Richie “Boogey Man” Martinez, the 10th Planet black belt known for his run through EBI and years of highlight-reel submissions, has never trained in the gi.

That is a fact that’s followed him throughout his career alongside a familiar criticism from parts of the traditional Jiu-Jitsu world – that a no-gi black belt isn’t a “real” black belt, just a grappler.

Appearing on the Jits and Giggles Podcast, Martinez addressed the criticism head-on:

Many of us no-gi people have showed that we could beat these gi guys. So, not everybody, right?
But it’s like we’re able to match the skill.

So, it’s like if you want to call me a grappler and I’m tapping you out with submissions that are jiu-jitsu based, then that’s on you, bro.

He framed the pushback he’s received as discomfort with change, rather than a legitimate argument about skill:

It’s not really a hot take. It’s just like people are not comfortable with change.
They’re like, we’ve been doing this all our lives and it’s like now you’re taking the essence of the art or of the culture.

And I’m like, dude, we’re just building on that culture. We’re creating more to that culture.

Having trained under Eddie Bravo and come up through 10th Planet during a period when the no-gi system faced real hostility:

There was a time that it was very disliked. You have people trying to argue with you because you’re a no-gi guy.
People talking bad online especially.

And you know it still happens sometimes, there’s some detractors here and there, but at the end of the day I feel that not anymore.

Rather than framing no-gi as a replacement for gi Jiu-Jitsu, Martinez credited no-gi’s commercial growth, through events like ADCC, EBI, and the UFC BJJ series, with expanding the sport’s overall reach:

I think it’s because of the help of no-gi. You have the biggest jiu-jitsu events being no-gi.
I think that helps, you know, you have the UFC BJJ, the FloGrappling events.

All these big tournaments that are helping show jiu-jitsu are no-gi.

He was clear that he holds no ill will toward the gi side of the sport, noting he regularly watches gi competition himself:

I don’t have nothing against the gi. I just don’t do the gi. I think as a sport it’s awesome.
I think there’s so much art involved in gi jiu-jitsu.

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