The reason that MMA has such a broad, highly engaging, and passionate fanbase stems from the fact that some of the top fighters within the organization have mastered a range of highly skilled disciplines. For example, you have some great strikers that could try their hand at boxing, like Conor McGregor. In addition, you have fighters with proficient wrestling skills who have a sensational center of gravity and can grapple their opponents into submission.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a discipline gathering more popularity thanks to some of the operators within the UFC and big podcasters such as Joe Rogan, who is a black belt in BJJ, waxing lyrical about the mental and physical benefits of learning the martial art, it has now entered the same conversation as many other esteemed disciplines.
How Joe Rogan Brought BJJ Into The Public Eye
Joe also commentates on the UFC, so his public profile has worked wonders for the organization. Given that Joe has the biggest podcast in the world, anything he discusses or endorses broadcasts to a colossal audience. On average, around 11 million people listen to each episode, which is mind-boggling for a podcast.
Rogan recently revealed that he has some investments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. In addition, he has had guests on his show like highly accomplished poker player Isaac Haxton, who is proficient in land-based poker and has won a lot of money playing online poker. Depending on what guest Joe has that week, their area of expertise is brought into a much more comprehensive discussion among his listeners.
It’s hard to ignore the rise of the digital casino sector and how it is becoming one of the world’s largest online gaming industries. Bitcoin pokies are just one of the many ways companies spearhead innovation in this sector, combining the popular world of gambling and the volatile yet exciting world of cryptocurrency. Although UFC primarily takes place in Las Vegas, the home of gambling, and is sponsored by some cryptocurrency companies, we’re still at the very early stages of cryptocurrency gambling becoming a crossover way to play casino games.
Brian Ortega
Ortega campaigns in the featherweight and lightweight divisions, and the wealth of his BJJ knowledge stems back three different decades. He is still an active fighter in the UFC, and Ortega’s first-degree black belt in the Brazilian discipline means he is one of the most proficient students of BJJ P4P in the UFC.
BJJ legends such as Demian Maia and Royce Gracie mastered the discipline that originated in their homeland, winning multiple gold medals in highly-ranking BJJ tournaments. However, since they have since left the UFC, we will only include active fighters in today’s list.
Still, Maia and Gracie deserve a special mention for being such groundbreaking pioneers that pushed martial art from the unknown realms of combat sports to the top of the industry, with huge celebrities like Mark Zuckerburg honing his skills.
Sean O’Malley
As one of the more colorful characters in the UFC, O’Malley doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of expertise in BJJ as the likes of Ortega. However, he is one of the top bantamweights on the planet, and his overall fighting ability gives him the right to appear on his list.
Sean is a brown belt in BJJ and continues acquiring knowledge about the discipline, clearly helping his ground game and pushing him to loftier heights within the UFC bantamweight division.
Charles Oliveria
As arguably the most accomplished MMA fighter specializing in BJJ, Oliveria is considered the top name who has conquered both forms of combat. Although he was knocked off his lightweight perch toward the end of 2022 by the Dagestanian sensation Islam Mahkachev, Oliveria has beaten some of the most recognizable names in the UFC, such as Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier.
Nate Diaz
As one of Stockton, California’s most famous sons, Nate Diaz has featured in some huge moneyspinning events in the Octagon, most notably in his multiple fights against Conor McGregor and Jorge Masvidal.
Although Nate is trying his hand at other sports at the moment, with a boxing bout against Jake Paul lined up, and although preparation for his bout against Paul hasn’t got off to the best of starts, Nate will be quietly confident he can spring an upset against the YouTuber. Diaz is a third-degree black belt in BJJ, having practiced it incessantly for decades. His groundwork in UFC is often revered, and he is never in a dull fight in the Octagon.
For the BJJ purists, watching UFC fighters who can implement solid levels of BJJ to their advantage and their ground game whenever they fight in the Octagon is a joy to behold. With big names in the cage fighting business bringing copious amounts of BJJ knowledge into the mainstream and encouraging people to take up the discipline, it could soon become the number one discipline we see in the UFC.
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