I like BJJ, it's training and what it aims to achieve. I work as front line police officer so I've been in a few scraps and situations as part of the job....after watching the video promo for Gracie Combatives, I can't say I'm particularly impressed by what they are selling. And that's by no means disrespect because I admire what they have achieved, but I wonder if they have really done their research into real world violence.
For example, where's the de-escalation?? Looking at the video, we have a guy yelling and screaming at another guy in a car with the question "what would you do?". Drive away for one thing. Once you step outside to face this guy you are accepting a fight therefore, at least in my country, you become guilty of fighting in a public place. Depending on the outcome of the fight, you may become liable for a serious assault charge. By getting out of the car, you aren't defending yourself anymore, you are accepting the challenge. What happens if your double leg takedown (as used in the video) means the guy smacks his head on the concrete causing serious injury or killing him? Whose at fault? You are.
With regards to the scraps that I've been involved in.....it's not often that it's one on one so committing to a takedown may mean I get blindsided by someone else....it may not too, but I don't want or desire to be wrestling on the ground with some guy who could grab my OC spray, ASP baton, sidehandle baton, taser, or Glock. I have to keep these things!
I love wrestling and rolling and doing all that type of training. It's great fun, awesome fitness and allows you to develop a "hardness" that other arts just don't teach. Regular training means you do become proficient in it, but it has limitations but unfortunately I don't see the Gracies recognising that.
I've noticed it's not mentioned much here, but what I've found to work really well in reality is the material taught by Richard Dimitri's Senshido organisation. Simple, effective, fast and potentially devastating but can be used with a good deal of control depending on the situation. I still train MA's, and always will, but there's nothing like a bit of reality to see what parts of training have worked and what hasn't.
Just my point of view....which doesn't mean much in the greater scheme of things!!

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