Saulo Ribeiro talks about how Helio Gracie's creed was not that he would always defeat his adversary, but that his adversary would never defeat him.
I found myself thinking about that having rewatched a little of the GSP v. BJ Penn rematch earlier today and now after training reading a Sherdog thread on Brock Lesnar victory over Frank Mir. Even for someone whose first introduction to grappling was Boys Club wrestling in 3rd grade, there is a part of me that still hates seeing jiu jitsu guys get finished by wrestlers. Fortunately it's a smaller and smaller part - it's completely irrational and in both cases wrong-headed. Those victories by GSP and Brock actually proved that all was right with the world - or at least the world of fighting.
But maybe most disappointing is the way that both BJ and Frank lost. Neither was at a great shortage of words before their respective rematches. And to see them both so summarily silenced was stunning in a way. But more painful was to see two talented - world class if you want - jiu jitsu fighters unable to use their jiu jitsu to defend themselves.
Compare that with Diego Sanchez's losing performance against Jon Fitch, which should probably win an award for the most effective jiu jitsu against a wrestler in a losing context. Diego does not win. But he doesn't lose either. And his jiu jitsu was the difference.
I'd argue that Florian's loss to Sean Sherk might be part of that group of fights, as well. Kenny never gains the advantage on the ground. But he never loses his capacity for defense against Sherk's relentless top game. I think Kenny wins that rematch - standing or on the ground.
I remember Rodrigo telling a teammate a few years back (a teammate who was a blue belt at the time and whom I haven't seen since), that "jiu jitsu doesn't make you Superman." That's true. But your jiu jitsu should at least enable you to pass the Helio Test against an otherwise "equally" matched opponent in a mixed martial arts contest. You have to be able to survive.
