WATCH LIVE: Greg Souders vs. Dan Manasoiu and Tom DeBlass Debate on Ecological Training

Greg Souders, a vocal advocate for ecological training methods in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has agreed to a live debate with ADCC veterans Dan Manasoiu and Tom DeBlass. This debate is set to ignite the BJJ community, as it pits the innovative ecological approach against traditional training techniques.

Will Souders’ controversial, but very popular views hold up under scrutiny, or will Manasoiu and DeBlass dismantle his arguments? The stage is set for an explosive showdown on Jan 29, which will be streamed live.

Who is Greg Souders?

Greg Souders is a prominent figure in the BJaJ world, known for his strong advocacy of ecological training methods. His approach emphasizes learning through natural, intuitive movements rather than rigid, traditional techniques.

Souders has been a polarizing figure, with some praising his innovative ideas and others criticizing them as undermining the core principles of BJJ. He has also never been shy about expressing his feelings on how the methodology beats the old-school, ‘flawed’ way of teaching BJJ that made the sport popular around the world in the first place.

Eco vs the World: A Looming Debate Challenge

The debate stems from Souders’ recent criticisms of renowned instructor John Danaher’s teaching methods. Well, sort of. Souders never directly attacked Danaher, just argued that his instructional DVDs, particularly the converted leg locks marathon, are repetitive and lack substantive content.

The result was a heated response from Manasoiu, who trains under Danaher. The challenge for a live debate was issued later by Manasoiu, and Souders promptly accepted, setting the stage for a very interesting clash of training ideologies in Jiu-Jitsu.

“This flawed concept has been spreading unchecked in Jiu-Jitsu for too long, and it is time to challenge it head-on. I’m tired of watching it mislead dedicated practitioners and dilute the essence of the sport,” Big Dan announced.

“The entire Jiu-Jitsu community will thank me for finally addressing this and setting the record straight.”

Greg Souders’ acceptance of the debate challenge was met with both applause and skepticism. Some see it as an opportunity to shed light on alternative training methods, while others view it as an unnecessary conflict.

The debate, which is set to be streamed live, promises to be a heated exchange of ideas, with Souders defending his ecological approach against the traditional methods championed by Dan Manasoiu and Tom DeBlass.

Big Dan Manasoiu’s Blistering Critique in Defense of Danaher

Dan Manasoiu, known as “Big Dan,” did not mince words when criticizing Souders. In a series of social media posts, Manasoiu blasted Souders for his arrogance and accused him of disrespecting John Danaher’s legacy.

He claimed that Souders is only “providing misinformation and diluting the essence of the sport with his flawed concept” of the Ecological Approach. Manasoiu’s scathing remarks have only added fuel to the fire, making the upcoming debate one of the most anticipated events in the BJJ community.

“For thousands of years, all of human progress across every culture and discipline has been built on the foundation of passing knowledge down through generations, refining and improving it over time,” Manasoiu wrote on social media.

“This approach completely undermines that tradition, discarding hard-earned wisdom in favor of empty rhetoric that does nothing but confuse and mislead serious practitioners.”

Tom DeBlass Steps In

Tom DeBlass, who seems to have a hand in everything happening in BJJ these days, also shared his views of how Souder’s approach is “flawed” and alludes to Greg as being “arrogant” and his methods “unproven”.

“He has an arrogance about him that is very irritating. Im all about positional training with specific goals in mind. Fight from half guard both people looking for underhooks. Start in the triangle position and look to hold without allowing your opponent to escape while your opponent tries to escape,” shared DeBlass.

“I simply don’t like the arrogance. I met him in person once or twice and he’s always been kind. However he talks shit online and i don’t get it. People are entitled to their different approaches, but don’t sh*t on people who have proven themselves for decades.”

Do we Really Need this Debate?

The debate between Greg Souders, Dan Manasoiu, and Tom DeBlass is more than just a clash of personalities; it represents a broader discussion about the evolution of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Most coaches are divided on the efficacy of ecological training methods, with some arguing that they offer a more natural and adaptive approach to learning, while others, which remain the majority, maintain that traditional techniques are foundational to the art.

If Souders’ ecological approach gains traction, it could lead to a shift in how practitioners train and develop their skills. Conversely, if Manasoiu and DeBlass effectively counter Souders’ arguments, it could reinforce the importance of traditional training methods.

The real question is do we really need such a debate, or should we allow everyone to train the way they want to and let results speak for themselves? The debate live stream is scheduled for January 29, at 2 PM EST.

Final Thoughts

Nobody knows what’s the “correct” way to train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu if there is one such way. There is a lot of merit to training the old-school way, the so-called “Eco” way, which is more precisely a subset of the Constraints Led Appraoch or using a hybrid of them all.

I’ve done all over the course of more than 30 years in martial arts, 15 of which in BJJ, and I prefer the CLA for the time being. While curious about the debate, I doubt it’ll change anything in anyone’s mind, to be honest.