One thing that's probably worth mentioning is that the bar has risen considerably on what constitutes a verifiable profile. When this site first started a lot of votes were cast with minimal evidence just because people needed to be verified in order to build the voter base. Over time, and as profiles have been questioned for various reasons, we have all learned things about what to look for in a profile to make it as ironclad as possible. I haven't looked at all of Johan's downvotes, but of the ones I've seen I don't remember one that ever disputed the skill of a person instead of their documentation and he generally asks for more information for a long time before finally casting a downvote. I don't necessarily agree with his requirements for verification, but others likely don't agree with mine which is that I usually only upvote people I have personally trained with. It could be argued that my criteria are far more stringent than his.

Speaking of voting for strangers, have you heard of the Legend of Rocco Nikil?

My criteria has always remained consistent. As an early user everything I've done when voting for others has been the same

Good for you. We're all privileged to exist in your presence.

when you arrive here, you're happy and unconscious of what will happen....then Johan arrive with his DNA test, ask about your ancestors and if the doubt subist maybe your underwear color...then he release you with a certification tampon "with good to go"....Just like at the airport, shut up and let the guy doing his job ;-)

Anyway, Johan, my circumstances are atypical. Could you withdraw your downvotes, please? Unless I print a fake certificate and photoshop my old professor giving me a belt, there won’t be any more “evidence” coming.

Btw, if anyone knows, has anyone on Beltchecker ever down voted another member solely on grounds of having met them IRL and concluded about them that "Your BJJ sucks!"?

No, and thank God. I've been dealing with some pretty seriously limiting health issues over the past few years and my jiu-jitsu has been atrocious for some time now. Nobody would ever vote for me. This is one of the many issues with "the mats don't lie" approach to rankings: inevitably, your jiu-jitsu ability will peak one day, and it might happen before you're a black belt.

No, and thank God. I've been dealing with some pretty seriously limiting health issues over the past few years and my jiu-jitsu has been atrocious for some time now. Nobody would ever vote for me. This is one of the many issues with "the mats don't lie" approach to rankings: inevitably, your jiu-jitsu ability will peak one day, and it might happen before you're a black belt.

No, and thank God. I've been dealing with some pretty seriously limiting health issues over the past few years and my jiu-jitsu has been atrocious for some time now. Nobody would ever vote for me. This is one of the many issues with "the mats don't lie" approach to rankings: inevitably, your jiu-jitsu ability will peak one day, and it might happen before you're a black belt.

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This is pretty much where I'm at right now. I will never be the grappler I was 2-3 years ago again. It was amazingly easy to come to terms with that.

> This is one of the many issues with "the mats don't lie" approach to rankings: inevitably, your jiu-jitsu ability will peak one day, and it might happen before you're a black belt. Well there are other reasons for having a black belt. As Johan stated, time on the mats, but experience and knowledge count. A black belt is a black belt

Fortunately for me, my grappling has never been better. Unfortunately for me, my body has never been worse. Man it's getting tough to train multiple days in a row and then get out of bed the next morning. Ughhh... lol

A month ago, I pointed you to this advice: "If you just don't give a f*** about getting good evidence and lineage together but really don't want to take being down voted by anyone, just remove e.g. your blue belt (or make sure never to get your identity verified) and it will render your profile unvoteable while you can still use forums and other benefits of Beltchecker". As I wrote to you, "Some good evidence on your next belt might help though". Personally, I mostly want to see time in BJJ with pics from earlier belts, up to BB. So with a 2016 blue belt and good evidence for brown, the evidence for purple wouldn't really be that important any longer. I've written on multiple occasions that my approach is purposefully quite bureaucratic, just as the IBJJF process for getting belts verified. And I think all frequent visitors here know that a down vote from me means missing evidence rather than "Your BJJ sucks!". Btw, if anyone knows, has anyone on Beltchecker ever down voted another member solely on grounds of having met them IRL and concluded about them that "Your BJJ sucks!"?

I've never downvoted someone based on personal experience that they suck. However, I have enthusiastically voted for someone as a white belt. "Is a white belt, 100% can confirm!"

I almost always wear white Gi's, unless I have to wear a blue gi for Judo competition or some such. But, it used to be my custom to wear a black gi, with a white belt, for memorial practices etc, after somebody in our community or school died. One day, this was the case, and I was wearing my black gi, and white belt, to an open mat, where a blue belt trained, who tragically passed away, at a young age. So, I say some words, and we begin the open mat. And, part way through, a visitor comes in from out of town, who was a Marcelo Garcia brown belt. He asks if he can join, we all say yes, he signs a waiver, and gets to rolling. During our roll, I was rolling in a light and respectful manner, as he was a guest. But, really that was probably how I always or mostly rolled at that point. Remember, I happen to be wearing a white belt, because of the funerary situation, and he and I have never met nor rolled before. He thinks at the start of the roll that I am a white belt, but I think I was a 3rd Degree Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt at that point. I didn't do this to trick him, I just didn't think about it, as we changed roll partners, and the round started. So, he and I are going back and forth, and he is amping up the intensity trying to get to a finalized state, ie make me tap or gain dominant position. And he is a bit frustrated, as the roll ends. So, after the roll, we shake hands or abraco or whatever, and I thank him for the roll. And, he looks around the room, and says to the other black belts, "somebody should give this white belt a stripe." I laughed, and said "thank you", again. It was the best compliment I ever received in my life.

Fortunately for me, my grappling has never been better. Unfortunately for me, my body has never been worse. Man it's getting tough to train multiple days in a row and then get out of bed the next morning. Ughhh... lol