Royce Gracie: “Jiu-Jitsu is not a points game” Article

[Jason Eisner]

Full article here...

http://www.insidebjj.com/2010/09/01/...cie-interview/

"The Jiu-Jitsu my father created wasn’t for tournaments. It was for self defense and street fighting so they can defend themselves on the street. What ruined most martial arts was tournaments if you stop and look at it. What are they teaching today? How not to punch. How not to kick. They touch, and they score points, and they win. That’s not how it was supposed to be. That’s not how Tae Kwon Do was made. It was made to punch right through your chest. Karate…Judo…The old Judo was made to throw head down first. You do that and you get disqualified today. Now, you have to throw in a certain way. What ruins most martial arts is tournaments; the points. Teaching a guy to score points? There are no points on the street." - Royce Gracie

What do you all think?

[Jonathan Wylie]

I think he is right and the same thing is happening to jiu jitsu.

[Jonathan Wylie]

thats why I personally always try to dicipher what will and wont work on the street. I think its cool seein Renner and the other one I cant remember his name haha doing there videos after the ufc.

[Jason Hyatt]

Hard to argue with that!

[Jonathan Wylie]

[Michael Romano]

I really don't agree with Royce on this, cuz I don't know about you guys but I don't street fight on a regular basis. He needs to start getting realistic about how Martial Arts fit into our world. I hate the point system in tournaments as much as anyone, and the cool thing about JJ is that you can finish your opponent without seriously hurting him. But if every martial art went balls out then no one would make it past white belt, ever. How about you just don't get into street fights? Ya shit happens and sometimes you get caught in the wrong place but this isn't really a regular fuckin occurrence.

[Jesse Bell]

If I were to fight in the street or the bar I would not use Jiu Jitsu unless it came to that point. Chuck Liddell said it best, If you get jumped by one or more people in a fight, put your back to a wall and swing for the fences. Technique doesn't apply as much as we want it to in a street situation.

[Dustin C.]

I don't like how the points work in tournaments either, but like you guys said, IF i get in a "street fight" i don't use BJJ, it does not make since to use it on the streets, to many weapons friends and hard surface you will get slammed on, the only place you can fight one on one with no weapons or concrete is in the cage,ring, tournaments ect, NOT the street. It IS more realistic for sport. Best thing for the street is dont fight, no matter who beats up who, you both lose, jail, fines, medical bills ect

[Jonathan Wylie]

"Technique doesn't apply as much as we want it to in a street situation"
Renner and Ryron Gracie would argue with you about that. I will agree jiu jitsu is not the best aproach in every situation i.e. mulitiple attackers but it crazy to just dismiss it for self defense.

[AJ Camacho]

I don't like how the points work in tournaments either, but like you guys said, IF i get in a "street fight" i don't use BJJ, it does not make since to use it on the streets, to many weapons friends and hard surface you will get slammed on, the only place you can fight one on one with no weapons or concrete is in the cage,ring, tournaments ect, NOT the street. It IS more realistic for sport. Best thing for the street is dont fight, no matter who beats up who, you both lose, jail, fines, medical bills ect

Just because it's called ground fighting, doesn't mean that you will be the one touching the ground. The guard is only one component of jiujitsu let alone grappling.