Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has grown into a global sport. It's now captivating audiences with elite athletes and increasingly lucrative opportunities...
However, the BJJ scene today is vastly different from what it was just a few decades ago. As someone who started training in a very different era, this transformation is deeply personal.

When I began my journey in BJJ, the sport was still in its infancy, at least in terms of recognition and organization.

Competitions were modest, often held in school gyms or community centers, far removed from the big stages we see today. There were no bright lights, no cameras, and certainly no promise of fame.
For us, it was just about showing up, putting everything on the line, and testing ourselves against whoever was across the mat.

Travel, in those early days, was a constant necessity - at least if you wanted to train with better practitioners or compete at a higher level. And it wasn’t easy.
Without the support systems that exist today - no sponsorships, no online fundraisers and things of similar nature - it often meant sacrificing comfort and financial stability.

I remember sleeping on gym mats or crashing on friends' couches just to save money for the next competition. And when I did win, the prize money was often so meager that it barely made a dent in my expenses.
But winning wasn’t the ultimate goal, growth was. The love for the sport, the drive to improve, and the pride in representing this martial art were what fueled us.

In today’s BJJ world, where access to high-level instruction and global competition is more available than ever, it’s easy to forget those early struggles. But I believe that the spirit of perseverance is still at the heart of what makes BJJ so special.
Whether you’re training in a state-of-the-art academy or a modest local gym, the essence of the journey remains the same. It’s about testing yourself, pushing through adversity, and growing not just as a martial artist, but as an individual.

For anyone coming up in the sport today, I hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate how far BJJ has come and also recognize that the journey is what truly matters.

The medals, the recognition, and the opportunities are all great, but they’re not what defines your experience.
It’s the hard work, the passion, and the persistence that will shape who you become, both on the mats and in life.