Sorry to be the breaker of bad news.

[meat]

You'd also need to factor in guys with a black belt in judo or an extensive wrestling (or sambo) background as well as MMA fighters. You shouldnt have wrestlers, black belt judoka or anyone who has fought C Class MMA in a novice category but that does happen.

[scotsmmafan]

You'd also need to factor in guys with a black belt in judo or an extensive wrestling (or sambo) background as well as MMA fighters. You shouldnt have wrestlers, black belt judoka or anyone who has fought C Class MMA in a novice category but that does happen.

Suppose if you tried to eliminate it you'd drive yourself mad. TBH id leave it the way it is now, would get way to complicated for the organisers if you tried to add in loadsa factors. Ive really enjoyed all the grappling comps ive been to & cant wait til next one.

[meat]

tbh it's not that difficult for the organisers, speaking as one myself (all you need to do is stress it on the websites, forums, fb page etc). It's also fairly easy for us to then spot and ensure any of the small number of people who are entering the wrong division.

[Romeoblood]

To limit the problem of sandbaggers & accommodate people that just arent that good at grappling but still enjoy it, would it be possible to implement a division structure instead of a year/experience structure?

For example, Div A, B,C.

Div C: Aimed at novice competitors, no BJJ Blue belts. If you medal in this division you move into Div B next time.
Div B: Aimed at experienced competitors. No BJJ Brown or Black belt. If you medal in this div you compete in Div A next time.
Div A: Brown/ Black belts, accomplished no-gi grapplers.

As mentioned in previous threads numbers havent been sufficient enough for 3 classes, Div B & C would prob be busy with A being low numbers, but as the comps progressed there would be more competitors moving up. Hopefully would be easier to control whos in where as you'd know previous medalists.

Ive done every SGC & have yet to get a victory, I done -1yr at first couple & moved to 1+ when Id been training 1yr. I empathise with guys going into -1yr because they think they would or did get smashed +1yr but want to take part.

I think this would be a good idea, especially for guys like me

I've been training over 2 years, but due to other commitments (work, college, money, etc) have not been there every week, I have had breaks of up to 2 or 3 months at a time during that, I have taken part in one grapple comp and had no MMA fights, I am by no means a decent grappler but would be keen to test myself, I know for a far that someone who had trained constantly for a year would beat me, but i wouldn't feel right entering the under 1 year category (I'm a man of principle)

Rob has stated that he would introduce a intermediate category when the numbers are big enough to have decent sized brackets.

How about in the mean time having:

Beginner/Intermediate: low - medium level grapplers
intermediate/advanced: medium - high level grapplers

that way guys who have been training for a while but are not of a high level can still compete and when they outgrow the lower division they can compete with the more experienced grapplers

[Neil_D]

I think as Romeoblood has said numbers of years trained is not always a good indicator of someone's ability level. People don't learn at the same speed, and due to other commitments can't train as often as others. However, in saying that there doesn't seem to be a any other way to categorise no gi comps.

[Jimbo Slice GCG]

There is no other way to do it other than time training. It's also not really a big deal the competitions are always good to compete in. The only thing I would suggest is that instead of awarding medals in the beginner's category, just award a certificate or something. The lack of a medal for the beginners division might stop those who sandbag just for medals, and would motivate people to compete in the advanced when they should do.

Maybe no medals is extreme but if there was more of an obvious differential between advanced and beginners in terms of reward or prestige, maybe it might stop sandbagging a little bit?

If there was truly nothing to gain from winning beginners, then nobody would sandbag right?

[staffie]

Ok dude, beginners pay their money and should get the same benefits the other guys do, most guys want to win, nothing wrong with that.
When guys enter as beginners when the rules clearly define them, then that's cheating.

We can't organise a division called "for people who should be in the advanced but feel they're a bit shit."
I really do try to accommodate everyone but some of these suggestions are mental.

For the next comp subject to numbers we'll have, beginners -1, intermediate 1-3 and advanced 3+, at some weights these will need to be merged due to numbers.

Hopefully the comp will continue growing and we will have decent numbers for all divisions.

I also probably will need to go down the pre registration route, but I'll be keeping the weights being sorted on the day, guys travel from all over and I hate the idea of DQ'ing someone for missing weight.

Peace.

[Asa]

Jimbo even if you take away the hardware, the principle is still there, people want the bragging rights and props. Regardless if they get a medal they can still lap up the congrats of winning a division.

[Asa]

Rob I think it's spot on the way it is. People need to take a loss as a learn and jump in the deep end now and then. If your out-matched what's the worst that can happen?? You lose a match you were supposed to lose! The best - you win a match you weren't supposed to win and will get more respect and recognition than winning a medal in a division you should clear out because you shouldn't be in with those guys.

[OverhandRighT]

Beginner/Intermediate: low - medium level grapplers
intermediate/advanced: medium - high level grapplers

that way guys who have been training for a while but are not of a high level can still compete and when they outgrow the lower division they can compete with the more experienced grapplers

From my Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu experience I was tapping out blue belts in about 6 months to a year after training. White belts as soon as I learned some shit. Came close with purples after 2 years... The rest makes no difference to my point...

I grappled quite a lot though in that time frame though... Had done the whole "get a Black Belt in 3 years" thing with another art when I was younger.

I believe McBB is getting caught up on belt colors from following some of his posts.

I am getting the feeling McBB is tapping out people with higher belt grades and wondering "Why the hell am I not Purple/Brown... Look at me tapping out these more prestigious belt colors" or "My belt is better than yours because I got it from this guy>that guy>Rickson Gracie>Who gives a fuck?!"

My take on it is... Who gives a fuck about a belt color? I was kicking the shit outta egotistical Karate/TKD Black Belts in Thai sparring after a year of Muay Thai Training... If they beat me... I couldn't have cared less.

For myself I don't believe it would have made any difference at all having someone like Gilani in my white belt bracket in BJJ when I had trained say 10 months... Some people just don't get good that quick.... Others do.

If I where him and felt that bad about losing. If I felt the scope of the compitition rules didn't benefit my martial arts training where I didn't want to be used as a grappling dummy. I would have took the honest Romeoblood ruite and not attended at all.

Someone has taken the time to set up a comp and put rules in place. If you don't like them. Respect them like Romeoblood did and don't go. What did you really gain from this, Gilani?

Knowledge and ego boost that you can beat people with little or no experience? Unless you want to have everyone bitching about you/your gym you shouldn't be doing this. It's poor practice. Cons outweigh the pros and you got a shiny gold sprayed piece of tin on a ribben for being a cheat. Well done. Hope your gym is proud of you and hang that medal in a trophy cabinet for all in the gym to see.

If I where a coach at Fighters Hive, I'd have a word with him and tell him he has embarressed the name of their gym that they have worked for.

Good work McBB on pointing out people who are not abiding rules of comps. Anyone planning on sandbagging should beware this guy will expose you. For people who set up comps. I don't know how you're to please everyone.... But good work for actually being arsed setting one up.