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Brandon's brown belt

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6/24/09 4:52 PM

EddieBravo

Edited: 06/24/09 5:02 PM
Member Since: 5/9/02
Posts: 4723
10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, www.thetwister.tv

I did not give Brandon his brown belt.

I have known Brandon for many years, met him at JJ's a long time ago while he was a student of black belt David Dunn. He also trained from time to time at 10th planet over the years. Many of my students are also full time students elsewhere, so his sporadic training at my school was quite normal.

When he approached me for affiliation he told me he was a brown belt and since I knew him for many years I never verified his brown belt, I just believed him.

Since the ability to teach my system is more important to me than the color of your belt i just checked him on his 10thplanet knowledge, which was pretty damn good.

I am not looking for champions to run my affiliates, just good teachers that understand my strategies, philosophies and have complete command of the 10th Planet terminology, which Brandon had down solid, and so does Ari, who got his purple from me directly.

Now that Brandon's brown belt is in question, I called him yesterday and asked him exactly where he got it.

Now i know why he's hesitant to explain how he got it publicly.

Turns out, according to Brandon, he got his brown belt from a bjj black belt while he was in the army. A guy named Sergeant Jason Keen who years later turned out to be a fake black belt.

Srgt Keen claimed he got his black belt from a Gracie military system called G.R.A.P.P.L.E. or something like that, but it turned out he lied, so basically Brandon's brown belt is not legit.

Now the question is, what am I gonna do about this situation?

There are a few routes I can take, but I will discuss this with my top disciples before I make my final decision.

I take full responsibility for not verifying the legitimacy of his brown belt before official affiliation was complete, I will do my best to make sure this does not happen again :)

6/24/09 4:59 PM
chris colquitt Member Since: 4/26/05 Posts: 1183	ok, you guys got an answer... happy now? You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:00 PM
Judo Scott Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 847	You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:01 PM
Rock n Raleigh Suicide Member Since: 11/13/08 Posts: 3208	wow.... interesting. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:02 PM
Ozzimandias Member Since: 1/17/03 Posts: 3823	You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:04 PM
Mesa Edited: 06/24/09 5:04 PM Member Since: 4/27/09 Posts: 3	Wow... You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:05 PM
The Mat Pimp Member Since: 5/18/06 Posts: 1660	I don't hate or even dislike Brandon, but pretending to be a brown belt when you know that you aren't is a dishonest thing to do and shows disrespect to those that have earned one through legitimate means, and worse yet, to the art of jiujitsu itself. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:09 PM
Judo Scott Edited: 06/24/09 5:08 PM Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 848	Ricksons is displeased You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:09 PM
T Bag Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 3703	If Ari is good enough to get a purple from you then Brandon should easily be Brown quality IMO You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:10 PM
Darcebrabo Member Since: 4/6/09 Posts: 188	Wow man, that is shady on Brandon's part. Thanks for clearing that up Eddie, its much obliged. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:10 PM
kying418 Edited: 06/24/09 5:10 PM Member Since: 12/1/00 Posts: 11431	"If Ari is good enough to get a purple from you then Brandon should easily be Brown quality IMO " I would agree with that- or he should at least be a purple too. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:10 PM
asschinboy Member Since: 7/10/08 Posts: 968	damn it eddie when is the website launching!? You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:12 PM
Judo Scott Edited: 06/24/09 5:12 PM Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 849	unrelated to making fun of BQuick but its good of Eddie to tackle this head on apply directly to the forehead. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:12 PM
Judo Scott Edited: 06/24/09 5:13 PM Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 850	unrelated to making fun of BQuick but its good of Eddie to tackle this head on apply directly to the forehead. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:12 PM
Judo Scott Edited: 06/24/09 5:13 PM Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 851	unrelated to making fun of BQuick but its good of Eddie to tackle this head on apply directly to the forehead. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:12 PM
Judo Scott Edited: 06/24/09 5:13 PM Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 852	unrelated to making fun of BQuick but its good of Eddie to tackle this head on apply directly to the forehead. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:13 PM

Furacao

Edited: 06/24/09 5:14 PM
Member Since: 1/1/01
Posts: 14292

Thanks for responding Eddie - that's solid that you investigated and got to the bottom of that. It also shows integrity for the system you are trying to build - respect.

Having said that, the issue that I think is lame is that if Brandon KNEW that his former BJJ instructor was a FAKE - why would he keep claiming Brown belt? When he aligned with 10th Planet why not just come out and say I really dont know what my rank should be since my last guy was a fake and have Eddie grade / rank him???

