Bjj Pitboys

[wardancer]

Well since there is so much hate about BJJ in this MMA and BJJ forum, I decided to start a thread about something controversial!: BJJ PITBOYS!
What do each you think about them?
Are they just a bunch of bullies a la karate kid?
If so, how much blame should their BJJ instructors take?
How much brained washed BJJ kids outhere going in nightclub trying to recreate their valetudo/MMA heroes by taken on/starting fight/challenges versus anyone?
Or are we becoming a bunch of scared people just training the deadly art of MA and avoiding confrontation when you need to step up to confrontation and critize BJJ PITBOYS for being genuine as being MEN?

[pstevens]

Wardancer,

I was told by a friend from Brazil that the Pit Boys were basically a bunch of goons running around Rio, beating up people. Supposedly, some of them had training at Gracie Barra. They're what we would call a gang. The fact that the BJJ community didn't step up to say anything, gave BJJ a bad rap. This was quite a while ago, so I'm not sure how things are now. I do remember that in Rio, there are tons of BJJ schools, several on the same block sometimes.

Just like gangs in America, the Pit Boys basically outnumbered their victims. I doubt BJJ had a lot to do with anything.

[tunafisher]

BJJ can have a Negative Rep in Rio de Janeiro

I have travelled to Brazil a lot in the past few years, I speak the language fluently and really like the culture down there. In general, in Rio de Janeiro, the average person doesn't feel all that positively about BJJ mostly because of media coverage regarding a few idiots that are jiu jitsu practitioners that cause trouble and fight with people at nightclubs, funk baile parties, etc. I saw one news story when I was last down there of actual footage of two jiu jitsu guys going at it on a non martial arts guy, it was pretty ugly. The news likes to cover this kind of stuff, and it further solidifies a really negative view of BJJ practitioners. People like Royler Gracie actually do a lot of cool stuff for the community they live in, like the favela projects to help underprivileged youth begin to train jiu jitsu...instead of drug trafficking, etc. This is the direction jiu jitsu needs to move toward in Rio de Janeiro. Just my .02...

[wardancer]

I have travelled to Brazil a lot in the past few years, I speak the language fluently and really like the culture down there. In general, in Rio de Janeiro, the average person doesn't feel all that positively about BJJ mostly because of media coverage regarding a few idiots that are jiu jitsu practitioners that cause trouble and fight with people at nightclubs, funk baile parties, etc. I saw one news story when I was last down there of actual footage of two jiu jitsu guys going at it on a non martial arts guy, it was pretty ugly. The news likes to cover this kind of stuff, and it further solidifies a really negative view of BJJ practitioners. People like Royler Gracie actually do a lot of cool stuff for the community they live in, like the favela projects to help underprivileged youth begin to train jiu jitsu...instead of drug trafficking, etc. This is the direction jiu jitsu needs to move toward in Rio de Janeiro. Just my .02...

I doubt Gracie JJ does any charity work towards the 'poor' brazilians e.g flavelas etcc...
Gracie JJ is a sport for the rich kids of Brazil.

[wardancer]

Wardancer,

I was told by a friend from Brazil that the Pit Boys were basically a bunch of goons running around Rio, beating up people. Supposedly, some of them had training at Gracie Barra. They're what we would call a gang. The fact that the BJJ community didn't step up to say anything, gave BJJ a bad rap. This was quite a while ago, so I'm not sure how things are now. I do remember that in Rio, there are tons of BJJ schools, several on the same block sometimes.

Just like gangs in America, the Pit Boys basically outnumbered their victims. I doubt BJJ had a lot to do with anything.

Yes BJJ has a lot to do with!
They belong to BJJ club and wear their club t-shirts and pick-up fights in night clubs.
Do not wear BJJ t-shirts as a tourist in Rio and think people are going to like you, rather the opposite!
Now pitboys are not gangs as they are not organised crime and do not benefit from shady business.
If they did, they most probably will get shot by the real Rio gansters.
You are talking a city where armed street kids get terminated by the police.
Now, the Pitboys actually also target opponents from other BJJ clubs.
The rest of the people they pick up on are most probalby just a joke to them.
I can compare them to the kids that try to copy the fast and furious movie, they became Boyracers with fast cars and silly street race because they think it is cool.
One of my points is because BJJ especially GJJ glorify challenge fight, it actually encourage their younger members (Pitboys) to act macho and beat up on any fools that cross their path.
They use to their advantages BJJ skills applied to the streets or just use the image of the scary reputation of the vale tudo reputation fo their style to their benefit.
To conclude, you learned that GJJ was develop by encouraging open challenge from anybody to the team or more like the Gracie clan.
It is not surprising to me that the BJJ youths try to copy/emulate such tradition during their social time outside the club especially in nightclub when drinks/girls..
Why most kids start smoking/having sex?
Because they think it is cool just try to copy adults!
The same applies to Pitboys!

[Penance]

SO silly though. There's the history of open challenges...both giving and accepting...but if you challenge someone and they decline, then there should never be a fight! In my mind, challenging someone should be a polite thing. Asking them if they want to take you on, not getting in their face and trying to goad or force them into fighting you!

[wardancer]

SO silly though. There's the history of open challenges...both giving and accepting...but if you challenge someone and they decline, then there should never be a fight! In my mind, challenging someone should be a polite thing. Asking them if they want to take you on, not getting in their face and trying to goad or force them into fighting you!

polite?
Hum, Challenge fight is nothing to be polite about.
You must be in the wrong forum!