In a revelation that has surprised many in the martial arts community, former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub recently discussed how his experiences training with jiu-jitsu instructors Rener Gracie and Ryron Gracie influenced his decision to step away from the sport.
“You know, I rolled with Rener and Ryron at the Torrance Academy, and then when I started rolling down where I’m at, it was like guys would go so hard,” Schaub explained during a recent podcast appearance. “I just went, like, ‘Hey, man, Dana White’s not going to give you a contract if you tap me out. Like, I’m literally just looking for work, man.’ So it was a fight. It was a fight. And eventually I was like, man, this just isn’t what I want to do every day.”
Schaub‘s journey in jiu-jitsu has been a complicated one. He earned a brown belt under instructor Amal Easton in Colorado before moving to Los Angeles, where his rank became a subject of controversy. During a previous episode of the Fight Companion podcast, Schaub mentioned wearing a white belt at the Gracie Academy despite his brown belt status elsewhere.
When Joe Rogan questioned this apparent demotion, calling it “disrespectful,” Schaub initially claimed he wasn’t bothered by it.
“I had no issue with it. I literally didn’t care but I would tell guys I’m not a white belt like- I’m not a white belt I know what I’m doing brother,”
he said at the time.
However, Schaub later clarified the situation, stating:
“When I moved from Colorado to Los Angeles, we trained mostly no-gi, so when we rolled in the gi occasionally to mix up the training and sharpen my defense/escapes, I would wear a loaner gi and a white belt that came with the gi (since they didn’t have loaner brown belts).”
Later on, Schaub revealed that his pursuit of a black belt was prompted by a conversation with his son, Tiger. After enrolling Tiger in jiu-jitsu classes, his son asked,
“Daddy, those guys are black belts. Do you think you’d beat them?”
“I’m like ‘What?’ Yeah, yeah, definitely could,”
Schaub responded.
Tiger then asked,
“You’re a black belt? I’ve never seen your black belt.”
When Schaub admitted he didn’t technically have the belt, his son concluded,
“So, you’re not a black belt?”
This exchange prompted Schaub to contact his former instructor Amal Easton and arrange a trip to his academy.
Schaub‘s career path has been nothing if not diverse. Before his UFC career, which began after his appearance on The Ultimate Fighter in 2009, he attempted to make it in the NFL but was released before making the roster. After retiring from football in 2007, he returned to Colorado where he began training in boxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Though he started his MMA career with an impressive 4-0 record and won the heavyweight title for the Ring of Fire organization, his UFC tenure was less stellar, culminating in a frank conversation with Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience where the host suggested Schaub consider alternative career paths.
Schaub has found success as a podcaster and comedian, though his relationship with jiu-jitsu appears to have become more complicated over the years. However things have taken a downturn ever since Showtime released him from the contract and he’s been struggling to go off on his own. His last pivot involves moving the entire family to Austin, Texas. His once well rated podcast is struggling to make 100,000 views as of late and is circling the drain.
