The highest belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu is generally considered the red belt , though many schools treat the black belt as the highest rank most practitioners will ever reach.

Quick Scoop

  • Black belt is the top rank for most active practitioners.
  • Red belt is the rare highest rank in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, usually reserved for the most influential masters.
  • Some ranking systems also recognize coral belts between black and red, depending on the association.

In plain terms

If you mean the belt most people talk about, it’s black belt. If you mean the absolute highest rank in BJJ, it’s red belt.

TL;DR: Black belt is the highest common belt, but red belt is the highest overall rank in jiu-jitsu.