You are right, they are not. I think where the controversy lies is in the claim of equivalence. By using the BJJ system of ranking, they are stating they are on par with them. They may very well be, they may not be. BJJ has a long history of backing up any claim they make. They used this to secure their validity in the martial community. Can this group make the same claim? IMO it is like a mockingbird pretending to be another bird so that it can get a free meal. It isn't fair for a system to sacrifice and develop a set of standards so that someone else can pretend to do the same and gain from it. Imitation may be a form of flattery, but it is still a form of stolen valor. They could have easily created any type of ranking system, hell some TKD schools have a camouflage belt. It isn't hard to create a ranking system, no need to steal one from a respected style. Let alone a Japanese one for a Chinese style, China has a Duan system they could have used.
I guess I've never really cared much what ranks were in other styles, as long as it worked for them. It seems an uninteresting controversy to me.
Personally, I could care less about rank or association. But to some people or organizations (especially the military) trying to align yourself or put yourself in the same league as someone else without proving it is a big deal. It's deceitful, I get it but nothing to loose sleep over. People can do what they like, they just need to realize there may be consequences to deal with. In this instance it was something that could have easily been avoided, they purposely choose to mimic BBJ in structure to ride the coat tails of their reputation. To each their own, but beware retaliation from those prepared to defend any honor they feel challenged.
When I watched it, I said to my wife, "Somebody needs to give him a quick slap. That'll move that head back."
Agreed. He was taking advantage of the bodyshot-only format, getting in more bodyshots because he was leaning his head in. Just one slap would have removed that advantage.
Just FYI, the idea, and I think it's a good one, is that a blue belt for kids is like the black belt for adults. Kids work toward their first adult rank. And also, fwiw, this has not changed significantly since at least 2005 when I started training.
That's because it's camouflaged.
