Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Darren Rodgers has publicly condemned what he described as “soft” grappling in a bold post on social media.
“Jiu-jitsu is a raw, primal art. When great apes grapple in the wild, they don’t give a sh*t if they get slammed to the ground or dumped on their heads. Our ancestors weren’t vegan b*tches who tapped out when they got a little blood to the face. They ate meat. They didn’t quit until they were unconscious or dead. Now, everyone’s trying to make grappling soft. Stop the p*ssification of jiu-jitsu,” he said in a caption that accompanied a photo of him playing half-guard with tape around all ten fingers.
The Jiu-Jitsu Times reached out to the multiple-time NAGA champion for further clarification on his post.
“What pisses me off is people complain about every little thing these days in jiu-jitsu,” he told the JJT. “‘Oooh, he reaped the knee, oooh, he heel hooked me in the gi.’ Shut up, man. Do you think your caveman ancestors b*tched if someone heelhooked them in the gi?”
When asked about his ideal grappling ruleset, Rodgers said it would “look something like a combination of CJJ rules and ADCC rules.”
“I like seeing people get hit, you know? A nice, loud, open-palm slap. Like a real alpha male.”
Upon being reminded that MMA exists, he recounted his own time in the sport. “Look. I tried it out for a while. Could’ve made it big if I wanted to. Not for me, though. I’m a scary guy, man. I don’t think it’s right for a guy like me to be so unrestrained. I just see red, and then it’s all over.”
The Jiu-Jitsu Times was unable to find a publicly available MMA record for Rodgers.
Despite the lack of striking in standard BJJ, however, Rodgers has developed his own methods for toughening up the sport.
“The match starts, yeah? And I pretend like I’m gonna go in for a takedown, get ’em all nervous, and then BAM.” He claps his hands. “I sit guard. Now they’re scared, ’cause they see me like a f*ckin’ saltwater crocodile. Waiting silently in the lake until BAM.” He claps again. “I grab onto a leg and BAM.” A third clap. “I twist their foot real good.”
Rodgers proudly proclaims that he’s caused seven serious injuries in competition. “Of course I don’t give ’em time to tap. You stupid or something? You think the cavemen gave the sabre-tooth tigers time to tap? This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re part of the problem,” he told the Jiu-Jitsu Times. “It’s not even about the win. It’s about sending a message. You do that to a dad in front of his kid, and that kid knows he’s gotta toughen up. And the dad knows that he’s gotta toughen up, otherwise he’s not gonna be able to protect his kid when someone does this sh*t to him in the streets.”
Despite his complaints about the current state of jiu-jitsu, however, Rodgers says he has hope for the next generation of grapplers.
“I was rolling with a white belt the other day. Kid kneed me in the head probably six times in five minutes. Let his elbow blow out in an armbar, went to sleep when I choked him.” He brings his fist to his chest, emotional. “That’s what this generation needs, before it’s too late.”