I've seen plenty of guys leave fakes before, switch and come out to be graded by someone legit. Then if Eddie said- yep he's Brown and gave him his Brown formally it wouldn't be questioned...

6/24/09 5:17 PM
Darcebrabo Member Since: 4/6/09 Posts: 189	So wait, this means that Ari Bolden outranks Brandon Quick now? Man o man does that suck. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:18 PM
Judo Scott Member Since: 1/12/09 Posts: 853	Darcebrabo - So wait, this means that Ari Bolden outranks Brandon Quick now? Man o man does that suck. oooo man am I dying here... lol.... You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:18 PM
BeantownsBigPeePee Member Since: 1/20/06 Posts: 5157	And the house of cards comes down. Respectable of Eddie Bravo IMO. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:21 PM
TheKidAintMine Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 4271	T Bag - If Ari is good enough to get a purple from you then Brandon should easily be Brown quality IMO If Ari is a purple, then Brandon should be a red belt....a faded red belt. You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:22 PM

TurnbuckleWally

Member Since: 6/10/09
Posts: 40

Eddie;

Didn't you work hard to earn you belts? Don't you care who represents your system? Does it not bother you when someone misrepresents themselves and drags you down with them? I don't get it. You say you don't care about belts and don't train with the gi, then why have a ranking system? In my opinion guys like Ari or Brandon are watering down the meaning of a belt. Something many of us hold in high regard.

Personally, I actually like the fact that you're innovative and I think giving names to moves, whether they have been around or not, is smart. It helps to learn and to coach. To people who don't know, it sounds like a different language completely, which is good when you're coaching against them. I have no problem with your system being a part of BJJ and think it should be learned by every serious BJJ practitioner. However, the people you have repping your system is making you and 10th Planet JJ into a punch line. It seems like a money grab and a big "Fuck You" to the BJJ community.

You give a guy like Ari a purple belt and let a guy like Brandon represent you without even checking his lineage?! I, like many others, always assumed he was a brown under you. This guy knew his belt was fraudulent and instead of being a man and admitting it, he hides the fact and puts some more egg on your face. It's fucking ridiculous. Don't you care?! Is there a point where you say, "Okay, I've made some bad choices and my system is getting a bad reputation, let me re-evaluate what I'm doing and try and bring some validity and respect back to my name"?

6/24/09 5:24 PM

LakerGirl

Member Since: 9/13/06
Posts: 9223

Wow, so you believe that this fake BB gave him the brown? I might verify that too, seeing as how he seems less than honest.

Anyhow, none of my business.

But seriously, why are people afraid to earn a belt? I mean, it takes some time, no shit. If you plan on doing something long term, whats the rush? If you are winning tournaments then you will be getting promoted. If you arent, you might wait longer, if you dont compete at all, why even worry about it?

Diego Sanchez went to Saulo's and started as a white belt and has worked his way up to brown. Diego was an awesome grappler when he walked in the door and he still went through the levels.

Its just a belt, get over it.

6/24/09 5:24 PM
TheKidAintMine Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 4272	Eddie, how long did Brandon train with the fake blackbelt Jason Keen? For the vast majority of people, it takes years and years to earn a brown belt. If Brandon had trained with Keen for years, wouldn't it have been pretty easy to tell if he was legit or not? You have ignored this user.

6/24/09 5:25 PM

Darcebrabo

Member Since: 4/6/09
Posts: 190

Furacao - Thanks for responding Eddie - that's solid that you investigated and got to the bottom of that. It also shows integrity for the system you are trying to build - respect.

Having said that, the issue that I think is lame is that if Brandon KNEW that his former BJJ instructor was a FAKE - why would he keep claiming Brown belt? When he aligned with 10th Planet why not just come out and say I really dont know what my rank should be since my last guy was a fake and have Eddie grade / rank him???

I've seen plenty of guys leave fakes before, switch and come out to be graded by someone legit. Then if Eddie said- yep he's Brown and gave him his Brown formally it wouldn't be questioned...

I definitely would like to thank you Eddie for coming here and appealing to the masses. I know that it must have been hard for you to do what you did, but it actually made you look better in the long run. Now people will know that they need to have everything straight before stepping to the plate. I would also like to thank Forumnewb, and CUO for their help, you guys are cool in my book, even if you are extra bendy :0).

As for you Mr. Quick (im sure your reading all of this), now that the truth has come out, you can feel free to post and respond again, I just feel that its shady that instead of being honest with Eddie about your background, you kept it a secret and lied all the way up until the secret came out. That really shows a shoddy side of your character, and you just made an entire organization look bad when all you had to do was be honest and up front with Eddie in the first place.

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