| Royce Gracie broke down barriers when he won | | | | MMA (did I mention that belts don't exist?). Big |
| UFC 1. While opening everyone's eyes to grappling, | | | | bully learns of the belt, and decides it would be |
| he also did something that would change martial | | | | good for him to beat up little Jimmy to improve |
| arts forever. He was beating martial arts black | | | | his credibility. So the fight happens, and guess who |
| belts and proving to them that they were missing | | | | wins, big bully. Little Jimmy's sweeps, submission |
| a vital element of their fighting arts, the ground | | | | holds, and attacks are based upon techniques that |
| game. Fast forward to a few short years later, | | | | the school owner really doesn't know and don't |
| everyone is being told by martial arts business | | | | apply in combat. The parents blame themselves |
| gurus that they have to teach mixed martial arts | | | | for not enrolling little Jimmy in more classes, |
| (or MMA) to their students to get some of the | | | | Jimmy blames himself for not practicing his forms |
| money that is floating around. Forget that they | | | | and katas more often, and the school owner |
| haven't trained in it before; forget they don't | | | | blames The parents for not enrolling him in more |
| know the style. They've never competed, never | | | | classes too, and also demotes Jimmy's belt status |
| had anyone compete before, and probably have | | | | because its embarrassing that he lost and that he |
| never thought of fighting in a cage (even saying in | | | | even fought in the first place No one questions |
| the past, that it was barbaric and they want | | | | that precious fake black belt around the waist of |
| nothing to do with it, but they still found the gall | | | | Mr. McDojo. They only blame themselves (the |
| to hang up a shingle and say, hey I teach MMA. | | | | parents and Jimmy). |
| So the problem becomes obvious here, many | | | | So what should you do? You should always check |
| schools are blatantly ripping off the unsuspecting | | | | the credentials of the school you are trying to |
| because they have a belt and the talk with | | | | enter. They should have someone reputable |
| authority about a subject they know virtually | | | | backing the school, someone who has competed |
| nothing about. They've never competed or | | | | and used the techniques in real life. In over half of |
| studied grappling close enough to teach it, and its | | | | the martial arts schools I am nearby, no one has |
| all second hand information that is propagated and | | | | ever fought or even competed in a grappling |
| spread throughout communities, all while | | | | tournament. It's the blind leading the blind, and the |
| defrauding the masses. To give you a better idea, | | | | owner is not rushed to compete either in order to |
| let me tell you a story. | | | | save face. A good school should have |
| Little Jimmy comes home from school with a | | | | competitors and they should back those |
| black eye, and dad being the UFC fan he is tells | | | | competitors, they should actively be there for |
| mom to find him a school to learn mixed martial | | | | team (there are many owners who don't even |
| arts. So they search for a school together, and | | | | show up to the competition even though the |
| find McDojo (converted of course to teach MMA). | | | | competitors represent their gym), you should ask |
| The school owner assures them that they have | | | | if anyone competes and how involved the school |
| the best program that will increase the child's | | | | is during competition. You should also ask if the |
| grades, self confidence, and give them the same | | | | owner has ever competed, if the answer is no, |
| training as a UFC champion. They do enroll with | | | | then be suspicious. If you can do all this, you are |
| Mr. McDojo and little Jimmy earns his brown belt in | | | | sure to find a school you can trust. |