TRANSCRIPT 🔗
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Alright, alright, alright, welcome to Grappler
News, where we talk about the art of grappling,
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the highs and the blues.
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I'm your host, Steve Hamoen, ready to dive into
the scene, from gi to no-gi, we're covering
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everything in between.
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Let's take a trip to Las Vegas, where the mats
were ablaze, the World Masters Championship had
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us all in a daze.
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Derry's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu warriors came to
fight, Danny Lyttle and Martin McLaughlin,
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shining so bright.
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Danny Lyttle took the stage, a master of his
craft, didn't drop a single point, left his
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opponents aghast.
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He claimed the gold with style, precision in
his play, his dedication to the sport truly on
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display.
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Now Martin McLaughlin, his journey was intense,
fought through a sea of legends, his skills
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were immense.
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He battled the reigning champ, came out on top,
but against Fabio Leopoldo, he just had to
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stop.
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A silver medal for Martin, but let's not
forget, his path to the podium was one we'll
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never regret.
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A year filled with victories, from Europe to
London town, his hard work and perseverance, a
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well-deserved crown.
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These achievements in Vegas, they light a fire
back home, inspiring young grapplers to strive
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and to roam.
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The scene in Northern Ireland, growing strong
and fast, these athletes prove that local
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talent can last.
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So here's to the fighters, the warriors on the
mat, bringing pride to their town, no doubt
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about that.
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Stay tuned for more stories, more grappling
tales, as we continue to follow the jiu-jitsu
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trails.
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But now, let's pivot to a topic that's been
causing quite the stir in the Brazilian
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Jiu-Jitsu community.
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The recent Craig Jones Invitational 2 made
headlines with its staggering two point five
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million dollars in prize payouts.
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Yet, it wasn't just the prize money that caught
everyone's attention.
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There's a mounting outcry from female grapplers
about the stark disparity in opportunities and
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compensation between the men's and women's
divisions.
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The tournament's financial success was
undeniable, with male grapplers receiving ten
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thousand and two dollars just to participate
and submission bonuses reaching a whopping
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fifty thousand dollars each.
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The winning team walked away with one million
dollars, and when controversy erupted over the
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finals result, an anonymous donor even
contributed an additional one million dollars
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to New Wave Jiu-Jitsu.
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Yet, amid this financial windfall, only four
women competed in a single bracket,
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highlighting a glaring imbalance.
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Kendall Reusing took to social media to express
her frustration about her attempts to secure a
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spot at the inaugural CJI event.
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She was told there wasn’t enough time in the
schedule for a second women’s match, despite
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assurances that future events would feature
three one million dollar divisions for parity.
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However, those promises never materialized for
CJI 2.
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The disparity became even more pronounced when
the additional one million dollars was awarded
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to resolve the controversial finals decision.
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Jasmine Rocha pointed out the missed
opportunity, stating, "CJ said there wasn’t
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money for more women’s brackets…
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but when they messed up, they dropped the money
on the men to save face.
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That’s three three hundred thousand dollar
women’s divisions right there."
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The financial implications extend beyond prize
money.
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While male grapplers earned fifty thousand
dollar submission bonuses, no such bonuses were
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offered for women’s matches.
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This oversight seems particularly glaring given
that, as Rocha noted, "the women had some of
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the MOST exciting moments this weekend!"
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Veteran grappler Danielle Kelly, who has been
advocating for smaller grapplers and organizing
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shows since childhood, acknowledged the complex
dynamics at play.
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She noted that historically, "most if not all
men have only put out tournaments and matches
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for females," while recognizing that "there are
far more girls competing now so I see how this
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can be an argument."
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The mathematical reality is stark.
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With forty men competing compared to just four
women, the resource allocation reflects a
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dramatic imbalance in opportunities.
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Female grapplers aren’t necessarily demanding
identical prize purses but are questioning why
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substantial funds could be mobilized instantly
for male divisions while women’s divisions
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remain limited.
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Rocha emphasized that the criticism isn’t about
the overall success of the event: "None of this
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is a complaint.
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But when you have forty men competing and only
four women, it shows how that one hundred and
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fifty thousand dollars could’ve been used to
grow the women’s side too."
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The timing of these revelations is particularly
significant as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu establishes
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itself as financially independent from mixed
martial arts.
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The sport has proven it can generate
substantial revenue and provide meaningful
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compensation to athletes, but the benefits
appear unevenly distributed.
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Female grapplers are now calling for
transparency about future plans and meaningful
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inclusion in the sport’s financial boom.
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They’re not seeking to diminish the
achievements of male grapplers or the overall
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success of events like CJI but rather pushing
for equitable opportunities as the sport
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continues its evolution.
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With millions of dollars now flowing through
grappling competitions, female grapplers are
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demanding their fair share of both
opportunities and resources.
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It seems like a pivotal moment for the sport,
and we’ll be watching closely how it unfolds.
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Well, that wraps up another episode of Grappler
News.
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Thanks for tuning in and keeping up with the
mats.
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Before we go, here's a little jiu-jitsu joke to
leave you with a smile: Why did the jiu-jitsu
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practitioner bring a ladder to the gym?
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Because they heard the competition was on
another level!
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Until next time, keep rolling and keep smiling.