By the Practitioners of a Freer Grappling World
We the People of American Jiu-Jitsu, in pursuit of better leverage, clearer minds, and cleaner mats, do solemnly declare our independence from all forms of control that do not serve progression. We are not rebelling against our roots, but rather honoring them the only way Americans know how—though innovation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that no grappler should be bound by ritual, costume, or ceremony that does not improve the craft itself. That no one should be forced to bow to a photograph before learning to pass a guard. That Tradition without understanding is obedience, not mastery.
We declare freedom from false gods and sacred cows. No figure, living or dead, shall be worshiped as infallible on these mats. The art belongs to the people who practice it, not to the ones who trademark it and respect is to be freely given, not demanded by rank.
We declare freedom from all politics—national, social, or bjj-born. The mats are neutral ground. No red versus blue, no team versus team, only you versus who you were yesterday. Here, every person—man, woman, child, cop, or competitor—all united by respect, effort, and shared struggle. We live this way because the community makes jiu jitsu special, not the other way around.
We claim the right to innovate. To blend wrestling, judo, sambo, and anything else that helps us control chaos.
We Claim the right to ask “why,”without fear, to innovate with passion, and to cross-train without shame. The moment we stop questioning is the moment Jiu-Jitsu stops evolving.
We affirm that the truest freedom begins with control—first of self, then of ego, and then of opponent.
We Affirm that rank is not royalty; it is responsibility. Let no grappler forget the humility that they were blessed with after receiving their first Jiu Jitsu beat down.
And so, we, the undersigned practitioners of American Jiu Jitsu, pledge to build this art upon freedom, equality, and innovation. We will support one another’s evolution, defend one another’s right to think differently, and challenge one another to suck less every day.
But let it also be known: American Jiu Jitsu can only fall from within. When evil arises—when power is abused, when the weak are mistreated, when our freedom is used as an excuse for abuse—we must speak out. We will not allow darkness to wear our flag. For as long as we stand together, humble yet unbreakable, the art of American Jiu-Jitsu will live free.
Oh yeah, and Hulk Hogan’s Theme Song is our National Anthem
Signed
– Josh McKinney and the Free Men and Women of American Jiu Jitsu
