What is Mexican Ground Karate (MGK)?
In short, it’s a joke about Brazilian jiu-jitsu created by professional grappler Craig Jones.
In this short article, I’ll explain the origins of Mexican Ground Karate and show you some gear.
Let’s dive in.
What Is Mexican Ground Karate?
Following the split with John Danaher and Gordon Ryan, Craig Jones and his crew decided to open up their own gym.
They started B-Team Jiu-Jitsu in Austin Texas.
Craig, being the troll that he is, wanted to put something other than “jiu-jitsu” on the sign outside of his new gym.
Thus, “Mexican Ground Karate” was born.
“Americans call it American Jiu-Jitsu. Brazilians call it Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I don’t really feel comfortable calling it either because Brazilians stole it from Japan anyways. So let’s just f***ing give it to the Mexicans.” – Craig Jones
Craig is a man of his word, and you can see the phrase on the outside of the B-Team gym:
B-Team has a very different “brand” than other gyms, like Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
Gracie gyms are often more serious and traditional. They have pictures of Helio on the wall. You bow before you step on the mats. You might even call your instructor by a different name, such as sensei.
B-Team, on the other hand, is way more informal and casual. It’s obviously a bit more silly, hence the joke.
Mexican Ground Karate Gear
Tired of traditional jiu-jitsu gear and want to sport some Mexican Ground Karate rash guards or shirts?
Check out the following “MGK” gear:
MGK Rash Guards
Guaranteed to make your training partners laugh, these rash guards are perfect for channeling Australian grappling power.
MGK Shirts
Your friends and family are already confused about your weird hobby. Confuse them even more with these T-shirts!
If you want to see some more funny BJJ gear, check out my articles on funny rash guards or funny BJJ shirts.
Takeaway Thoughts
One of my favorite things about the jiu-jitsu community is that we don’t take ourselves too seriously.
Mexican ground karate isn’t a real thing. It’s a joke. Or, as Craig would say, a “piss-take.” It caught on because it’s hilarious.
Life’s short. Have a laugh!
Happy rolling. 🤙
Tsavo Neal
Tsavo is the founder of BJJ Equipment and BJJ blue belt who started training in 2019. He’s a passionate hobbyist and BJJ gear/equipment aficionado who wanted to share his favorite pickups with other jiujiteiros. He launched BJJ Equipment in 2022 to make it easy for jiu-jitsu practitioners to find the best BJJ gear so they look, feel, and perform at their best on the mats.