The Undertaker awarded BJJ black belt

Rolles Gracie caused considerable controversy today when he publicly awarded Mark William Calaway better known as WWE star ‘The Undertaker’ a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

When asked by reporter Ariel Helwani prior to today’s UFC Live event ‘The Undertaker’ commented: “I make no secret that I like mixed martial arts. Over time I’ve got to know a few of the UFC guy’s. Okay I don’t like Brock Lesnar but me and Rashad get on okay, you know”.

He added: “The tipping point for me was when I saw Rashad awarded his black belt”. ‘The Undertaker’ is believed to have begun training the art since January 2010 under closed doors. The controversial decision at the time by Rolles Gracie to award Rashad the black belt caused considerable debate. Accusations came towards Rolles of a ‘watering down’, commercialisation and popularisation of the sport. Purists argued the MMA star, with a wrestling base, did not deserve the coveted accolade.

Many within the BJJ community including renowned practitioner Joe Rogan derided Rolles. The criticism focused on the fact that the MMA star had never trained in the gi or even attempted a submission within the octagon.

The Undertaker with the belt over his shoulder added: “In January last year I started training with Rolles”. When asked by Ariel if it was in the traditional gi he replied: “No, I was in the singlet, it feels more natural”.

Although the frequency and length of the famous WWE star’s training schedule is unknown it is the fastest black belt awarded in the history of the sport awarded after 19 months.

When contacted between a training session at his academy Rolles said: “the guy thoroughly deserves it” before adding: “this art is about controlling and not just submissions but nonetheless you can expect to see some slick submissions from ‘The Undertaker’ in the future”.

Rolles may be known to some MMA fans for his match in the UFC against Joey Beltran after which his contract was cut.


Wonder if he tombstoned anyone on the way to receiving his belt. Read this on another forum, not sure if its 100% fact, just thought it may be of interest.

 

Well he has been using the Gogoplata as a move in WWE recently (calls it the Hell's Gate) mainly cos his knees are pretty much knackered from Tombstones.

Got a link to the interview?

 

There was a time when pro wrestlers pretty widely had legit grappling backgrounds. Some are still around from that time, and the Undertaker is one of them. The Shamrocks are a good example. I don't know how true it is today though.

 

Sakuraba started as a pro-wrestler is memory serves.

 

Yep. Pretty sure he continued to perform during his Pride days. Lots and lots of legit catch wrestlers in pro-wrestling.

 

However, to receive a BJJ blackbelt in a year? With no gi training? Wow! That is ridiculous even if they are phenomenal athletes, etc. It truly is watering down BJJ and unfortunately you are seeing more and more of this type of shenanigans as it has become big business!

 

Jits isn't just gi anymore, no matter what some people want it to be. It is and always has been a fighting art first and to tie everything to that jacket gets in the way of that.

A year is more than long enough to adjust to a certain flavor of movement if you're already a BJJ-black-belt level grappler of another style. Not saying this dude is, but to immediately assume it's not legitimate is crazy.

 

Well I'm still not going to go up to the Undertaker and tell him he cant fight cos he's possibly from a McDojo

 

belt grading don't mean jack. even in bjj. it's purely arbitrary and subjective. no mugger is going to come up to you and state "sir, do you happen to have a black belt in bjj?" "yes? well on your way then good sir." it's nice to get one, good feeling of accomplishment. i have my hapkido black belt in a drawer with my fancy certificate. but other than that, who cares? i trust rolles judgement if he wants to give one out. i hope that someday i get a black belt, but i started at 40. based on how much i can go, it will probably be until 53 before i get a black belt, if then. 53-year-old black belt? is there any doubt that it's completely subjective.

does anyone bat an eye when hearing that bj penn got his black belt in some ridiculously short amount of time?

 

Well, it helps that Penn was wrecking black belts as a white belt.

 

Do not get me wrong. I think the Undertaker would be formidable to the extreme based on his wrestling and submission training. However to have very little gi training is simply not BJJ. Submission wrestling: absolutely but Brazilian Jiujitsu is gi and no-gi and to have minimal or no training in one is absolutely questionable and goes against the norm. Now if he had extensive gi training and no-gi and was obliterating black belts regularly in training then sure time in should not be a factor!

 

my point exactly. penn's belt didn't mean anything. still doesn't.

 

But the fact that Penn was awarded his belt based on provable, tested skill appropriate to the rank is totally the opposite of your point.

 

Have you a source for this? it doesnt mention that in his autobiography? And his respect for the belt system is pretty obvious to anyone who has trained at his gym.

 

Hanging in with a level, and understanding an art (so as to be able to teach it) at that same level are two seperate things, BJJ is about positional control and submission, Wrestling only covers part of the postional control element, no knee on belly, no back mount etc. and virtually none of the submission element.

 

source please, there wasnt one on cage warriors either.

 

That's where I read it aswell mate,calm down with the demanding sources from everyone......

 

I say whatever. It's all proven on the mats anyways.