More and more we see videos popping up of unique ways in which instructors award their students with the prestigious black belt. When Caio Terra of GMA Institute of Martial Arts received his black belt back in 2006, he had competed in a tournament in a higher weight class than usual. After his final match came as a draw, he stood on the podium while his mom prepared to take a picture of him and his instructors. Caio wasn’t very happy since his winning streak as a brown belt had ended that day but his instructors, Reyson Gracie and Paulo Mauricio Strauch, pulled at his wits by making fun of the way he tied his belt. As he waited while they fixed it for him, he looked down to see his black belt had been tied around his waist in a promotion that seemed so out of place since he had won other tournaments and not this particular one.
For Manuel Diaz, the brown belt competitor at Institute of Martial Arts, he received his black belt in a silly way as well. In this video, even without sound you can see that Caio is teaching about the various belt levels using his students to demonstrate. As he comes to Samir, he takes Samir’s belt and hands it over to Manny.
See what Caio has to say about the promotion and watch the video below:
“Today was a very special day for my school, and our association. In the three years we have been open, Manny is the first black belt to be promoted at the Institute of Martial Arts in San Jose. It’s a great honor to call him my student and an even greater honor to call him my friend.
Manny works harder than most people to provide for his family and still finds time to train. Jiu Jitsu, is truly a part of his life.
At the end of class I told the students we were filming a video on belt ranks and asked if they could stay. When it came to Samir I told him, “Samir, you don’t even have your belt on, maybe some one else should wear it” and awarded Manny his black belt (sorry no sound).
No matter where life takes you, please remember this day. Not because you got a new belt, but because I want you to always know that no matter what, your family, your teacher and your team/friends all love you.
Today you woke up as a brown belt, but go to sleep as a black belt. You were awarded your black belt not because you won any tournament or can tap out so many people but because of who you are as a person. Congrats Manny, this is just the beginning!”
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