I'll have much more to say about this in the days to come. And while I think this is ultimately an irrelevant issue for jiu-jitsu (which will be what it will be), I do think it is interesting to ask: (1) what drives creative variation in jiu-jitsu, (2) when do these variations become true innovations, and (3) when, if ever, do these innovations actually start to represent an evolution in the art of jiu-jitsu that must be recognized by all who practice it.
My short answers are (1) everything from boredom to physical limitation to competitive experience, (2) when the techniques prove able to deliver consistent success under testing - ideally by more than one competitor , and (3) when the techniques survive from one generation to another. But more later.
