Blue namer please help me out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk3FUUNQuVA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Comments? 
Seems legit
This garnered quite a few comments and responses. Thanks for the help on the link. Here is the response to all the comments and butthurt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky7AgEJfrvg&feature=youtube_gdata_player
In before Eddie Bravo gets here.
Can a blue namer get that second link for me?
A belt is a RANK above all else and not necessarily a literal piece of a uniform.
Ive grappled for 12yrs....never been in a BJJ class though. I see his point as I hold no official belt rank in the art of BJJ. That being said, I achieve the same results using modified techniques without a gi. Its a circular argument that is endless in its conclusion, imho.
Said while wearing a belt, gi pants and t-shirt
oh the ironing
I wear my black belt in Ninjewstewkowonu to the mall as well as the gi and slippers. Chicks that work at the GAP and Ruby Tuesdays dig that shit.
"If I was talking about you, you'd fucking know it 'cause I'd say your name!" Lmao 
I believe the belt sytem is actually a tradition barrowed from swimming - where they certainly aren't wearing a gi.
"Later the Japanese public schools were using the Kyu / Dan system as a means to rank ability throughout the different athletic departments. These departments were using belts or ribbons to identify ranking ability, most notably within swimming, where advanced swimmers wore a black ribbon around their waist to separate them from beginners in swimming tournaments"
http://www.shiseiryu.com/originsofjudosgradingsystem.htm
In
Dunno about this 10th planet uses a belt grading system because it's mostly based on traditional juijitsu just without the gi. They also get presented with belts by their teacher so the symbolism remins, the belt is more about symbolism than actual function in that mind. If a guy has only done catch wrestling and claims a belt that's bullshit. If a guy does catch wrestling oes to a juijitsu school puts on a gi and does a grading taps people out left right and center then is given a belt by the gym leader and then claims a belt even though he never wears the gi again it's legit.
So what are everyone's thoughts?
general grappling ability and specific rank in a specific martial art or program is not the same thing
one speaks to general ability, the other speaks to familiarity/mastery of a particular curriculum
If your system awards ranks, then you can receive whatever that system gives you be it a belt as some no-gi schools do or armbands as some Muay Thai schools do.
Giving competitors belts gives them some to strive for and is also an easier way to gauge what level people are at.
If your system awards ranks, then you can receive whatever that system gives you be it a belt as some no-gi schools do or armbands as some Muay Thai schools do.
Giving competitors belts gives them some to strive for and is also an easier way to gauge what level people are at.
In old Japanese Jujitsu, a belt is a tool or a weapon only,
and each rank has a name,
Each rank from what is now a days considered non black belt ranks were classed as Ki ranks and each had its own name.
With what is commonly called black belt ranks today, the same held true...they were or are the Dan ranks,
1st Dan is Shodan
2nd Dan is Nidan
3rd Dan is Sandan
and so forth....no rank is displayed on the belt.
my two cents...
danken12 -So what are everyone's thoughts?
Jackson's MMA program has a belt ranking system, but many of his athlete's do not train in a gi. Saying you cannot have a black belt is silly. Saying you have a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when you have never worn a gi IS silly. Should probably have chosen different words.
p.s.
So in my opinion, a Legitimate instructor could award ranks in no-gi, and if awarded a Dan rank,
you would first be a Shodan of no-gi.
His point has at least one valid argument in that you cannot be a blackbelt of no-gi,
though in reality, if your Jujitsu, Judo or Aikido, you wouldn't be called a black belt anyways, except as a general slang term.