Former UFC title contender and longtime black belt Claudia Gadelha has added her voice to the growing calls for change in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – specifically around how athletes are paid.

Gadelha is a fourth-degree black belt, a former IBJJF No Gi World Champion at brown belt, and someone who has spent a lifetime grappling.
So when Gadelha speaks on the subject of compensation in Jiu-Jitsu, it comes from years of firsthand experience:

I’m going to say something right now that I know will piss a lot of people off, but it needs to be said.
The number one reason why Jiu-Jitsu is still an amateur sport, the number one reason why jiu-jitsu isn’t a professional sport yet, is because of the athletes.

You accept to be sold for free!
You accept to go in there and put (on) the best performances of your life for a medal.

She preempted the common defense that athletes can use medals to build a brand and monetize later:

You gained the recognition to do business, right?

You gain the recognition of opening a gym, to charge for seminars, and sell DVDs. Which you can do the same thing when you build a career inside a platform that helps you to be the product that you deserve to be and make money during your career.
Then go do business afterwards.

When you guys understand that Jiu-Jitsu will change forever.
But if you don’t, it’s never going to change.

Gadelha wasn’t shy about doubling down on her position:

If you work as a professional, you should be getting paid.

Jiu-Jitsu tournaments where you pay to compete is for amateurs.
If you are a black belt professional world champion-calibre, world-class athlete, and you’re high-performing in everything you do; the way you eat, sleep, behave, and you are not getting paid? You are being used, okay?

How long more it’s gonna take for you guys to understand that? Jiu-Jitsu tournaments where you don’t get paid is for amateurs, okay?
And you guys created the monster, you guys keep going out there and paying to compete.

 

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