Who are the most elite Jiu-Jitsu athletes who could do well in MMA?

I need to start cutting like Derek bro has been locked in

Should ask. How many of the top guys in BJJ can transition intl MMA, AND pass a drug test?

I dunno tbh. Current way the heavyweight division is, it really favours knockout guys. Not many wrestling/bjj base guys

Whats his hat say "marsk he...?"

They all get laid out

None of came bjj isn’t even that big of a part of mma anymore

Nicky would have to cut down to welterweight in order to have a chance yet he would get manhandled

Good to see there is one honest bjj guy out there. Gordan ryan or whatever generally thinks he could beat a prime tyson in a street fight naturally because he knows bjj. Delusional

I love bjj and doing it myself but let’s get real here most of not all will get destroyed at the top 10 or even the top 15

Uh bale benzema and Messi? 2 b d’or winners and one who probably had the talent to get one if Messi and CR7 weren’t around.

Literally nobody from BJJ could pass a PED test 😂😂😂😂

Woah has Derek hopped off the sauce or something?

I need to see Derek take a BJJ class, or visit Dr Mike and they both do one with Mike’s coach Josh Vogel.

no hate at all but is Derek having health issues or just chose to go full natty? he seems to have downsized a lot. Still great info tho no hate intended at all im just curious.

Everyone wonders about this but the truth is some people don’t want to do MMA; Teddy Riner would probably be the king of Heavyweight, but he just doesn’t want to.

Bjj is not as much as a super power as people think. Top position is far more superior. Wrestling, judo , sambo. Bjj is worst case scenario. Plus a lot of people don’t understand how good people are at striking now. U have to be fluent in like 5 languages to be a high level mma guy. U can’t just have grappling anymore

1. Drug tests. 2. Getting punched in the face changes a lot

The Ruotolos aint outstriking or outgrappling UFC 155ers in MMA

I think Nicky Rod could be heavyweight champ if he transitions soon. Hard to pick him against Bones or Francis, but I like him against Aspinal, Gane, Stipe, etc.

Who cares honestly

LoL Kade did some MMA at CJI

Kade for sure has the best chance at having the most successful transition. He’s already at the top of grappling, his wrestling is solid, he’s tough, and he’s so young. If he keeps putting effort into mma he can be a serious problem in a few years. The Dagestanys are taking over but Kades style would be a nightmare for those guys.

Drug tests for one and even the BEST BJJ guys have to completely change once striking gets involved. Gilbert burns talked about in an interview with someone on how much he had to change his BJJ game when he went into MMA.

Nicky Rod would not do well. He doesnt know how to strike.

A lot of them wouldn’t pass a drug test unfortunately

BJJ is old news kickboxers strykers are dominating.

No BJJ high level athlete will ever do well in MMA basically cuz of drug testing

Too easy, mate😂

All the top MMA fighters have a good ground BJJ game too.

Bjj became such a small part of mma now. The novelty has worn off, and people are bored watching it

Wthhh mpmd and kreg

MMA grappling is quite different to BJJ. Though having a BJJ base gives you a big advantage when learning MMA

Nicky Rod hasn’t beat Gordon either

Rod could be good at middleweight since that division doesn’t have that many skilled wrestlers right now. If he could get in close on some of them he could do some damage in that division. He’s still young enough to learn the striking aspect.

Really good point about the bigger athletes going into higher paying sports.

getting punched in the head changes everything... I have seen plenty of excellent grapplers through the years who didn't have the personality/mindset of getting hit. Not to mention many techniques needs to be changed or outright dropped all together once striking is involved.

Not mentioning seman Hands (his friend) is really a back stabbing move…

BJJ doesnt produce the best athletes. its the worst base for MMA.

I think luke rockhold said it best. In jiu jitsu you gotta worry about getting put in an arm bar or whatever but in mma you gotta worry about that AND getting hit in the face.

The rutolos can’t strike, he couldn’t land a 3 piece of slaps and the guy didn’t guard or dodge, he just missed.

Kade has outgrappled Sambo world champions in One. So, I think he could make a good transition.

You should know how to fight even if you don't.

Nicky Rod is 28 and just got a million bucks from 1 tournament. No way he’s transitioning to MMA - he’d get beat up so bad in sparring for 2 years he’d lose the will.

Cool 😎

MMA transition sounds "easy " till your "guard game " isn't as solid as you've been told with elbows bouncing off your face.