Watch: When Dave Bautista Earned New Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Endured Ceremonial Belt Whipping
Actor Dave Bautista received a ceremonial belt whipping after earning his purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu back in 2014, participating in a tradition that has become a controversial but enduring ritual in combat sports.
Bautista began training at Cesar Gracie’s academy in 2010 and was promoted to purple belt in January 2014. The belt whipping ceremony, known as “the gauntlet” or “Corredor Polonês” in Portuguese, requires the newly promoted student to walk or run between two lines of training partners who strike them with their jiu-jitsu belts. Video footage from Bautista’s promotion shows the Hollywood star and former WWE wrestler walking through the gauntlet shirtless while his teammates delivered the ceremonial strikes.
Actor Dave Bautista Promoted to Purple Belt at Cesar Gracie Academy, Completes Gauntlet Ritual
The tradition, despite being widely practiced, did not originate in Brazil as many assume. Chris Haueter, one of the first 12 non-Brazilian black belts in jiu-jitsu, is credited with creating the ritual in the early 1990s at the Machado brothers‘ academy in California. Haueter has since expressed regret about starting the practice, telling the Partizan Grappling podcast that what began as a lighthearted initiation quickly spread and became brutal. Within a year of its creation, practitioners were reportedly putting their belts in Icy Hot and using excessive force, prompting Haueter to say he wished he had never started the tradition.
The gauntlet remains divisive within the jiu-jitsu community. Prominent instructors including Caio Terra and Fabio Gurgel have spoken against the practice, with some calling it unnecessary hazing. Other academies like the Roger Gracie Academy have opted for simpler promotion ceremonies involving handshakes and applause. Supporters view the ritual as a team bonding exercise and a way for training partners to collectively celebrate a student’s achievement after years of shared struggle on the mats.
Bautista continued training sporadically due to his demanding acting schedule with roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and other Marvel films. He was later promoted to brown belt in June 2023 after dedicating himself to consistent training starting in 2021. His goal remains to earn a black belt under Cesar Gracie.
