Rener Gracie together with his brother Ryron, is the creator of the controversial Gracie Online University. Rorion’s son and grandson of Grandmaster Helio, is a black belt coming from straight from the source. The online Jiu-Jitsu university follows the example of proper Universities which offer their courses online to students. It is a whole system that works from a distance, with lessons, reviews, tests and final exams. The blue belt is test is given online bit all other belts have to be tested in person.

With the growth of Gracie University, the controversy over the belt system in Jiu-Jitsu continues. BJJ and MMA legend Murilo Bustamante is an opponent of online learning and belt testing.

Murilo Bustamante

The leader of Brazilian Top Team chose a specific target: online belt promotions . Murilo showed his opposition to Internet Jiu-Jitsu belt promotions (such as Gracie University) , but acknowledged that it is difficult to control the spread of this new mode of teaching Jiu-Jitsu:

“I think it’s up to the Confederation (IBJJF) and regular Federation of the sport as a whole to do something about this. However, is complicated to prohibit renowned professors to offer online courses. We know that some are courses that will only teach the pseudo BJJ athlete. To study BJJ on the internet is one thing, but practice it is another. It’s not like math class, history … It’s very different. It is up to the market as a whole, look at who’s who: the black belt from a real teacher and the black belt of the internet. I am against this, it’s obvious, but how to prevent a teacher to give an online course? It’s sad, but difficult to control, “he argued

 

Gracie online university students learning in their Gracie garage

 

Rener Gracie ensures that the Gracie University method is efficient, and perhaps even more effective than the conventional classes. Created in order to live up to the legacy of Helio Gracie, the online courses aim to spread Jiu-Jitsu around the world and, in just six years, they already have more than 90,000 students in 196 countries. Rener said in an interview with Brazil’s tatame magazine:

“Some people do not understand that online study is even more effective than learning in the traditional school. In a live class, there are students of all stripes, and the teacher gives the same lesson for everyone. Online, each one has its specific class. Some people tried to learn in the classroom, but the lessons were random, and some students had difficulty learning. And what did they do? Resorted to Gracie University. “

The conflict between traditional and online Jiu-Jitsu continues.