5 Things We Can Learn from Mark Zuckerberg’s BJJ Comp

Mark Zuckerberg Gave A Masterclass on Vulnerability

Everyone is going crazy over seeing Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg compete and win some matches by submission and lose a few on points at a local tournament in Redwood City, CA. I cannot lie, I was deeply impressed. But not for the reasons you think. I’m hyped that he won some matches by submission. But it is way deeper than that. Walk with me for a bit on this one.

Mark Zuckerberg on Joe Rogan Podcast talking his path in BJJ .Photo Cred. JRE Podcast

What I believe is missing in the visual spectacle of the tournament is the vulnerability, willingness to learn and courage it took for him to compete. People do not understand that the San Francisco Bay Area is a literal shark tank of martial arts activity. No matter what style of martial arts you like The Bay Area has some of the best BJJ, Thai Boxing, Enshin Karate, Judo, and Kung-Fu you can ever hope to find on earth.

Guerilla Jiu, the team Zuck is on, is blocks away from schools like world champion competitor and coach Caio Terra, Heroes Martial Arts, Ralph Gracie, AKA, Claudio Franca and many other supremely tough BJJ schools. There is no easy path in jiu-jitsu. But this is specially true in San Jose. But Zuck chose this. Shout out to his coaches @davecamarillo @khaiwu and @intenseone on IG for training him. Guerilla Jiu-Jitsu team led by legendary American BJJ competitor David Camarillo. Dave is one of the best in the mix. I’ve known Dave him since 1997. Dave and his brother Dan are razor sharp competitors and coaches. They say more than 90% of those who start BJJ quit in the first 2 years. I assure not everyone can hang with the intensity of their training regimen. But Zuck can.

The point is, that he could have taken privates with Dave Camarillo forever, bragged on FB about it every month (like so many celebrities do) and stayed in the comfort of his SF mansion. Zuck could have just shot some highlight reels and his new belt whenever he got promoted and let the internet trolls wonder for eternity “How good was he, honestly? I bet he sucks and just pays Dave to get the belts” etc. This is what a lot of BJJ celebs do. Not Zuck though.

Now we have a picture of him sitting on a guys torso about to break the dudes shoulder. Do you realize the courage it took for him to go up against a total stranger (trained in the same art, in the same weight class) in a public competition anybody could sign up for? But the same truth is Zuck could have almost gotten his shoulder broken and be in a pic with the world making memes of him forever. Mark Zuckerberg is that good though. That’s a brave dude. Are you as brave as Zuck?

Does this mean he can beat John Jones? Not yet. Does it mean he could win the next ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) open tournament? I don’t know. But we do know he has the will to at least explore his potential in the sport.

Zuckerberg’s teacher Dave Camarillo taught me on my first day at the Ralph Gracie Academy alongside two time Strikeforce champion Bobby Southworth in 1997. This was before either of them had names in BJJ or MMA. What they did have, was mental and physical toughness beyond most and a dedication to learn and execute whatever Ralph taught them, on any challenger who came through the door. It was a long way away from manicured juice bars and acai bowls with extra granola that we have at schools today. Todays students are lucky. Trust me.

Dave and his brother Dan went onto become a two man crime wave inside the jiu-jitsu competition scene. Everyone in Dan and Dave’s weight class knew the L was coming 99.9% of the time. Mostly via flying armbar, or flying triangle. To describe them as relentless is an understatement.

Then there was the infamous story of Dave breaking of a 240+ pound judoka who came into fight Ralph. Ralph said we can get down if you can get through Dave. Dave stepped up (giving up more than 60 pounds for sure). Dave put the guy in his patented armlock. The big guy was walking off the mat with Dave hanging upside down on his arm. He intended to walk outside and slam Dave. Ralph reportedly told the guy to stop walking off the mat and locked the front door (in anticipation of delivering a historic ass whupping on the judoka). Before the guy made it to the door Dave snapped his arm, crumbling the giant to the floor. I’m telling you Dave is a legit legend and coach of multiple UFC and Bellator champions. Here is the man who gave me my black belt, Alan “Gumby” Marques explaining Dave’s history of destruction on the earth. Don’t let the smooth taste fool you. Folks is dangerous out here.

So, he chose Dave to coach him, and goofy dudes are online are pretending they can walk through Zuck. That is hilarious. Military strategist Niccolo Machiavelli said that you can know the wisdom of a man based on the men he keeps around him. Mark Zuckerberg is in great jiu-jitsu company- I assure you.

If that is not enough, Dave just finished doing a lot of the stunt choreography in John Wick 4! Now imagine for a moment all the focus Zuck has within him already. If he puts the same passion into his game as he does into coding and branding, it’s safe to say he’s gonna stay dangerous. So lets recap what we just learned from Mark Zuckerberg, we?

1. Mark Zuckerberg sacrificed all imagined and real negative public opinion about who he is and what he should do with his life, to learn and compete in BJJ. That takes courage.
2. Zuck chose to learn new things in an area he had zero skills in (nobody learns BJJ by accident) to find out more about himself and the world around him. This meant he had to lose a lot. Feel pain a lot. It means he was ok with failing forward until he acquired the skills he sought. That takes discipline.
3. To do BJJ one has to change more than merely what one thinks about martial arts, fighting or competing. You often have to change your dietary habits, how late you stay up at night, most will benefit from quitting drinking alcohol, smoking and other useless habits. Zuck chose an overall life shift over his billion dollar safe zone. That takes self control.
4. By competing against other men trained in the same discipline and weight class he accepted that anything was possible. He accepted the potential reality that he could lose and stepped into that uncertainty fearlessly. That takes faith.
5. By losing some of this matches on points, and winning others by submission holds he showed that he can win and lose with the same dignity. BJJ teaches those who pursue it early. Zuck showed that he belonged to the community and the community respected him back because they know what it takes to prepare and the risk involved anytime they step on the mat to compete. One of my private students sent me one of the matches he lost and Zuck was not happy. But he shook it off and kept it moving. That takes follow through and maturity under pressure.

Other celebs to put it on the line in BJJ include Saved By The Bell’s Mario Lopez and Batman villain star Tom Hardy. If these men, with all of their skills and money and status were brave enough to train and compete in BJJ the real question is- what’s stopping you? I challenge you now, no matter you age, weight, gender etc,, to find a school in your area and try BJJ today! I promise it will be one of the best things you can do for health and self discovery. Good luck.

Extra props to @officialbjjtour for hosting an amazing and historic event!!!

Adisa Banjoko is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and martial arts historian who has lectured at Harvard, Stanford, University of Connecticut and Oberlin on martial arts history and philosophy. He co-produced and is featured in a short film called Rhythm of the Dragon about the history of Bruce Lee’s history as a Cha Cha dancer at the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco. Go check it out today!