In a strongly-worded statement that has resonated through the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community, veteran competitor Denny Prokopos has joined a growing chorus of voices criticizing the current economic model of BJJ competitions.
Prokopos, a black belt with 25 years of experience in the sport, expressed his frustration with the traditional pay-to-compete structure that has long dominated major jiu-jitsu tournaments.
“I ain’t never gonna go pay to compete,”
Prokopos stated emphatically.
“That’s r*tarded – motherf**ker like me been doing jiu-jitsu for 25 years, black belt for 15 years. I’m gonna pay for a bulls*it card? I’m gonna pay to compete? Are you out of your mind?”
His comments come amid increasing scrutiny of the financial structure within competitive jiu-jitsu, particularly following recent statements from UFC FP Invitational head Claudia Gadelha, who placed responsibility for the sport’s amateur status on athletes who
“accept to be sold for free.”
“The number one reason why jiu-jitsu is still an amateur sport, the number one reason why jiu-jitsu isn’t a professional sport yet, is because of the athletes,”
Gadelha said in a social media post that sparked significant discussion.
“You accept to go in there and put the best performances of your life, for a medal.”
The current paradigm sees even world champion athletes paying organizations like the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) for the opportunity to compete, using their success primarily to build personal brands rather than as a direct income source.
Prokopos didn’t mince words about his perception of this arrangement:
“You motherf**kers are getting pimped and you guys are h*es. I would never compete at a principal. Out of principal. I got too much respect for myself.”
His sentiments echo those of other high-profile BJJ competitors like Roberto Jimenez, who has advocated for financial compensation for professional athletes.
“Professional Jiu-Jitsu athletes should get paid,”
Jimenez wrote in a social media post.
“We need to get paid for our effort. We are not monkeys in a zoo.”
Jimenez highlighted a concerning reality that
“there are world champions that have to work Uber. We need compensation for making the show happen.”
The financial structure of competitive jiu-jitsu has led to the creation of alternative events like the Craig Jones Invitational, which made history by awarding $1 million each to Nick Rodriguez and Kade Ruotolo—the highest prize money in BJJ history. CJI 2 is also behind the corner, once again promising a lucrative prize to participants, this time 8 teams will be vying for $1M prize, split between the participants it will come out to $250,000 which is on par with some of the paychecks UFC gives to men who are 5-8 bouts deep into their contract.
As the UFC plans to invest $10-12 million in jiu-jitsu this year, the sport stands at a crossroads. While participation grows worldwide, generating sufficient revenue to support professional competitors remains challenging, as the spectator base is largely limited to practitioners.
