I first want to say I love 10th planet and what Eddie has done for me. My life has been forever changed by his generosity and the care of my teammates. Even though I had to move away for work, I'll always have a special place in my heart for my team and Eddie.
I agree with the criticisms people have of ari. I can't substantiate his background in traditional martial arts outside of aikido. I think much of it is embellished or fabricated. I watched his instructionals and think he leaves a lot to be desired and doesn't have a place in instructing online. Also, the black belt wearing and Carlson book issue were exceedingly disrespectful.
Now, whether he deserves his rank is not up to me, but after rolling with him, he has a lot of work to do. I would not rank him at brown,but those are my standards. I have two purples under me and am hard on them. It took them six years of hard training and lots of sparring to get there. They got their Gi purples before I gave them blues.
As far as Eddie's part is concerned, he has a huge heart and always looks to trust people. That is both a blessing and curse. Its a blessing because it means he shows his love to others everyday. It's a curse because people will take advantage of him, like Brandon. Ari may fit somewhere in between. However, I can't comment on what I don't know about their relationship. What I can say is ari doesn't make Eddie a ton of money. Eddie may lose more money than he makes on ari, and it is probably because of eddies strong heart and loyalty that he stays with him. I know you guys want to speculate about all the big bucks ari throws at Eddie but its not reality. Eddie stays cause of who he is as a compassionate person.
No why put this out there? I write this because it kills me that all 10th planet guys get tainted by him. We had a guy from an affiliate win the adcc trials with a gogoplata. We've had guys like Denny beat some outstanding talent, but all that gets buried cause of ari hate. It fucking sucks. There is this shadow cast over us unfairly, and I wish it would go away.
Eddie has his reasons for keeping him around, not monetary,and I have to respect it, but I don't have to love it. This thread is putting it out there to hopefully reduce the size of the shadow. 
You had two students that were gi purple belts even before you promoted them to blue belts (no gi)? That's hardcore.
They were missing the self defense part and wrestling
Hespect CUO! Maybe some day Eddie will drop Ari as an affiliate.
Great post. It's nice to see when someone has the courage to speak his mind on subjects like this.
Nice post...
I was pretty sure CUO felt that way about Ari --just a guess, lol-- and of course he should NOT get pained by the Ari brush in any way, shape or form. OBVIOUSLY.
If one does BJJ long enough they WILL have disagreements with their teacher, different opinions, see things differently, whatever... It's bound to happen. --I have "issues"/significant disagreements with my own teacher. That's just kinda how it goes.
What Eddie chooses to do for his own reasons, really has nothing to do with CUO or the other 10th planet guys who have trained long and hard for their ranks. I'm sure CUO and some other 10th planet guys wish Eddie felt differently, but he doesn't. So what can you do? I think most of us understand that.
Great post. Thanks man, and no worries. I may not know exactly what is going on between Ari and Eddie, but I don't think there's a shadow. Just one piece of scum trying to cheat the system 
OOUS
seems like eddie promotes his 10 planet affilates faster then the home grown guys.if its not about the $$$$$$$$$$
then what is it?
It's funny I used to think that Brent was a dick but in the last year I have really enjoyed his posts and input on BJJ as a whole.
This is just a side note, I don't care about Ari I just liked this post.
leglockfan - It's funny I used to think that Brent was a dick but in the last year I have really enjoyed his posts and input on BJJ as a whole.
This is just a side note, I don't care about Ari I just liked this post.
You may be right. I am still a dick
12 -seems like eddie promotes his 10 planet affilates faster then the home grown guys.if its not about the $$$$$$$$$$
then what is it?
I think he holds us to a gold standard
money? Maybe, maybe not. Hubris? self grandiosity... I think it goes beyond being good hearted and taken adv of. Why'd Eddie call LI a genious, was he taking part in LI's marketing?
Very nice post though. it's not always right to be painted with the same brush, but it happens. That's why the reputation and lineage is important. I think that this is why the bjj community as a whole is concerned. It taints the reputation of the belt system of bjj as a whole. 10th planet is just closer inside that same circle and more closely associated. The reputation of the larger community relies upon those most closely associated to recognize the problem and do something about it.
12 -
seems like eddie promotes his 10 planet affilates faster then the home grown guys.if its not about the $$$$$$$$$$
then what is it?
Exactly.
Everybody - especially black belts - is responsible for upholding the name/standards of BJJ, and this shit just makes it worse.
It's obviously much worse when it's something much smaller, and new - i.e., Eddie Bravo's product - because you can't disassociate from it: the buck stops with him.
I know that when I had just started training, I found out about Eddie Bravo through 'Submissions 101', so i'd have thought that promotion of his brand was his 'dog in this fight'.
checkuroil -leglockfan - It's funny I used to think that Brent was a dick but in the last year I have really enjoyed his posts and input on BJJ as a whole.
This is just a side note, I don't care about Ari I just liked this post.You may be right. I am still a dick
Well, less of a dick now
Eddie didn't promote Ari to brown, Keith Owen did
GrahamJ -12 -seems like eddie promotes his 10 planet affilates faster then the home grown guys.if its not about the $$$$$$$$$$
then what is it?
Exactly.
Everybody - especially black belts - is responsible for upholding the name/standards of BJJ, and this shit just makes it worse.
It's obviously much worse when it's something much smaller, and new - i.e., Eddie Bravo's product - because you can't disassociate from it: the buck stops with him.
I know that when I had just started training, I found out about Eddie Bravo through 'Submissions 101', so i'd have thought that promotion of his brand was his 'dog in this fight'.
Holy crap you found out about Eddie through submission 101! You must be really new.
In for eddie
WhoRunsBarterTown -Rival School -GrahamJ -12 -seems like eddie promotes his 10 planet affilates faster then the home grown guys.if its not about the $$$$$$$$$$
then what is it?
Exactly.
Everybody - especially black belts - is responsible for upholding the name/standards of BJJ, and this shit just makes it worse.
It's obviously much worse when it's something much smaller, and new - i.e., Eddie Bravo's product - because you can't disassociate from it: the buck stops with him.
I know that when I had just started training, I found out about Eddie Bravo through 'Submissions 101', so i'd have thought that promotion of his brand was his 'dog in this fight'.Holy crap you found out about Eddie through submission 101! You must be really new.
Says the blue belt...
Yes because my two years of grappling makes me knowing about grappling since 97 void. Got it.
You must be the guy that also says 12r or 13r because a join date says how long you've been following MMA.
Snapple -Rival School -GrahamJ -12 -seems like eddie promotes his 10 planet affilates faster then the home grown guys.if its not about the $$$$$$$$$$
then what is it?
Exactly.
Everybody - especially black belts - is responsible for upholding the name/standards of BJJ, and this shit just makes it worse.
It's obviously much worse when it's something much smaller, and new - i.e., Eddie Bravo's product - because you can't disassociate from it: the buck stops with him.
I know that when I had just started training, I found out about Eddie Bravo through 'Submissions 101', so i'd have thought that promotion of his brand was his 'dog in this fight'.Holy crap you found out about Eddie through submission 101! You must be really new.
He's only been traiing for a year and half. So yeah he's new. No shame on in hearing about Eddie Bravo through sub 101 if you're new. A lot of videos of it on youtube so it's hard not to bump into them.
Just an observation but graham goes hard at people for being completely new at all of this.