Brazilian Top Team = Sellouts?

[JaredExtreme]

This is more specifically about Vitor and Sperry. The way they just ditched the Carlson banner to form a new team with their buds is pretty bogus. So even though Carlson taught these guys 10+ years of BJJ and vale tudo, whenever they have a fight they're promoting Top Team instead of the man who's responsible for who they are today.

I think there's an unspoken rule between teacher and student where the teacher gives his knowledge to the student, and in return the student pledges a certain loyalty to the teacher and the academy. Vitor's and Sperry's actions have set a poor presidence for future students of MMA.

[kid lock]

True. But I think Carlson's mad at everybody because his student Wallid Ismael beat Royce in Ahbu Dhabi. Why would he challenge another Gracie?

[MrPoopy]

Jared, I kind of agree with what you said about students pledging loyalty to their teachers. I wouldn't try to learn BJJ from anyone else but my instructor. But I don't see anything wrong with learning techniques from other styles from other instructors.


In the beginning, I thought showing loyalty to my teacher was the right thing to do. After several months of training, I told him I would never quit BJJ. But now, after 14 months of BJJ, it looks like I might have to give it up for a while. My teacher called me up the other night and told me that he would be leaving sometime in the next couple months so he could train at some security school in Isreal. He said he would be gone for atleast a year if the training goes OK. 2 other guys are supposed to take over the school while he is gone. They are both blue belts and I can't see myself paying either of them to teach me anything. One guy has maybe 2 1/2 years of experience and the other I'm not sure of, but he already failed at running school and screwed my teacher over in the past.

My teacher has about 5 very loyal students... but now it seems like our teacher isn't showing us the same loyalty. I know he's doing this to better himself. And now my days in BJJ are numbered. If my teacher really leaves, I'll probly start training with the local judo guys. (Important note: one of our loyal white belt students recently made a fool of a judo black belt). I would really rather do bjj.

[Martial Artist]

Okay, lets get some facts together before we dog Sperry and Vitor.

True, Carlson did teach them and gave them there black belt, he made them champions. However, there are things leading up to the split from Carlson. Carlson was teaching in America, spending ALL his time in America, which means he was NOT training Sperry, Busta, Vitor, etc... He even had Bustamante take over the school in Rio, and Busta wasnt getting paid anything. So then Sperry, Busta, and some other guys are starting to get some nice pay days in the ring. Carlson then wants them to sign a contract saying that he gets X amount of whatever they make. So the guys look at it like, well if your not training us, and were training ourselfs, were not paying you. And then Bustamante, Sperry, and Liborio left the team. Followed by Vitor and other members. Wallid Ismail is the only fighter that signed Carlson bogus contract.

Kid Lock- Carlson wasnt mad. Sperry submitted Royler Gracie in comp. so that made Rorion issue a challenge to Vitor in a NTL Sport Jiu-Jitsu Match. Vitor had other things going on, so Rorion then Challenged Sperry to fight(Royce). He also challenged Bustamante. But they both declined under the no time limit rule. Later Sperry came back and wanted to fight Royce but Wallid had already accepted the fight. Wallid didnt even train with Sperry or Busta, he was training alone with Carlson. This was really Carlsons big chance to show Helios side of the family(IMO) "Hey, look at how good my guy is. You all say that my students have no technique, but he choked your guy out". This was Carlson chance to get CREDIT and RECOGNITION.

[Mr. Miyagi]

I respect their decision. They tried several times to negotiate with Carlson but the fact remained: he wasn't training them any more and he was taking a large chunk of the money they made. I also respect the fact that they did not slander Carlson but made their statements very diplomatic.
Loyalty is fine, but this is the 21st century and we live in a capitalistic society where every man/woman has to make his own bread and support himself/herself and family.