Two legends of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have reached historic milestones – as Rigan Machado was promoted to red belt and Erik Paulson received his coral belt.
These ranks represent some of the highest honors in the sport and are incredibly rare. As, while it can take over a decade just to earn a black belt, the journey doesn’t stop there.
According to widely followed structures like those outlined by the IBJJF, a coral belt signifies a 7th-degree black belt, typically requiring over 30 years at that level.
A red belt, even rarer, represents a 9th degree – often requiring nearly 50 years of dedication as a black belt.
In practical terms, very few practitioners ever reach these milestones. By the time they do, they’ve spent a lifetime not just training, but shaping the sport itself.
Machado’s influence is especially profound. Beyond his success as a competitor, he has developed generations of elite practitioners.
Names like Chris Haueter and John Will came up under his guidance, while Paulson himself is also one of his most notable students.
Paulson, in turn, carved out his own legacy – particularly in MMA.
A former Shooto champion, he went on to coach top-level fighters across multiple eras, including Josh Barnett, Sean Sherk, and Brock Lesnar.
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