There are many stories of Rickson Gracie manhandling and submitting BJJ world champions when they came to visit him in his academy  during the 90’s.

One of the names that come up are bjj greats Fabio Gurgel, Roberto Traven, and Saulo and Xande Ribeiro.

Gurgel and Traven were interviewed and asked about their experience training with the master, and they were very humble about it:

Gurgel & Traven Describe Training with Rickson ‘It Was Very Humbling’

Coral belt Jean Jacques Machado went on in detail on the Joe Rogan podcast explaining about Rickson’s greatness and what sets him apart from the rest:

Jean Jacques Machado on Why Rickson Gracie Was So Good

On the recent Mat Burn podcast (check it out. It is excellent) Hosts Keenan Cornelius and Josh Hinger discuss Rickson Gracie and how Jiu-Jitsu practitioners seem to put the old school Masters on a pedestal.

Keenan was critical of this way of thinking as it goes against his principles.

Keenan stated:

BJJ is kinda like that (Turkmenistan- an autocratic country ruled by an egomaniac dictator). If you say anything about Helio or Rickson, like if you say that their Jiu-Jitsu wasn’t good. People will be like “are you kidding me? Rickson is the greatest black belt of all time”.

I get that you have to show respect to pioneers who came before you but their Jiu-Jitsu was definitely not as good as it is today. Their level was probably tough purple belt level…

Keenan has never trained with Rickson.

BJJ black belt and Navy SEAL commander Jocko Willink on the other hand, has trained with Rickson, and strongly disagrees with Keenan’s reasoning. He explained in his recent podcast with Keenan’s black belt Miha Perhavec:

Miha Perhavec: “There was even some controversy when Kenan Cornelius suggested that a purple belt could beat someone like Hélio Gracie. While I respect the achievements of the Gracies, I’ve experienced firsthand how incredibly skilled today’s top purple belts are due to the level of training they receive, with techniques that didn’t exist back then.”

Jocko: “Hmmm. Did Keenan ever train with Rickson?”

Miha: “No, I don’t think so.”

Jocko: “I’ve trained with Rickson. I’m going to say that I believe that Keenan is wrong. Even though he’s not in his prime, he still felt like no one else I had ever grappled with. It was like drowning, with no movement making any progress—it was all falling deeper into control. Rickson has a reputation for a reason; he’s not a normal grappler. He has a unique mind-body connection and a deep understanding of Jiu-Jitsu, combined with the advantage of growing up in the Gracie family. He embodies what he calls ‘invisible Jiu-Jitsu,’ a sense of understanding that goes beyond just technique.

You can usually tell someone’s skill level within moments of locking up with them. Whether it’s standing up or grip fighting, you can quickly get a feel for how strong or capable they are. I’ve had experiences in matches where just the initial engagement told me a lot about my opponent’s abilities. The same is true when I trained with Rickson—there was an immediate recognition that he was operating on a different level.

It’s interesting to note that some believed Rickson wasn’t chosen for the early UFC fights because he would have made it look too easy. They put his brother Royce in instead because he was smaller and less intimidating, possibly to make Gracie Jiu-Jitsu seem more accessible to the average person. Royce himself even talked about this in a recent podcast.

When I rolled with Rickson, even in his older years, he still had that deep connection to the art. You can feel it when you grip up with him, and it’s clear why he’s revered. It’s a level of control and understanding that goes beyond physical technique—he truly embodies invisible Jiu-Jitsu.

In my experience, grapplers like Gordon Ryan also have that level of control. I trained with him quite a bit and never even came close to a submission. It’s this deep connection to the game, this understanding, that separates the best from the rest.

Ultimately, Jiu-Jitsu teaches you more than just physical movements. It shows you who you are through the challenges of arm bars, cross faces, and heavy mounts. Stick with it long enough, and you’ll learn things about yourself beyond what you thought possible.”