rather than financial transactions.
The student now faces a difficult decision about whether to continue training at a facility where he’s built relationships with fellow practitioners or to seek instruction elsewhere that aligns with traditional martial arts values. The experience serves as a cautionary tale for those new to martial arts about recognizing red flags when evaluating training environments.
