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Bjj horror stories
3 year(s) ago • 5669 views • 18 replies
Black beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
Hello guys,
it took me a while and still I am a little hesitant but I think it would be nice to share some horror stories of bad BJJ or bad behaviors on the mats (clearly no need to share name and locations) in order to ease the pain.
I was a blue belt, training for a year in a city toward the west coast of USA. I joined a gym because was close and convenient to where I was leaving and, at that time, offered a lot of options and the training seemed intense. The professor however was a " playboy" ( in the Brazilian Portuguese sense of the term) and never sparred with me and in 1 year he corrected me twice. nothing else.
With these premises, one day I was sparring another blue belt, a dude that was a local MMA fighter. I should say that I have always trained with MMA fighters and was the sparring partner on the ground of some good ones (Did few camps with Chad Curry and trained with UFC veterans), so, in other words, I was fine to go with him.
He was really going hard but I was ok, the professor was looking at us from the sideline and was routing and instigating him to go harder. at one point he was in technical mount against me, I defended my arm holding my arms (did not know any better) and he cranked as hard as he could extending my arm, as the professor was nodding and cheering for him.
I yelled in pain and I felt my arm removed from my spine. The professor accused to be weak and a wuss, as well as this MMA fighter , leaving the mat, telling me to go home and cry and not come back if I was not hard enough. The professor was nodding and telling me basically that I was a baby.
Unfortunately ever since that day I severely injured by nerve root at C7 and my back and now, at times, I have problems holding my daughter on the right arm. Despite all of this, I continue training and now I am black belt.
it took me a while and still I am a little hesitant but I think it would be nice to share some horror stories of bad BJJ or bad behaviors on the mats (clearly no need to share name and locations) in order to ease the pain.
I was a blue belt, training for a year in a city toward the west coast of USA. I joined a gym because was close and convenient to where I was leaving and, at that time, offered a lot of options and the training seemed intense. The professor however was a " playboy" ( in the Brazilian Portuguese sense of the term) and never sparred with me and in 1 year he corrected me twice. nothing else.
With these premises, one day I was sparring another blue belt, a dude that was a local MMA fighter. I should say that I have always trained with MMA fighters and was the sparring partner on the ground of some good ones (Did few camps with Chad Curry and trained with UFC veterans), so, in other words, I was fine to go with him.
He was really going hard but I was ok, the professor was looking at us from the sideline and was routing and instigating him to go harder. at one point he was in technical mount against me, I defended my arm holding my arms (did not know any better) and he cranked as hard as he could extending my arm, as the professor was nodding and cheering for him.
I yelled in pain and I felt my arm removed from my spine. The professor accused to be weak and a wuss, as well as this MMA fighter , leaving the mat, telling me to go home and cry and not come back if I was not hard enough. The professor was nodding and telling me basically that I was a baby.
Unfortunately ever since that day I severely injured by nerve root at C7 and my back and now, at times, I have problems holding my daughter on the right arm. Despite all of this, I continue training and now I am black belt.
Edited 3 year(s) ago
Black beltVerifiedEngland - UK
3 year(s) ago
Omg, that os defo a crazy history. I don't think I have any bad ones, apart from people suggesting other people to juice up to get "better" and stronger.
Black belt 1st degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
Wow that is some story and brave of you to share my friend.
I think we all have visited a gym where as soon as you walk through the door you have a target on your back and the lions in the gym see you as their next lunch.
I have had a couple of incidents whilst training at other gyms, non as serious as yours but certainly not the friendly welcome I had hoped for.
Thankfully at Origin where I train now we don't tolerate that sort of behaviour, you can't if your want your reputation to precead you.
Not that we havn't had visitors with bad intentions themselves. I can think of numerous occasions where people have walked through the door with the sole intention of testing themselves against the senior belts.
Yes you will occasionally get some who's rolling gets a little spirited, but as long as they respect and look after each other then its ok.
Its when someone is taking liberties and advantage or looking to hurt that is unnacceptable.
I am glad you stuck with it and clearly found a gym that suits you and your progression.
