The game is always changing… 

1993 saw one of the most pivotal upsets in combat sport history when Royce Gracie, a 79kg Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, submitted numerous opponents in succession across all styles to become the first ever UFC tournament champion.

Grappling had hit the mainstream. Practitioners of striking based arts such as boxing, kickboxing, and karate, who were unfamiliar with submission grappling, proved to be unprepared to deal with its submission techniques. As competitions became more and more common, those with a base in striking arts became more competitive as they cross-trained in styles based around takedowns and submission holds. Likewise, those from the varying grappling styles added striking techniques to their arsenal. This increase of cross-training resulted in fighters becoming increasingly multi-dimensional and well-rounded in their skill-sets. The martial arts evolved more in the ten years following 1993 than in the preceding 700 years combined.

'Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.' 

—Bruce Lee

This spirit of adaptation and evolution is what 50/50 Lockers is all about.  We wanted to create a brand that celebrates the breadth and unhindered development of the sport.

Leglocks?

Yeah. We love them

In recent years some grappling purists have frowned on the leg lock game.  Guard passing is one of the hardest things to do in Jiu-Jitsu and it’s highly valued as a skill. Attacking your opponents’ legs was considered dirty or cheap. Rather than doing the “hard” thing and passing someone’s guard, you go straight for a leg attack. In 1951 jiu-jitsu instructor Oswaldo Fadda issued a challenge to the Gracie Academy to prove his worth. The contest was proposed through O Globo (The Globe), Brazil's most popular publication. 

‘We wish to challenge the Gracies. We respect them like the formidable adversaries they are, but we do not fear them. We have 20 pupils ready for the dispute’

—Oswaldo Fadda

Fadda’s team emerged victorious, winning 19 of the 20 matches. Most were said to be won by the use of leg locks. Witnesses to the events stated that Helio’s students would shout “Sapateiro” at Fadda’s students when they would attempt a leg lock. It translates to “cobbler”, which was considered a poor man’s occupation. It is rumoured that this is why leg locks were frowned on. Until the recent IBJJF rule change, reaping the knee was illegal even in high level jiu jitsu competition.

Well things are changing.  Nothing is off-limits.  And the sport is growing. Don’t get us wrong - we love our strikers and our Guarderios... but at 50/50 Lockers,  Sapateiro’s are part of the family too. 

Our Philosophy

Nothing is off limits.  We embrace change. Dean lister famously said “Why would you ignore 50% of the human body?” when making a case for the pursuit of leg-locks. 

‘Why would you ignore 50% of the human body?’

—Dean Lister

Indeed...  Why ignore striking in favour of grappling? Why ignore no-gi in favour of gi?

To us, “50/50” is not just a leg entanglement.  It is a reminder that there is always something else to learn and improve. 

It is a reminder that in combat sports there is always another way and we all need to keep learning.