Jean Jacques Machado “needs to learn maths.”
That was the message delivered to the Jiu-Jitsu Times via email from BJJ World Champion and Rio Grappling Club coach Roberto Atalla.
Yesterday, BJJ red-and-black coral belt Jean Jacques Machado argued that, contrary to what Atalla said last week, he did not receive his coral belt early.
It is important to point out that at the time I was awarded my Coral Belt, the timeline to achieve that rank was 25 years at the Black Belt level. I would like to not believe it was because of my promotion, but I did find it ironic that an evaluation was made shortly after and the timeline changed to 30 years. In addition, my years spent as a Black Belt were far, far different than the average Black Belt. Nevertheless, to this day I still consider it one of the highest honors of my life when the man I refer to as Master, the great legend Rickson Gracie, tied it around my waist.
Atalla, however, said Machado’s math is way off:
“He got his black belt in 1989,” Professor Atalla told the Jiu-Jitsu Times. “So in 2011 he had 22 years of black belt, even if the criteria was 25 years back then, he would not qualify. Someone should teach maths to him and his brothers, all of them coral belts before due time.”
Professor Atalla also went on to question Master Machado’s achievements:
He also speaks about achievements, but I cannot find a single IBJJF major comp[etition] won by him or any of his brothers, comparing to me, 3 gold medals at Worlds and a silver as a black belt on the same year he tried to compete in my division but he lost by a foot lock in his first match. I defeated Ricardo Almeida and 3 others before losing the final to Alexandre Paiva, the gold medalist, and got myself second place.
He even took a shot at Jean-Jacques’ brother, Rigan.
Anyway, I believe his ego is more inflated than his brother’s Rigan belly (you can quote me on that if interested) as he thinks he touched the lives of million people. I have no words for that.
It appears that the war of words between Professor Roberto Atalla and Master Jean Jacques Machado is not going to end any time soon.
