Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has officially been promoted to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt by legendary coral belt Allan Goes.
The promotion came during a recent appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, where Goes emphatically rejected the notion that the former UFC light heavyweight champion should be considered merely a blue belt.
Goes, a Carlson Gracie lineage black belt who received his own black belt at 18, expressed frustration with how Jackson’s grappling credentials have been discussed online.
“First of all, I think it’s disrespectful not only for the jiu-jitsu community and for Rampage itself,” Goes stated. “You have this belt here as a blue belt is disrespectful.” The coral belt argued that Jackson’s accomplishments competing against elite grapplers throughout his storied career more than qualify him for black belt status.
Jackson, who had been away from gi training for over two decades, recently returned to his roots at Paulo Gazze Jr’s gym in Huntington Beach, California, the same location where his MMA journey began. Despite his long absence from traditional jiu-jitsu, the legendary star showed he still possesses formidable skills, performing well against both blue and brown belts during his return sessions.
During the podcast, Goes made a compelling case for Jackson’s promotion, pointing to the caliber of opponents he’s faced throughout his career. “He fought with the best grapplers in the history, man. He fought with the best guys in the history. How you can categorize him as a blue belt?” Goes asked.
The coral belt specifically referenced Jackson’s victories over world-class grapplers like Ricardo Arona, arguing it would be disrespectful to those elite competitors to suggest they lost to a mere blue belt.
Goes emphasized that traditional belt testing doesn’t compare to the crucible of professional MMA competition. “Belt test is the competition, man. Walk in the cage over there. Walk in the tournament and show your skill,” he explained. “You walked into the cage over there, fought with the best, then we talk about it, buddy.”
Jackson, who maintained his humility throughout the promotion ceremony, acknowledged he’s technically a blue belt by traditional standards since he never formally tested beyond that rank. However, Goes insisted that Jackson’s decades of competing at the highest levels of MMA, combined with his documented success against world-champion grapplers, represents the ultimate test of jiu-jitsu skill.
The promotion has sparked excitement within the martial arts community, with fans celebrating Jackson’s return to his jiu-jitsu roots. Goes expressed hope that Jackson will continue training and competing in the art that helped launch his legendary combat sports career. “I love about him, he loves jiu-jitsu,” Goes said. “For me, it’s priceless when I see somebody like Rampage say, ‘Hey, I love jiu-jitsu.'”
