For all of us out there that practice with a team or at an academy, the feeling of unity is
something extremely common. Seeing the same faces over-and-over, day-in-day-out, and
working your tail off with them builds a level of acceptance and compassion for one another.
However, this hasn’t always been the case in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. There was once a time where
specific grapplers—many of whom were black belts—that would refuse to lend their moves and
secrets to other BJJ players.
In a sport where the trickle-down effect is so prevalent, this clearly was not a good thing.
Thankfully, with the changing of times, and specific people spearheading a reform for change,
BJJ is becoming less like a secret society and more of an open playing field.
One of these men brining about change is Nicholas Gregoriades. A man with many accolades
to his name, arguably the most impactful is that of the BJJ Brotherhood.
Bettering Jiu Jitsu In The Name of Progression
The focal point of the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood is to help bring about a wave of
acceptance and unity in the world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Roughly eight years ago, when Nicholas—just a purple belt at the time—was rolling with one of
his instructors. While he was getting manhandled, something hit Nicholas like a ton of bricks;
this is so much more than grappling.
It’s easy to get discouraged and feel down and out when you go against someone better than
you. However, Nicholas took this as a wakeup call; if anything, this event brought him closer to
the sport that he loved.
As he put it, he was “part of something special,” that day. This wasn’t just a passing trend, it
was the moment that would spark the flame that would ignite into the BJJ Brotherhood.
No Cliques, Only Progressiveness
For a man as well traveled as Nicholas is, the world is his platform. Wanting to unite every
grappler and gym as one in the name of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the goal is rather simple for the
Brotherhood. “My dream,” Nicholas tells me, “is for every gym in the world to have someone
with a Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood patch on their Gi.”
Remembering the days of yesteryear where many of the elite players draped their skills in
secrecy, Nicholas has abolished that train of thought. Nicholas uses the old adage ‘a rising tide
raises old ships’ to help promote his train of thought.
When the top black belts refused to share their secret skills, it was the white and purple belts
that paid the price for a petty feud amongst black belts. The total opposite in his thinking
patterns, Nicholas labels the Brotherhood’s approach as an “open source of Jiu Jitsu.”
Do yourself a favor, check out Nicholas. Not just his slick matches and awesome skills but do
yourself a favor and look more in depth to the Jiu Jitsu Brotherhood.
Dan Faggella