Maybe it was destiny, Osss
I think we all have visited a gym where as soon as you walk through the door you have a target on your back and the lions in the gym see you as their next lunch.
I have had a couple of incidents whilst training at other gyms, non as serious as yours but certainly not the friendly welcome I had hoped for.
Thankfully at Origin where I train now we don't tolerate that sort of behaviour, you can't if your want your reputation to precead you.
Not that we havn't had visitors with bad intentions themselves. I can think of numerous occasions where people have walked through the door with the sole intention of testing themselves against the senior belts.
Yes you will occasionally get some who's rolling gets a little spirited, but as long as they respect and look after each other then its ok.
Its when someone is taking liberties and advantage or looking to hurt that is unnacceptable.
I am glad you stuck with it and clearly found a gym that suits you and your progression.
Maybe it was destiny, Osss
Black belt 2nd degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
I have permanent neck damage because of an incident that occurred about two decades ago. I was in an MMA class and my partner that evening was a purple belt in BJJ with limited kickboxing experience. By contrast, I had been training Jeet Kune Do for several years and had limited grappling experience (and no BJJ rank). It was a sparring class and the first half hour was all kickboxing. I'm 6'3" with long monkey arms, so I had a definite reach advantage over my opponent and was able to stay on the outside and continually pepper him with strikes. He was getting visibly angry that he couldn't hit me, cursing under his breath between rounds and getting a definite psycho-killer look on his face. We then switched to grappling rounds and started in the guard with me on my back. My partner immediately popped up to he feet, applied a can opener, and started cranking my neck as hard as he could. I opened my guard, but instead of passing, he just kept cranking. I started tapping... and he kept cranking. After several seconds, I heard several audible pops in my neck and yelled, "STOP!" He let go, stood up, swore at me, and stormed off. I had a second-degree neck sprain and had to do rehab for several months before I could train again. My partner got kicked out of the school for his actions, but I still have neck problems to this day (e.g., I can't compete, I don't invert, and do everything I can to avoid getting stacked).
Black beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
The only one that has stuck with me was a bit of white belt on white belt crime. He was about 30 years younger than me and very strong. He had an arm bar set up and I had my hands locked defending it. I managed to set up and was getting towards stacking him when he basically rolled, broke my grip, and did a belly flop on my arm. I had no time at all to tap and no idea what was coming because I was still pretty new. That was about 6 years ago and my right arm hasn’t straightened out since. I had surgery 2 years ago to clean out a big bone chip and after that I’m good for about 15° from straight.
Purple beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
I went on vacation in Key West Florida and decided to find a gym to pop into for a training session. Found PAL gym and went to their morning class. It was a nice 30 minute walk from my hotel and I got there no problem.
Well, nobody showed up and so the instructor told me that the class is cancelled which is weird because where I am from the class goes on even if 1 student shows up. Plus I walked 30 minutes to get there and it is my last day so i wanted to do something and asked the instructor to roll. Turns out he has some kind of an ego problem because according to him blue belts cannot ask black belts to roll, but he accepted anyway. The dude thought it was the world championship and proceeded to be a bully, eventually did a snap down, slamming my knees to the hard-as-hell mat and injuring me.
Instead of being welcoming to a visitor and having some fun, he decided to prove an outdated point. Do not go there.
Well, nobody showed up and so the instructor told me that the class is cancelled which is weird because where I am from the class goes on even if 1 student shows up. Plus I walked 30 minutes to get there and it is my last day so i wanted to do something and asked the instructor to roll. Turns out he has some kind of an ego problem because according to him blue belts cannot ask black belts to roll, but he accepted anyway. The dude thought it was the world championship and proceeded to be a bully, eventually did a snap down, slamming my knees to the hard-as-hell mat and injuring me.
Instead of being welcoming to a visitor and having some fun, he decided to prove an outdated point. Do not go there.
Edited 3 year(s) ago
Black beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
I once knee on bellied someone who coughed phlegm straight into my open mouth.
Black belt 2nd degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
I once knee on bellied someone who coughed phlegm straight into my open mouth.
Yikes! That's awful. Doesn't the Geneva Protocol prohibit the use of biological weapons in combat?
