The new generation of Jiu-Jitsu competitors comprised of Garry Tonon, Gordon Ryan, AJ Agazarm, and Dillon Danis have been using the MMA trash talk model to talk their way into big grappling superfights.
Dillon Danis has been making a name for himself more from his non stop trash talk and much less for his great grappling achievements:
They have been successful in making a living from these invitationals while the big champions of the sport such as Buchecha, Rodolfo Vieira, Leandro and Andre Galvao have been making money the old fashioned way, winning professional tournaments, running a school and doing seminars.
In many way the bjj community is a small world where everybody knows everybody. This is something that came to bite Gordon Ryan. Last year, his bout of ungentlemanly behavior lost his event the support of James Sexton Law Offices –a sponsor prominently featured in the promotional materials.
Interestingly the same sponsor had no issue investing in a fight starring Vagner Rocha who wasn’t only ungentlemanly in his words but also in his actions – having sparta kicked and subsequently injured previous opponent AJ Agazarm.
Statement of James Sexton:
“Law Offices of James J. Sexton, PC has withdrawn our sponsorship of the previously scheduled “superfight” next weekend between Todd Mueckenheim and Gordon Ryan.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu isn’t the UFC. It isn’t the WWE. Athletes in this art should be professional and mature in their public dialogue and on social media when speaking of other respected athletes. They should also demonstrate the high levels of respect and professionalism that their teachers and their teacher’s-teachers have embodied for their entire careers.”
Tim Spriggs, is a BJJ black belt competitor from the USA. He is a black belt under Julius Park from Crazy 88 academy. Spriggs was a brown belt World champion, Pan, World Expo GP champion in 2014. At black belt, he won the Five Super League.
Spriggs took to his VLOG to call out the latest fad of Jiu-Jitsu fighters calling each other out on social media. And how he was guilty of that behavior in the past:
All those times that I used to talk trash on Facebook or Instagram was a complete waste of time that I’ll never get back…Alot of us out here are doing our best Conor McGregor impression but I’ll be real with you. Non of us are ever going to be like Conor McGregor. I haven’t seen a Jiu-Jitsu guy that drives to practise in a Lamborgini. We are the hard working Jiu-Jitsu guys that are working hard and trying to live the dream…If McGregor or Jones woke up one day with the net worth of one of us Jiu-Jitsu guys, they’d probably jump out of a window…
Spriggs famously called out Joao Assis a few years ago:
Tim Spriggs Calls out Joao Assis: ‘I’ll Make You Eat Those Words’
