\n<\/p>\n
Dan \u201cBig Dan\u201d Manasoiu, a 2024 ADCC bronze medalist and two-time ADCC World Championships competitor with 12 ADCC Open gold medals and a double gold at ADCC Trials, has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Derek Moneyberg\u2019s black belt promotion.<\/strong><\/p>\n Moneyberg has spent much of the past two years as one of the most polarizing names in BJJ, receiving his black belt after roughly three and a half years of training, a timeline that would typically place someone closer to purple belt.<\/p>\n He\u2019s been open about spending around $3 million on private instruction from figures including Jake Shields, Glover Teixeira, Lyoto Machida, and members of the Gracie family, with Shields ultimately awarding him the belt after an estimated 3,000 hours of mat time. Manasoiu, who trains under John Danaher as part of Team New Wave and coaches at Ralph Gracie\u2019s academy, addressed the criticism in a video:<\/p>\n You gotta realize the thing about Derek is that this motherf**ker trains. He\u2019s done more training in jiu-jitsu than most black belts. Who\u2019s he training with? He\u2019s training with Royce [Gracie], he\u2019s training with Jake Shields. These guys are signing off on it. Like, who are you to judge?<\/p>\n Manasoiu was careful not to overstate his defense:<\/p>\n Do I think that he\u2019s a world-class black belt competitor? No, absolutely not. I don\u2019t think that for half a second. I don\u2019t think he\u2019s a world-class grappler. Why are so many people obsessed with it? Like, why are you so obsessed with another man? Like, are you that insecure?<\/p>\n Manasoiu also pointed to how common black belts who do not compete already are:<\/p>\n So many black belts haven\u2019t f**king competed and they got their black belt and nobody thinks twice. \n \ud83d\udca5 What if slowing down was the fastest way to win?<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcad Tired of Getting Smashed by Younger, Stronger Grapplers?<\/p>\n It\u2019s not your age. It\u2019s your strategy.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a passionate grappler over 35 who\u2019s sick of getting outpaced, outmuscled, or out-cardio\u2019d by opponents half your age \u2014 this 120 page e-book<\/strong> was made for you.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udd13 Unlock the Power of Sloth Jiu-Jitsu:<\/p>\n \n Tired of waking up sore and burnt out after lifting?
Moneyberg has never competed in a tournament, a combination of factors that has fueled ongoing online debate.<\/p>\n
We actually do the mathematics on how many hours this guy trains\u2026<\/p>\n
If Derek showed up to a gym and he said that he was a black belt, you wouldn\u2019t question it.<\/p>\n
If I was worth tens of millions of dollars, would I be out there going to risk getting my f**king arm broken?<\/p>\nSloth Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Guide for Calmly Beating Bigger, Younger Opponents <\/h2>\n
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