Rose Gracie wants to change bjj competition rules

[bigato]

Here is the link to one article that is of interest of most fighters. Rose Gracie, a daughter of Rorion, is working to change the competition rules. The new system would be quite simple. Fights would have a 15 minutes time and no points system, ending only by submission. If the roll ends to a draw, both fighters are out of competition. The finals will have no time limit and will go on until someone is submitted. The link below has the full article with more information.

http://jitsmagazine.com/articles/entry/rose-gracie-sets-out-to-change-the-competitive-bjj-scene#!prettyPhoto

What do you think that will change? I list my opinion below and hope to start a good discussion.

The training will become more focused on quicker submissions, so the art will be more effective as self-defense. After all, a 15 minutes roll requires some conditioning, and no one will want to get tired to the next fight. And being quicker in a self defense situation is almost always very welcome.

We will get rid of some kinds of cheating the points system, like going in and off some positions just to score points, forgetting about the submission. Grabbing the opponent and waiting for the fight to end will not happen. The judge role will also be much easier and less subject to criticism.

I share the fear that jiu jitsu could be watered down someday just like it happened with judo and tae-kwon-do through competition. Judo used to include self-defense techniques, but they mostly aren't practiced anymore because you won't use them in competition. Tae-kwon-do competition today focuses mostly on touching the opponent and not in real effective strikes. I have the fear that the technique and the knowledge are being lost from one generation to another. Just like some people tell that aikido has lost its reality in most schools.

As one example that this is happening, in most jiu jitsu gyms that I see here in Brazil there's no striking training and nobody is much worried about how different the fight will be when you put some striking here and there. At least we have both gi and no-gi training, that's a good thing.

Having competition is good as reality check, but is it enough? The competition rules have a fundamental role in the future of a martial art. Just as an example, take judo and bjj. The one fundamental difference between the two arts these days is the competition rule. That difference makes them two very different systems over time.

So I see that change in rules as the best single thing that could happen to bjj evolution since Rorion started the UFC. I plan on promoting some kind of regional competition in my city in the future using these new rules.

[Bneterasedmynam]

I fucking hate all point systems since they are based on theory and opinion, so I'm 100% for the new rules.

[Petter]

In theory, I love the idea of submission only. In practice, I wonder how it’ll run, as match times become even less predictable and organisation may be difficult.

More problematically, the notion that in the event of a draw, both competitors are out, means that accidents of seeding could severely impact the final outcome. If two world champions fight to a draw in the first round, a total chump may win the final.

[Permalost]

The training will become more focused on quicker submissions, so the art will be more effective as self-defense.

Well, the rules already give total victory even if a person is losing on points if they get a submission, so its not like they're already missing the incentive to finish early with a submission. I think its just more easily said than done.

[PointyShinyBurn]

While I think that submission only competitions are a good idea and I'd like to compete in some, there's no way they should be the dominant format for BJJ. They do less than nothing to promote realistic positioning for striking, which is the entire reason the point system exists. It does that less well than it might because it doesn't score being on top enough, not because it needs to be replaced with positionally careless scrambling.

That Ryron can pull mount and still win is cool and all, but that's actually an even less good idea in a striking situation than in sport BJJ, the rules ought to be discouraging it, not saying it's fine as long as you're super good at keeping your elbows in till your opponent gets tired.

Jacare shamelessly playing for position:


Doesn't Rickson know that the essence of Jiu Jitsu is submission?

[Omega Supreme]

She posted this **** one facebook and acted like a total bitch about it.