Black beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
I was a new purple belt and at the time and the highest rank overseeing open mat one day a few years ago. We had a guy in his 50s drop in. He was cordial at first and seemed nice enough, but proceeded to only roll with the women, and said no whenever any of the guys asked to roll. I had just noticed this and some red flags were going up when one of our ladies came and told me he had been really rough and she couldn’t tell if he was deliberately groping her in their roll or if it was just incidental, but that it kind of bothered her. I had been rolling myself and hadn’t seen anything but that was all I needed to hear. I looked up just in time to see him grab the chest of the woman he was “rolling” with, she tapped but he wasn’t letting her up, instead acted confused about why she was trying to get away.
I was already on my way straight to him. “Hey, let her up. She tapped. What’s up man? I’m Seth. Let’s roll” hahahaha he said “Nah, I’m ok, thanks though” and I chuckled and said “I’m not really asking”.
He wasn’t standing up yet, so I shoved him over and squished him. He would tap to pressure, so I’d barely let up, and say “Hey good job let’s go again” and just move to a different position to crush him. I never injured him, I didn’t choke him unconscious, just lots of rude forearm to face, hanging out in kesa or knee on sternum where he could barely breathe. And every time he tapped I’d let up for a second and then just immediately go again. He finally was just laying there too tired to do anything but barely tap.
I was not very polite in telling him at that point he was no longer welcome and never would be, and to leave immediately.
I’m really glad I was there. But I mostly felt sick it had happened in the first place. I apologized profusely to the two ladies who had the misfortune of rolling with him. And now, I watch brand new open mat drop ins like a hawk for a while and often hand pick their first few rolls if there’s the slightest doubt in my mind. Fortunately, all of our ladies now are no longer white belts would tie a guy like that up into a pretzel without any help.
I was already on my way straight to him. “Hey, let her up. She tapped. What’s up man? I’m Seth. Let’s roll” hahahaha he said “Nah, I’m ok, thanks though” and I chuckled and said “I’m not really asking”.
He wasn’t standing up yet, so I shoved him over and squished him. He would tap to pressure, so I’d barely let up, and say “Hey good job let’s go again” and just move to a different position to crush him. I never injured him, I didn’t choke him unconscious, just lots of rude forearm to face, hanging out in kesa or knee on sternum where he could barely breathe. And every time he tapped I’d let up for a second and then just immediately go again. He finally was just laying there too tired to do anything but barely tap.
I was not very polite in telling him at that point he was no longer welcome and never would be, and to leave immediately.
I’m really glad I was there. But I mostly felt sick it had happened in the first place. I apologized profusely to the two ladies who had the misfortune of rolling with him. And now, I watch brand new open mat drop ins like a hawk for a while and often hand pick their first few rolls if there’s the slightest doubt in my mind. Fortunately, all of our ladies now are no longer white belts would tie a guy like that up into a pretzel without any help.
Edited 3 year(s) ago
Blue beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
I was a new purple belt and at the time and the highest rank overseeing open mat one day a few years ago. We had a guy in his 50s drop in. He was cordial at first and seemed nice enough, but proceeded to only roll with the women, and said no whenever any of the guys asked to roll. I had just noticed this and some red flags were going up when one of our ladies came and told me he had been really rough and she couldn’t tell if he was deliberately groping her in their roll or if it was just incidental, but that it kind of bothered her. I had been rolling myself and hadn’t seen anything but that was all I needed to hear. I looked up just in time to see him grab the chest of the woman he was “rolling” with, she tapped but he wasn’t letting her up, instead acted confused about why she was trying to get away. I was already on my way straight to him. “Hey, let her up. She tapped. What’s up man? I’m Seth. Let’s roll” hahahaha he said “Nah, I’m ok, thanks though” and I chuckled and said “I’m not really asking”. He wasn’t standing up yet, so I shoved him over and squished him. He would tap to pressure, so I’d barely let up, and say “Hey good job let’s go again” and just move to a different position to crush him. I never injured him, I didn’t choke him unconscious, just lots of rude forearm to face, hanging out in kesa or knee on sternum where he could barely breathe. And every time he tapped I’d let up for a second and then just immediately go again. He finally was just laying there too tired to do anything but barely tap. I was not very polite in telling him at that point he was no longer welcome and never would be, and to leave immediately. I’m really glad I was there. But I mostly felt sick it had happened in the first place. I apologized profusely to the two ladies who had the misfortune of rolling with him. And now, I watch brand new open mat drop ins like a hawk for a while and often hand pick their first few rolls if there’s the slightest doubt in my mind. Fortunately, all of our ladies now are no longer white belts would tie a guy like that up into a pretzel without any help.
