Previous generations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu players have experienced much easier days. With more and more stand up artists learning the basics of grappling, the balance of power has certainly been tipped in their favor. Take Chuck Liddell as an example. During his tenure as champion, he tore through every grappler he faced, compiling a seven fight win streak. Wrestlers have also been taking the submission game very seriously, taking time to learn the basics of BJJ and now themselves the ability to dodge all submissions with their usually superior strength and also giving them the chance to unleash far more brutal ground and pound.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu artists must evolve with the sport or be left behind, so now do we have to wait for someone to invent a crazy new style of BJJ before we can have hope for our favorite ground players?
Surprisingly the way to save Jiu Jitsu has already presented itself, but what is even more surprising and sad is that hardly any ground fighters have chosen to use this revolutionary way to save Jiu Jitsu. Anyone following the grappling scene or the antics of the “Joe Show” knows about Eddie Bravo and his innovative Rubber Guard system; a system that could save us from watching Jiu Jitsu guys from looking like deer caught in the headlights. Most of the time when Jiu Jitsu fighters are in trouble they desperately try for double wrist control or just one weak overhook only to be pounded for their troubles, making the days of Jiu Jitsu’s early dominance seem like a mere dream. The Rubber Guard would eliminate the problems of brutes blasting through someone’s guard and pounding them into submission. Through the clever use of overhooks and leg flexibility to pin their arms and head to your chest, this leaves your other hand free to punch. This is just one small problem out of many that the Rubber Guard could help fix for ground players, further proven by Shinya Aoki’s amazing performances after learning this ground breaking system.
The biggest enemy to the Jiu Jitsu world isn’t the other styles evolving faster or being better suited for MMA. It is the people in the Jiu Jitsu world who are not open to change and innovation that are to blame for much of the weak performances as of late. It was change and innovation that birthed this great art and if more ground players begin to embrace this system we could very well see another era of Jiu Jitsu dominance.
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I do still love MMA and have...
March 27th, 2008 at 10:34 am
You’re spot on. It’s not a case of jiu-jitsu lacking in any way, it’s people holding on to traditional methods and not evolving fast enough.
I like his stuff, I even use it sometimes, but I wouldn’t say Bravo has created something as revolutionary as some make out. But what he did was look at the game and evolve, which is more than what many others have done.
March 27th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
I concur
March 29th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Tyler, interesting take on the piece, but I’m inclined to disagree with the entire premise of the piece. After all, BJJ fighters may not be as dominant as they were in Royce Gracie’s day, but their unadulterated dominance over western MMA is something that’s been dead since UFC 4. Even they know that.
You’re overlooking entire facets of the game (not to mention the two guys that Eddie himself considers the best rubber guard guys in MMA, BJ and Nick Diaz). You’re forgetting the entire open/spider guard game that guys like Noguiera and Anderson Silva have been using to beat the aggressive, postured up groundnpound (while the rubber guard works a bit slower and with higher efficiency). There are other styles of grappling, too.
Then again, you’ve given me a great idea for a next piece.
All of that said, Tyler, it’s a great write up.
March 29th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
I completely agree with Josh! I wasn’t sure how or what to comment, but that said it all! Penn’s ground game is
Tyler, nice article!