Reigning UFC Light-weight Champion Islam Makhachev has sparked a heated debate inside the martial arts group, questioning whether or not black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are being awarded too simply. The Dagestani fighter is thought for his elite grappling and floor recreation and he shared his candid ideas on the matter in a current interview.
Islam Makhachev on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
“Why are you scared to go with him on the ground? You’re a black belt,” Makhachev mentioned to Demetrious Johnson, referring to cases the place BJJ black belts seem hesitant to have interaction in grappling exchanges. “But now, it’s a big deal to give some fighters a black belt. No, it’s not. It shouldn’t work like this, you know. I think people agree with me. If you’re a UFC champion, you cannot be a black belt in one day. No, it’s not working like that.”
Islam Makhachev emphasised that incomes a black belt ought to require years of dedication, competitors expertise, and confirmed mastery of the artwork. “Train, like, hours—hours like five, six years—to be a black belt. They have to go to some competitions, World Championships, like international, and do something special, you know, to deserve this,” he continued.
Islam Makhachev’s remarks replicate his personal martial arts upbringing in Dagestan, the place wrestling and Sambo are pillars of the area’s athletic identification. As a four-time Russian Nationwide Fight Sambo Champion and a World Fight Sambo gold medalist, Makhachev has firsthand expertise with the rigorous calls for of elite-level grappling. His basis in Sambo has formed his perspective.
Since debuting within the UFC in 2015, Islam Makhachev has solidified himself as probably the greatest grapplers in MMA, typically overwhelming his opponents together with his floor management and submission abilities. His success within the Octagon, together with his championship victories over BJJ Black Belts Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier has solely added weight to his critique of the present BJJ rating system.
Are BJJ Black Belts Given Too Simply?
Makhachev’s feedback have reignited a long-standing debate within the martial arts world. Traditionalists argue that incomes a black belt ought to symbolize years of arduous work, competitors, and technical proficiency.
In MMA, black belts are sometimes awarded to fighters who show distinctive grappling abilities throughout fights, even when they lack the competitors expertise historically required in BJJ. This follow has drawn criticism from purists who really feel that the integrity of the black belt is being diluted.
Makhachev’s stance echoes the frustrations of many who consider that the martial artwork’s highest rank shouldn’t be given out as a symbolic gesture. “It shouldn’t work like this,” he asserted, calling for a return to extra stringent requirements.
Whether or not or not the BJJ group will take his phrases to coronary heart stays to be seen. For a fighter who has spent years proving himself on the mats and within the Octagon, he is aware of the ability of grappling being a lifetime scholar below the UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov.
