I think the butt scooting and waiting for your opponent to attack is total BS. If you have no stand up game, you don't deserve to win a match in an elite crowd. In judo, Levi would have quickly been disqualified by penalties for non-aggression, and fundamentally, BJJ is a scion of judo. That kind of purely defensive behavior should definitely be penalized.

I think in the championship round if your not leading by at least 2 points on the judges score card that you should do maybe something like an EBI overtime so that there is either a clear winner by decision or a clear winner will be determined by a submission.

The answer is simple. If someone deliberately sits down, then the opponent is awarded 2 points for a 'take down'. Levi loses by 6 points, and Kade is not obligated to play Levi's game.

This isn't MMA it's grappling.

Absolutely, and there is not a SINGLE grappling sport in the world that does not begin with opponents standing. Why should BJJ be the only exception? Grappling sports are over 2000 years old, and in almost every one (and there are probably over 100) the object is to take your opponent to the ground AFTER which pinning or submission may be a requirement.

They absolutely should start from standing. And you should not be allowed to just sit down either. But if someone goes for a real guard pull coming forward and attacking and the opponent just runs away that's also just as cowardly as pulling guard. Just pass the guard. They are conceding the position. So if you want to deduct 1 or 2 points fine. But you should also deduct 1 or 2 points if someone refuses to engage the guard pull. Running away is also conceding. So if someone wants to pull guard and you want to say thats minus 1 point sure. Same should be true for people refusing to pass guard. It all should just be considered stalling... and if one person is playing guard and the other is not trying to pass the guard the reality is they are both stalling and should both be penalized. That's the real balance.

I think we agree on the fundamentals. But what I saw in the match was not a guard pull, but simply Levi sitting down and butt scooting over to Kade. It seemed to me he did this more than once.

Close match either way. Haven't looked at in total, you can't forget that it is scored round by round. I think most people agree it comes down to Rd3 with Rd1 and Rd2 being far less controversial one winning each.

I understand why kade one but I personally was more impressed with Levi's performance. He is so subtly dangerous that it almost feels like people may have missed some of the attacks he was making. However... Craig very specifically said what he expected from the competitors and kades style suits it much better. I think an argument can be made in either competitors favor but again... for me personally I feelyhat levi was the better player in that match.

Honestly... I think Kade may have got a popularity win. I think he was in danger more often and the third round was ruled wrong. Kade bailed on playing guard very fast after Levi started to show his passing potential. Kade was the 'Store Manager' most of the time, looked busy but actually achieved f**k all. The 2 cents of a brown belt coach from a small town, in a small country, who couldn't beat either of them if they were hog tied and I had a gun.