Nick Rodriguez exception or the rule

[hswrestler]

You think he's an exception or the precursor to a trend. D3 wrestler trains in bjj, then gets runner up to ADCC as a blue belt. If a D3 wrestler could do it, it is likely that there are plenty of former D1 wrestlers that are levels above Rodriguez in physicality and skill that could pull off something similar. Of course, the issue is that they would have to take time training in BJJ, a new sport with little financial reward so it wouldn't be very financially appealing.

 

[lechien]

Nick only done one year of college wrestling.
Then he moved on to BJJ.

I doubt lot of wrestlers would be keen to go down the bjj path if they still have a chance at competing in wrestling.

 

[HunterAcosta]

Think of lot of ex wrestlers , even top high school ones could transition well to bjj/sub grappling but Nick had the advantage of training with the Arguably tgreatest coach and team AND no gi grappler alive on a daily basis . Huge advantage to get good real real fast if you’re inclined .

 

[Chandler sama]

He's the exception. He had a lot of luck on his side. Of course he trained hard, but I'd say his circumstances played a big part in his silver medal.

Although many people know he won the trails to get into ADCC, he also lost one of the trials. He lost to a D1 wrestler who is also a blue/purple belt. At ADCC they didn't meet because the other wrestler was eliminated. Also I don't think Nicky Rod scored any points on anyone and won by ref decisions. That's not to say that isn't an accomplishment, because to do that well against experienced competitors is amazing, but the decisions easily could have gone another way. The last thing to keep in mind is that in the HW division people want to wrestle and will gas out quickly. Nicky used this to his advantage. The lighter weights don't gas out and won't even try to wrestle with him.

I'm not saying wrestlers can't win, but the idea that you could take a D1 wrestler and give him 2 years of BJJ and have him winning ADCC doesn't seem to be true. In Nick's division there was a high level D1 wrestler with a few years of BJJ and he lost.

 

[Bubblun]

Dude is 250 jacked and moves like a 150 pounds guy, that's the biggest factor, more than his mediocre wrestling skills.

He is by far the best athlete in the ultra heavyweight division in bjj history, put a little wrestling skills on top of that and he is already a problem for anyone in ADCC rules.

 

[Mcmoon]

Definitely think he is partly the exception but I think being in the heaviest weight class definitely helps. I believe when you get that heavy it is just a slightly different game. Mark Kerr won adcc with brute strength and wrestling. You don't see that kind of success in the smaller weight classes.

 

[RemyR]

His background helps, but that fact that he seems to be pretty die hard in the training room and he’s doing it with Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, and co under John Danaher definitely helps. If he was learning BJJ at some other gym I doubt he’d have the same success. That being said I don’t think there’s any grappler on the planet that thinks a wrestling background is a bad thing for sub grappling.