If you’ve ever watched Married With Children or Modern Family, then you’ll understand that Ed O’Neill is a fantastic actor. In these shows, he plays Al Bundy and Jay Pritchett who is the head of his family in both roles.
However, away from acting, it turns out that he’s also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In 2007, this resulted in O’Neill receiving his BJJ black belt from Rorion Gracie. This took O’Neill 22 years to achieve, as he trained when he could around his busy acting schedule. As this article shows, becoming a black belt in BJJ is no easy feat.
Unlike some celebrity BJJ practitioners, O’Neill also took the right path to getting his black belt. He didn’t avoid sparring or focus on private lessons and he trained like a regular guy. In an age where many celebrities train away from the public, this approach is genuinely refreshing to see…and he wasn’t fast tracked his belt either.
Speaking on the matter, O’Neill also went as far to say that his black belt was, “The greatest achievement of my life, apart from my children.” which speaks volumes. For such a successful guy, it proves that some things are worth more than fame and money.
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