In Jiu-Jitsu technique usually defeats size, but we also know that when the size has technique then it can be huge advantage taking into account the law of gravity. Therefore most big guys will have a very similar game, smash, pass and submit from side control.
In the IBJJF worlds, the absolute champions are usually from middleweight upwards (82 kilos), but in some smaller open tournaments, we’ve seen guys like Caio Terra or the Miyaos take that title because their technique is so superior to the one of the big guys they faced.
Now many wonder, is it good or bad to be a big guy in BJJ?
Keith Owen , a black belt under Peter Sauer is 6ft4 tall nd over 200 lbs. When he was interviewed by Budo Jake, he was asked what were the advantages and disadvantages of being big when training Jiu-Jitsu. Owen believes that being big in Jiu-Jitsu is a curse as many big BJJ players rely too much on their attributes and neglect other aspects of their game.
Another big guy agrees with keith Owen.
BJJ black belt and former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir is known as one of the best Jiu-Jitsu fighters in the UFC.
Mir is a huge guy, close to 260 lbs but he uses ‘small man Jiu-Jitsu’ meaning a style that is much more technical and is not dependent on muscling it out.
Smaller grapplers tend to have a more guard oriented game, they focus less on guard passing and more on sweeping.
Watch the interview (from 7:04) where Keith Owen talks about his views on being a big guy in Jiu-Jitsu:
