Best grapplers

[Rockanrollin]

Kinda like trying to figure who is the best rock guitar player today.
I like all the grapplers you guys mentioned.

[Brent Smith]

Rafa Mendes

EDIT: there's way too many to list so I'm going with my man crush

[Liam Granger]

Marcelo Garcia
Roger Gracie
Kron Gracie
Rafael Mendes
Vinny Magalhaes
Braulio Estima
Robson Moura

[Phill Schwartz]

Marcelo
Kron
Rafa!

[Mike Hamiko]

Eddie Bravo
JJ Machado
Braulio Estima
Romulo Barral
Marcelo Garcia
Cobrinha
Rafael Mendes
Xande Ribeiro
Ricardo Abreu
Andre Galvao

[Andrew "Chewie" James]

Here's a few different guys for the conversation

Marcus Buchecha Almeida
Rodolfo Vieira
Rafael Lovato Jr
Ricardo Liborio

[Kyle Spalla]

I don't see how you can put Eddie as one of the best grapplers. Eddie's story is pretty inspiring looking at the fact that he got started so late in BJJ & how far he made it but when it comes to saying that Eddie is one of the best grappler's, that's very unproven. I think it's fine to claim that he is one of the best instructors but to say that he is one of the best grappler's is completely unproven.

I do agree that Eddie has improved his game & style dramatically & who knows what would happen in a rematch with Royler Gracie. But also, who knows what would happen in a rematch with Leo Vieira. Those are the questions. Eddie didn't win his weight class at the 2003 ADCC. Eddie was getting destroyed on points by Royler & Eddie caught him at the very end, similar to Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen. Also Eddie went on to face Leo Vieira & he got destroyed in points.

Eddie went on to never compete again from what I understand & if he did compete again, nothing big happened. Like I said, the main thing that inspires me about Eddie Bravo is how far he made it after getting started in BJJ so late in his life compated to his competition. He is arguably one of the best Instructors out there currently. He is also a pioneer when it comes to BJJ just due to his stance on certain things such as training no-gi & his importance of the rubber guard.

But as a grappler, Eddie is unproven & if you want to go off of what was proven, he is far from the best. He upset an 1 of the all time greats after getting destroyed. He moved onto the next round & got destroyed again but this time, didn't get the last second submission. It's an insult to the true greatest grappler's out there & those who put Eddie up there with the best grappler's really don't pay attention to BJJ competitions & No-Gi competitions.

I'm not the most Grappling knowledgeable person on this site by any means but everyone that covers the grappling community knows this. I'm not hating on Eddie but so many new fans believe that he is something that he is not & don't even realize it. I hope I don't sound like I'm hating, I'm really not. I have a lot of respect for Eddie but not because he is 1 of the best grappler's because that was never proven & if anything, it was proven wrong. But like I said, it's due to how far he made it after getting started so late in BJJ compated to his competitors & I also respect Eddie because of his contributions to the sport & his open mindedness to BJJ.

Thanks for reading what started from my opinion & turned into an article. Keep up the hard work Eddie & 10th Planet.

The best isn't about how many championships you have won, Buster Douglas was far from the greatest Heavyweight in boxing and for the first 3/4 of his fight with Mike Tyson was getting the dog shit beat out of him, but he wore him down and was smart and knocked Tyson out to score literally one of the biggest upsets in history. Eddie beating Royler was the Mike Tyson/Buster Douglas equivalent for grappling. Greatness isn't always achieved through competition. Eddie stopped competing because he believed in 10th Planet and felt it was time to grow his association and focus on making Jiu Jitsu relevant in MMA again. Eddie also popped a rib against Royler and still faced Vieira. If I popped a rib I would probably be in the ER sulking like a little bitch, not facing world class grapplers that went on to win ADCC that year. It's his innovation, his style and his evolution as a grappler that people see him as one of the greatest because competing is only a small part of the much bigger equations, plus this a 10th Planet forum, who the hell else do you think we admire more than Eddie.

[bobby rivers]

Marcelo
Kron
Rafa!

Agreed. Till Miyao's, Buchecha, and Keenan make their succession.

[Phill Schwartz]

Agreed. Till Miyao's, Buchecha, and Keenan make their succession.

Don't forget Nathan Orchard!

[Kyle Spalla]

Agreed. Till Miyao's, Buchecha, and Keenan make their succession.

Rodolfo and Buchecha are going to be the next Roger and Jacare rivalry.