So if skill is the primary driving factor, what constitutes skill? I'm really good at seeing opportunities to attach that most would never think of, and that gift gets me great success on the mats. But nobody considers that Jiu Jitsu skill. They call it Joe Jitsu instead. If someone is really good, but not in the conventional way, does it count? The DDS leg lock example someone gave above is somewhat the same thing. Leg locks were considered taboo in BJJ for a long time even though they were successful and repeatable in competition. When does unconventional start to count for something?

So if skill is the primary driving factor, what constitutes skill? I'm really good at seeing opportunities to attach that most would never think of, and that gift gets me great success on the mats. But nobody considers that Jiu Jitsu skill. They call it Joe Jitsu instead. If someone is really good, but not in the conventional way, does it count? The DDS leg lock example someone gave above is somewhat the same thing. Leg locks were considered taboo in BJJ for a long time even though they were successful and repeatable in competition. When does unconventional start to count for something?

Being unconventional will always slow your progress in a system design to judge conventions (I feel you, I am offten desribed as the master of "bullshit" submissions). Different gyms have different convetions. Most comp rules are designed to keep people within conventions, but inturn boundaires force creativity.

I believe it would be important and beneficial for the big picture if teaching and coaching were also valued and if that appreciation were shown in some way. Did some organization use a different colored tip on the belt? A black belt, but with a blue or white end instead of the usual red? I'm not directly suggesting that instructors should have a completely separate belt, but perhaps a different colored tip? For example: blue for competitors, black/red for all-around practitioners, and perhaps yellow for instructors.

I believe it would be important and beneficial for the big picture if teaching and coaching were also valued and if that appreciation were shown in some way. Did some organization use a different colored tip on the belt? A black belt, but with a blue or white end instead of the usual red? I'm not directly suggesting that instructors should have a completely separate belt, but perhaps a different colored tip? For example: blue for competitors, black/red for all-around practitioners, and perhaps yellow for instructors.

I don't think BJJ would need that categorization and i don't see any value in it....reminds me on the "Wing Tsun" guys where practicioners have to wear a certain coloured shirt and the "Grand Master" wears a yellow shirt, etc.... There are affiliations, who use the blue bar on the blackbelt, like from the Royce Gracie lineage and the Valente Bros in memory of Helio, who back then wore a dark blue belt instead of a black belt (the old gracie academy belt rank rule: white for students, light blue for instructors and dark blue for professors). Before getting the blue bar at first you get a black belt with a white bar. In some organisations the white bar on blakbelt is for competitors and the red bar for instructors..... There are even BJJ blackbelt instructors and professors, who wear a "straight plain black belt" without any coloured bar on the end....

The human desire for social recognition is so fascinating

Recognition is social fuel. It tells us that we are part of something bigger, that we are doing the right thing, and that we have a place in the community. Not saying that you need a patch for it...Instructors skills have increased in pass 15 years very much, but still in a very early stage. It's copying your own instructor in most cases.

That’s how people end up wearing something like this and not even questioning it

That’s how people end up wearing something like this and not even questioning it

Flavio Behring even went full circle to wearing a white belt again (but with a red bar) after 70 years of Jiu Jitsu to show he is an eternal apprentice: https://youtu.be/3IsMzldd[...]oOgzro-YXp

The need for mental affirmation, or social affirmation is, in the fight game, a mental weakness, that can be preyed upon, and often is.

Yeah, that was weird as fuck….

On my deathbed, when asked about what were the most important things in my life, I hope I won’t be talking about red or black bars on what belt colors and who are allowed to give me what ranks or stripes.

Instead it's probably best that we spend what's left of our productive years squabbling about it on beltchecker.

The relationships you obtain throughout your jiu jitsu journey and how many people you have helped along the way is much more important than the color of your belt.

The last lines meaning changes depending on who says it. "The company." said Elon Musk.

Hi guys, please check out Johno (William John van der Veen)’s profile and help me get his belt verified. I know there isn’t a lot of formal proof, but he has been training me for over 11 years and is still very active on the mats.

Jacques Portelli promoted him to black belt in 2021, and I was present for it. None of us are currently affiliated, and I understood that the purpose of Beltchecker.com is to help those of us who train and progress outside of affiliations to still have our journeys documented. My instructor isn’t focused on taking photos or collecting proof for recognition—he’s always been about the training itself. The mats speak for his level and ability. For some background, he started training at a Gracie Barra club in Cape Town and later moved to a Carlson Gracie club, back when Jiu-Jitsu was still very new in South Africa. He is also listed on the GuyJitsu South African black belt registry here: https://www.guyjitsu.com/[...]elts⁠� You can find him listed as “John Van der Veen” with lineage under Jacques Portelli. � guyjitsu.com I understand the need for verification, and I’ll do my best to help gather whatever additional information or evidence is needed.

I found that site too, but it just says "TBD" (to be disclosed) on who promoted Kadu Sousa to BB and no evidence is anywhere to be found showing Kadu being promoted to BB and when. I have a lead of someone who might have promoted him, but would really recommend you try to find that and gather evidence yourselves. You can otherwise still use Beltchecker to document your journey simply by removing e.g. all blue belt info and you get an unvoteable profile, which might be advantegous when there e.g. is no real lineage present. But if you are willing to put in the work, I actually think there might be evidence to be gathered here.