Rickson Gracie claims that he stopped online blue belts at Gracie U.

[Hanzou]

So in an interview with Tatame magazine, Rickson claims that he was the one who convinced his nephews Rener and Ryron Gracie to stop promoting people to blue belt online;

Rickon:

“It’s absurd. There can be no online belt promotion. After I read an article on Rener Gracie talking about Gracie University, saying that he promoted online students to blue belt, I had a confrontation with him. I said that if he continued to do this, I would denigrate his image, saying that he was a charlatan. And after that, he reconsidered, and thought that the idea did not make sense anymore. The blue belt is the most important Jiu-Jitsu. White to blue, it is the stage of enlightenment. The blue belt needs to be a confident guy that is a tough guy that can handle an aggression. And for that, he can not get a belt over the Internet.”

Rickson Gracie Convinces Rener to Stop Online Blue Belt Promotions; Threatens to Call Him a “Charlatan”

Afterwards, Gracie University offered a technical blue belt, with practitioners being able to test for a full blue belt with a certified instructor.

Interesting to say the least.[/FONT]

 

[Buka]

I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation. Lot of passion in that family, and like all families everywhere, friction, too.

Somehow I get the feeling that Rener's ear probably picked up the word charlatan with a different pronunciation. Like **** whoopin.
Always a good idea to listen to the big dog.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I think there were more family members than just Rickson complaining.

 

[Buka]

Does Rener train out of Rorion's dojo in Torrence?

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Does Rener train out of Rorion's dojo in Torrence?

Yep. I believe that he and Ryron pretty much run the Torrence academy these days.

 

[drop bear]

It is still marketing vs marketing though. Online makes the brand more available but less exclusive.

So you change the belts to generic and premium.

Regardless. the amount of blue belts out there is going to mean more blue belts will be softer than butter.

I was going to get mine online for giggles. And then just sandbag people.