Wow on behalf of other ladies... Thanks for swooping in like a hawk on strange guys. There are definitely some creepers out there.
Edited 3 year(s) ago
Black belt 3rd degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
according to him blue belts cannot ask black belts to roll
I've heard that one before, but we've never enforced that at my gym. Especially not by being an a*hole.
Rolling with much lower belts are in large parts charity, so it is of course the decision of the higher belt to accept and out of respect for the higher belts needing to get their own training and being training partner for other high belts, it is not something you should be doing all the time and also not first time as a visitor in a new academy. But humbly asking in the circumstances you're describing is really not the same thing and personally, I would gladly have done little rolling. Respect goes both ways, and going out of your way to visit my gym on your vacation would have earned respect from me.
Rolling with much lower belts are in large parts charity, so it is of course the decision of the higher belt to accept and out of respect for the higher belts needing to get their own training and being training partner for other high belts, it is not something you should be doing all the time and also not first time as a visitor in a new academy. But humbly asking in the circumstances you're describing is really not the same thing and personally, I would gladly have done little rolling. Respect goes both ways, and going out of your way to visit my gym on your vacation would have earned respect from me.
Black beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
Wow on behalf of other ladies... Thanks for swooping in like a hawk on strange guys. There are definitely some creepers out there.
I hadn’t ever had something like that happen before, but ever since I’ve told all our ladies if they ever have an issue with anybody just tell me and I’ll handle it. Not something anybody should have to deal with.
Black belt 1st degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
I think partly because our coach doesn't allow drop-ins.
I can assure you that's not why.
Black belt 2nd degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
All the people who live by the moniker "stench is strength".
Black belt 2nd degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
I once tapped to Tiger Balm.
My training partner had some bruised ribs (after somebody who looked just like me had kneed him a bit too hard in sparring the previous week). He kept training despite the injury, but had slathered the entire right side of his torso in Tiger Balm, which—if you are unfamiliar with exotic unguents—contains menthol and camphor along with a bunch of fragrant spices. Basically, it smells like someone is trying to bake cookies in a chemistry lab. We were training no gi and my partner caught me in a guillotine choke. I defended by throwing an arm over his shoulder, grabbing the wrist of his choking hand, and—you guessed it—turning my head towards his ribs so I could tuck my chin. That’s when it hit me. Thirty minutes of sweat had turned his ribcage into a noxious pool of weapons-grade chemicals that immediately infiltrated my right eye. (Seriously, the police could probably quell a riot with that stuff.) I started tapping like Samuel Morse. My partner let go and said, “I didn’t think I had that choke… why did you tap?” I cried, “TIGER BALM!” and stumbled toward the bathroom, followed by his peals of laughter. I guess he got revenge for the bruised ribs.
My training partner had some bruised ribs (after somebody who looked just like me had kneed him a bit too hard in sparring the previous week). He kept training despite the injury, but had slathered the entire right side of his torso in Tiger Balm, which—if you are unfamiliar with exotic unguents—contains menthol and camphor along with a bunch of fragrant spices. Basically, it smells like someone is trying to bake cookies in a chemistry lab. We were training no gi and my partner caught me in a guillotine choke. I defended by throwing an arm over his shoulder, grabbing the wrist of his choking hand, and—you guessed it—turning my head towards his ribs so I could tuck my chin. That’s when it hit me. Thirty minutes of sweat had turned his ribcage into a noxious pool of weapons-grade chemicals that immediately infiltrated my right eye. (Seriously, the police could probably quell a riot with that stuff.) I started tapping like Samuel Morse. My partner let go and said, “I didn’t think I had that choke… why did you tap?” I cried, “TIGER BALM!” and stumbled toward the bathroom, followed by his peals of laughter. I guess he got revenge for the bruised ribs.
