Congrats Ric on your promotion!!!

[Phill Schwartz]

Congrats Ric!

[Eddie Bravo]

Haha! I thought you were already a blue belt! Congrats! :-)

[Marty McLaren]

Congrats Ric! What a thrill it must've been getting your belt from the great man himself!

[Brent Smith]

Haha! I thought you were already a blue belt! Congrats! :-)

He was a blue already. Got some stripes on his belt

[Chris Herzog]

Congrats ric, however I don't waste tape on my students, I go through about 4-5 rolls a week on my ankle as wrists, that shit gets expensive!

[Ric]

Haha! I thought you were already a blue belt! Congrats! :-)

I know this may not be important to anyone else, but it is really important for me to clear this up.

1999: I began training BJJ under Marcos Santos, the East Coast Representative of the Machado Brothers
2004: Promoted to Blue Belt by Marcos Santos
2009: Acquired 4 Stripes on my Blue Belt by Marcos Santos
2010: Marcos' school is assimilated into Marcelo Garcia's school and we all keep our rank.
2010-2013: I trained under Marcelo 2-3x per week, but NO GI only. I was not promoted by Marcelo during this time.
2013: I began training in the Gi again but I voluntarily removed the stripes from my belt and wore a new Blue Belt.
2014, January: After training in the Gi for all of 2013, I was given 3 stripes on my Blue Belt by Marcelo.

[Andrew Alexander]

Congrats bro!!!

[FRANK BARCA]

Congrats Ric