There was something a little surreal about watching Ryron and Rener Gracie, instructors at the Gracie Academy and grandsons of the legendary Helio Gracie, explain the submission known as The Twister on their post UFC Fight Night 24 video breakdown. If you are late to this story, Chan Sung Jung aka "The Korean Zombie", submitted Leonard Garcia late in the second round, getting the tap with one second (yes, you read that right) left on the clock. It was the first time this particular submission has been used in UFC competition, and Joe Rogan nearly hurt himself containing the excitement. Ironically, it was employed by a fighter who has never trained with the man who made it famous, Eddie Bravo.

Eddie Bravo is a second degree BJJ black belt (under Jean-Jacques Machado) who famously submitted, as a brown belt, the jiu-jitsu superstar Royler Gracie at the 2003 ADCC submission wrestling championship. Afterwards, he went on to found The 10th Planet Jiu-jitsu System and Schools. No stranger to the spotlight (he is an accomplished musician and band leader) he lives unapologetically and often takes positions that are controversial to say the least. Nevertheless, his Jiu-jitsu system has made certain submissions and set-ups famous. The Twister is one of his most famous moves (Rubber Guard is another often associated with 10th Planet).

Jiu-jitsu organizations are like any other human organization in that they have politics. There are rivalries and grudges and claims and counter-claims of authenticity (or the lack there of); certain schools do not get along with other schools; certain instructors accuse other instructors of ... well ... you name it. If you actively train and/or compete in BJJ, you know exactly what I am talking about. If you are primarily a MMA fan, this might be news to you. In truth, it is not that big of a deal and probably says more about human nature than Jiu-jitsu.

That said, after Eddie Bravo's submission by triangle of Royler Gracie in 2003, there seemed to develop a certain tension between many of the students of the Gracie schools and those of the 10th Planet system. As far as I know, the actual Gracie family was the very picture of good sportsmanship, and this tension played out more among the students of the respective schools than the principles. However, if you want examples of this tension, try visiting the forums of the competitive organizations within Jiu-jitsu and search the posts for references to Eddie Bravo or 10th Planet. Eddie Bravo was (is) perceived by some as disrespecting the art, abandoning the gi, polluting the pure tradition, etc. Here again, this will not be news to those of you who actually train.

Ryron and Rener Gracie put all of this into perspective when they very pointedly sent a shout out to Eddie Bravo at the beginning of their UFC Fight Night 24 review and breakdown. These young men are extremely likeable and extremely knowledgeable. They transmit an enthusiasm and love for Jiu-jitsu and its heritage that is almost touching. They did not have to mention Eddie Bravo. As grandsons of Helio Gracie, they have the bluest-bloods in the Jiu-jitsu aristocracy. They could have skipped to the wrestling history of The Twister and been completely accurate, as Eddie Bravo himself points out that he did not invent the technique. But they acknowledged the man who made the submission famous. Moreover, they explained the judo leg-lock setup using Eddie Bravo's name for it, The Lockdown.

The point is that MMA has so accelerated the...