“Where Does It End? Midgets Wrestling?”

ADCC champion and fifth-degree black belt Robert Drysdale has voiced serious concerns about the current state of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, taking aim at what he sees as its growing obsession with entertainment.

In a recent interview, Drysdale didn’t hold back…And one match in particular drew his nerves: the exhibition between Craig Jones and Gabi Garcia.

Drysdale used it as a symbol of what he believes is a worrying trajectory for BJJ:

We saw Craig wrestle Gabi Garcia. I mean, why? Where does it end? Midgets wrestling in the mud?Midgets wrestling on the moon?

You know, like, when does it stop?

For Drysdale, it’s not just about one match – it’s about the cumulative impact of prioritizing entertainment over the essence of martial arts.

He likened the trend to a drug that requires bigger and more outrageous doses to keep the crowd hooked:

Once you give someone a dose of any kind of dr*g, you can’t go back and give them a smaller dose the next round.It’s got to be a bigger one and a bigger one.

And where does it end?Well, we know where it ended for catch wrestling. WWE.

He then contrasted today’s Instagram-savvy athletes with a previous generation that scorned vanity and placed value on martial authenticity:

If you took a camera to a tournament, it was embarrassing. It was shameful. People owed you…They would rip you apart.

Your own teammates would reprimand you because they would go: “What are you, a fighter or a model? Put that camera away.”

To Drysdale, the problem lies in incentivizing hype over substance.He compared it to MMA promotion tactics, noting that audiences are often drawn to personalities and drama more than actual skill:

There’s a reason why McGregor sells more tickets than Khabib or whoever else – because your grandma understands him.

Because it’s drama. It’s a soap opera.