When Blue Belts are Basically Black Belts - Ruotolo Bros

GordoBarraBJJ

GordoBarraBJJ

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Damn - I guess when you've been training since you were a kid you've basically put in the time to be at that level.


 
Blue is the highest you can acheive as a child. I understand the thinking that is behind this when they made it, but IMO it's outdated and doesn't seem to be working well. On the one hand they don't want a bunch of kid blackbelts that can't really fight, but now there are kids that at 15 or 16 are as good or better than world champions. In some cases it could be the kids are young and have strength, speed, flexibility, etc on their side, but often times their actual knowledge of Bjj is as good or better than most blackbelts.

With people starting earlier and better instruction, someone with 10 years of experience can be really good. They might not have a black belt, but IMO they are masters of BJJ. IMHO the belt system needs to be revised.
 
Chandler sama said:
Blue is the highest you can acheive as a child...
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I believe that green is supposed to be the highest you can achieve in BJJ as a child. You are supposed to be eligible to receive a blue belt when you are 16 years old.
 
Not commenting on their abilities, but the title is so wrong. They were not going hard and there was very little rolling (unless you count standup as rolling but that is again another misnomer).
 
Those kids are good as I've seen previously, but nothing in that video makes me think black belt. They seem to be just playing around. In actuality they can likely compete well vs purple and browns.

Also yes,the IBJJF belt system is garbage. Age doesn't matter if you have the ability. You'll never see anyone over the age of 20 win at blue belt at Worlds again. Kids with 8-10 years of training have a massive advantage over a guy that starts at age 22 and has 3 years training.
 
Your Noodly Master said:
Those kids are good as I've seen previously, but nothing in that video makes me think black belt. They seem to be just playing around. In actuality they can likely compete well vs purple and browns.

Also yes,the IBJJF belt system is garbage. Age doesn't matter if you have the ability. You'll never see anyone over the age of 20 win at blue belt at Worlds again. Kids with 8-10 years of training have a massive advantage over a guy that starts at age 22 and has 3 years training.
Click to expand...
The Ruotolos would murder your average hobbyist black belt.
Competing at black belt against roided out grown man while you are still a teenager is a different thing.
 
yetanother said:
The Ruotolos would murder your average hobbyist black belt.
Competing at black belt against roided out grown man while you are still a teenager is a different thing.
Click to expand...
Lol. And there's the start of another "today's blue belts are better than black belts" discussion. Ugh.
 
been saying this for a long time, its ridiculous that guys that have been grappling for over 10 years are "blue belts" these kids must comepete as blue belts beause of their age, yet some random dude whos been traing for 2 yeatrs have to go agasint this "kids" who have more mat time than 99% of hobbiest black belts, its ridiculous.
 
BJJ_Rage said:
been saying this for a long time, its ridiculous that guys that have been grappling for over 10 years are "blue belts" these kids must comepete as blue belts beause of their age, yet some random dude whos been traing for 2 yeatrs have to go agasint this "kids" who have more mat time than 99% of hobbiest black belts, its ridiculous.
Click to expand...

Can we just call that 99% what they are? Socially promoted frauds? They'll literally concede defeat to anyone with a marketing campaign.
 
yetanother said:
The Ruotolos would murder your average hobbyist black belt.
Competing at black belt against roided out grown man while you are still a teenager is a different thing.
Click to expand...
That is basically what I mean - Obviously they were not going 100% but they were still fluid and smooth as can be. And they would beat the average hobbyist/older BB.
 
sb413197 said:
You think that 99% of blackbelts are frauds? That's one heck of a claim.
Click to expand...

I think tnat every single black belt that uses the hobbiest excuse is a fraud. If you disagree I'm down to strangle you and I'm 99% sure that I can.
 
Chandler sama said:
Blue is the highest you can acheive as a child. I understand the thinking that is behind this when they made it, but IMO it's outdated and doesn't seem to be working well. On the one hand they don't want a bunch of kid blackbelts that can't really fight, but now there are kids that at 15 or 16 are as good or better than world champions. In some cases it could be the kids are young and have strength, speed, flexibility, etc on their side, but often times their actual knowledge of Bjj is as good or better than most blackbelts.

With people starting earlier and better instruction, someone with 10 years of experience can be really good. They might not have a black belt, but IMO they are masters of BJJ. IMHO the belt system needs to be revised.
Click to expand...
I believe the current ibjjf rules have like a gray belt for kids and when they turn 16 their instructor can give them blue or purple at the instructor's discretion.

I could definitely be mistaken, though
 
Canned Tuna said:
I believe the current ibjjf rules have like a gray belt for kids and when they turn 16 their instructor can give them blue or purple at the instructor's discretion.

I could definitely be mistaken, though
Click to expand...

I think it all comes down to the gym, my gym does the standard white then green till 16 then when you turn 16 that green becomes blue.
Your Noodly Master said:
Lol. And there's the start of another "today's blue belts are better than black belts" discussion. Ugh.
Click to expand...

Yeah as tiresome as it gets I don’t think that convo is going anywhere anytime soon. People been saying that kind of stuff since the 2000s.
 
Great post OP. Incredible how smooth they are, going so light but still showing a great range of technique.
 
GordoBarraBJJ said:
Damn - I guess when you've been training since you were a kid you've basically put in the time to be at that level.


Click to expand...

kid iv been training since 2012 when he was 11 is 19 now and the best brown in his weight who competes in my home state basically
 
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