In a recent episode of Jake Shields‘ podcast with guest Matt Serra, former UFC and Strikeforce champion Jake Shields found himself addressing one of the most controversial topics in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu circles: his decision to award Derek Moneyberg a black belt after just 3.5 years of training. Rather than backing down from criticism, Shields offered a passionate defense of both his decision and Moneyberg‘s legitimate abilities.
The controversy surrounding Moneyberg, a multimillionaire who has drawn ire from the BJJ community for receiving his black belt in what many consider record time, has sparked intense debate about belt standards and whether wealth can influence promotion timelines. Critics have accused Moneyberg of essentially “buying” his belt, but Shields vehemently rejected these claims during his discussion with Serra.
“The thing is, he’s good,”
Shields stated emphatically.
“He got it really quick, but every week he brings a different top MMA star or jitsu guy to his house and has hours of privates.”
Shields went on to detail the caliber of instruction Moneyberg receives, naming elite grapplers including Gordon Ryan, Mikey Musumeci, Gilbert Burns and Lyoto Machida among the rotating cast of world-class coaches who regularly train with the controversial black belt.
What many critics fail to understand, according to Shields, is the sheer volume and quality of training Moneyberg commits to.
“When you’re doing like four hour privates a day with the best in the world, you’re going to get good,”
Shields explained.
“If you don’t get good a lot quicker, you’re an idi0t.”
Shields revealed that Moneyberg‘s promotion wasn’t handed to him on a silver platter. When the student initially asked about advancing to black belt, Shields refused and instead provided him with an extensive list of requirements that needed to be met.
“I gave him this long list of things that I didn’t think he could meet,”
Shields admitted.
“But then he met the standards.”
The requirements weren’t merely theoretical demonstrations but included defeating legitimate black belts in sparring sessions.
“I had some guys he had to tap,”
Shields disclosed, adding that when he witnessed Moneyberg successfully submitting established black belts, he felt obligated to honor his word.
“When I see him tapping out other good black belts, I can’t not keep my word.”
One of the most compelling aspects of Shields‘ defense was his explanation of why video evidence of Moneyberg‘s abilities isn’t widely available.
“I can’t put the footage of him like tapping someone known,”
Shields explained, citing the understandable reluctance of established practitioners to have their defeats publicized.
Shields also addressed the broader philosophical question about what truly constitutes earning a black belt in modern BJJ. He emphasized that while Moneyberg pays for high-level instruction, the actual skill development comes through legitimate training.
“You’re not buying the belt because you’re really doing the hours,”
he argued.
The former champion also noted Moneyberg‘s character, explaining that elite MMA stars wouldn’t continue working with him if he were disrespectful or difficult.
“We have respect,”
Shields stated.
“If he treated us with any disrespect, they’re not going to be coming back.”
At 46 years old, Moneyberg represents a different demographic in BJJ – the adult student who can afford premium instruction but still must put in the physical and mental work to develop legitimate skills. Shields compared this to his broader philosophy about belt promotion, noting that he evaluates students based on their improvement from when they first started training, regardless of age or background. All that said, it’s hard to take Shields seriously considering even Mikey Musumeci and Royce Gracie are backtracking on praising this promotion.
