The former UFC bantamweight champion is not just discussing technique when he talks about Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Merab Dvalishvili is confident jiu-jitsu is all a person needs to defend themselves.
Dvalishvili’s journey into grappling arts started young but his message about jiu-jitsu goes beyond any single timeline.
“I start jiu-jitsu early age because I start judo early age because jiu-jitsu is the best,” Dvalishvili explains. “Even if you don’t do anything else, long as you have jiu-jitsu you fine. You go walk whatever you want, you can choke people, tap out people.”
It is a bold claim rooted in the fundamental reality of what jiu-jitsu offers. Unlike striking arts that require significant athletic attributes like speed power or reach, jiu-jitsu operates on leverage and technique.
The ability to control submit or neutralize an opponent through positional dominance and joint manipulation does not fade with age the same way explosive athleticism does.
What makes Dvalishvili’s perspective particularly valuable is his refusal to gatekeep the art behind arbitrary timelines.
“Jiu-jitsu, it’s never late you guys,” he emphasizes to those who might think they have missed their window. “If you guys like I don’t know who’s training, who’s not training jiu-jitsu never late. You can still learn. It’s better late than never, you know.”
Dvalishvili si pointing toward something deeper about jiu-jitsu’s unique position in martial arts. While other disciplines might favor youth and physical attributes, jiu-jitsu rewards patience problem solving and incremental improvement. A 40 year old beginner can still develop legitimate skills that translate to real world capability.
The confidence Dvalishvili describes, the ability to “walk whatever you want,” is not about promoting recklessness. It reflects the quiet assurance that comes from knowing your limits and what you can and can’t do under stress. That knowledge changes how you carry yourself how you assess situations and how you respond to potential threats.
For anyone who has ever considered starting a martial art but hesitated due to age fitness level or prior experience, Dvalishvili’s message is clear, the barriers are largely self imposed. The art remains accessible effective and worth pursuing regardless of when you begin.
