In a recent video discussion, ADCC veteran Brandon Reed addressed accusations of sandbagging leveled at him and his teammate Michael Pixley following their dominant performances at purple belt competitions. The term “sandbagging” in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) refers to athletes competing at lower belt levels than their skill or experience would suggest, often sparking heated debate in the community.

Reed candidly tackled the claims, pointing out that neither he nor Pixley had swept the competition previously. “Neither one of us won this tournament last year. Neither one of us won purple belt worlds either,” he explained, further emphasizing that their recent wins were hard-earned, not effortless. “I got second, Pixley didn’t place, and neither one of us submitted every single opponent this weekend,” he added, underscoring the lack of total domination some critics might associate with sandbagging.

The irony of his situation, Reed noted, goes back to his early days in BJJ. As a white belt, he competed against higher belts, sometimes losing but also scoring wins. “When I lost to them everyone was like ‘oh man it’s okay, you know you’re going to get better.’ When I would beat them people be like ‘oh you’re a sandbagger why are you a white belt?’” This inconsistency in perceptions, Reed argues, highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of how BJJ competitors are viewed.

Both Reed and Pixley have been training in BJJ for less than four years, a fact Reed brought up to counter the narrative that their wrestling backgrounds grant them an unfair advantage. “Both of us have been doing jiu-jitsu for less than 4 years and there just tends to be this crazy juxtaposition about what the standard is for wrestlers,” he said, reflecting on how traditional wrestling prowess sometimes distorts expectations in the BJJ world.

Reed also explained the nuances of belt promotions, making it clear that self-promotion isn’t an option and decisions lie with their coaches. “We can’t promote ourselves. I rep Pedigo SF… for tournaments I do my camps at Pedigo SF but my coach is Chewy Jiu-Jitsu. The standard for being promoted is very individually based and it’s not just about what you know,” Reed shared, pointing to the complexities of determining belt rank progression in BJJ.

Finally, he revealed that their run as purple belts was nearing its end. “I know for a fact that me and Pixley are both going into our last, both of our last tournaments as purple belts at IBJJF worlds which is coming up in about a month.” With this announcement, Reed aimed to quell concerns and show that their competitive journey continues to evolve within the established system.