Black belt 3rd degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
I once tapped to Tiger Balm. My training partner had some bruised ribs (after somebody who looked just like me had kneed him a bit too hard in sparring the previous week). He kept training despite the injury, but had slathered the entire right side of his torso in Tiger Balm, which—if you are unfamiliar with exotic unguents—contains menthol and camphor along with a bunch of fragrant spices. Basically, it smells like someone is trying to bake cookies in a chemistry lab. We were training no gi and my partner caught me in a guillotine choke. I defended by throwing an arm over his shoulder, grabbing the wrist of his choking hand, and—you guessed it—turning my head towards his ribs so I could tuck my chin. That’s when it hit me. Thirty minutes of sweat had turned his ribcage into a noxious pool of weapons-grade chemicals that immediately infiltrated my right eye. (Seriously, the police could probably quell a riot with that stuff.) I started tapping like Samuel Morse. My partner let go and said, “I didn’t think I had that choke… why did you tap?” I cried, “TIGER BALM!” and stumbled toward the bathroom, followed by his peals of laughter. I guess he got revenge for the bruised ribs.
My go to move
Black beltVerified
3 year(s) ago
The worst thing that has ever happened to me was having a seizure on the mat while teaching. I have epilepsy and have underwent multiple brain surgeries to stop the seizures but this happened prior to surgery and was extremely frustrating embarrassing and painful.
Black belt 3rd degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
I once tapped to Tiger Balm. My training partner had some bruised ribs (after somebody who looked just like me had kneed him a bit too hard in sparring the previous week). He kept training despite the injury, but had slathered the entire right side of his torso in Tiger Balm, which—if you are unfamiliar with exotic unguents—contains menthol and camphor along with a bunch of fragrant spices. Basically, it smells like someone is trying to bake cookies in a chemistry lab. We were training no gi and my partner caught me in a guillotine choke. I defended by throwing an arm over his shoulder, grabbing the wrist of his choking hand, and—you guessed it—turning my head towards his ribs so I could tuck my chin. That’s when it hit me. Thirty minutes of sweat had turned his ribcage into a noxious pool of weapons-grade chemicals that immediately infiltrated my right eye. (Seriously, the police could probably quell a riot with that stuff.) I started tapping like Samuel Morse. My partner let go and said, “I didn’t think I had that choke… why did you tap?” I cried, “TIGER BALM!” and stumbled toward the bathroom, followed by his peals of laughter. I guess he got revenge for the bruised ribs.
this the only way I can get a tap nowadays... #donthate
Black belt 1st degreeVerified
3 year(s) ago
already gave this one in an other topic i think, but for the pleasure of new users
i trained at nova uniao, Rio (2007 if i remember well) .
there was thai-kickboxing training sessions.
in my first class, as a hyper light guy the instructors paired me with a girl (bigger than me :-D )
i was a kickboxer with a nice amateur lvl at the time, but i knew immediately she was beginner so i did'nt go hard at all...
for a reason i still can't figure...she got mad and kicked me full force in the groin...clearly on purpose.
gentleman here... but it was too much... i gave her a hard time for the rest of the round...
of course, the instructor came to spar with me and ripped my head off pretty seriously...
i understand too late she was his wife.....
ps : the guy was josé aldo, unknown at the time.
i trained at nova uniao, Rio (2007 if i remember well) .
there was thai-kickboxing training sessions.
in my first class, as a hyper light guy the instructors paired me with a girl (bigger than me :-D )
i was a kickboxer with a nice amateur lvl at the time, but i knew immediately she was beginner so i did'nt go hard at all...
for a reason i still can't figure...she got mad and kicked me full force in the groin...clearly on purpose.
gentleman here... but it was too much... i gave her a hard time for the rest of the round...
of course, the instructor came to spar with me and ripped my head off pretty seriously...
i understand too late she was his wife.....
ps : the guy was josé aldo, unknown at the time.


