Rickson Gracie

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Rickson Gracie
Rickson gracie 20080608.jpg
Born (1958-11-20) November 20, 1958 (age 54)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Other names Adrian Rai
Nationality Brazilian
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Division Middleweight (185 lb)
Teacher(s) Helio Gracie
Rank 8th degree black and red belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
        
black belt in Judo[citation needed]
Years active 1980, 1984, 1994 - 2000 (MMA)
Mixed martial arts record
Total 11
Wins 11
By submission 11
Losses 0
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Rickson Gracie (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁiksõ ˈɡɾejsi]; born November 21, 1958) is a Brazilian 8th degree black and red belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist.[1][2][3] He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.[4]

Contents

Biography [edit]

Rickson Gracie, son of Helio Gracie, was born into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. At six years old he began competing; at 15 he started to teach it; and at 18 he received his black belt. At 20 Rickson won his first victory against the famous 230-pound Brazilian brawler Rei Zulu. With this victory, Rickson gained immediate national acclaim as the top freestyle fighter, leaving his mark on the history of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and the Gracie challenge. Five years later Zulu requested a rematch and lost to Rickson again, in Maracanazinho before an audience of 20,000 spectators.

In a 1997 Pride 1 Vale Tudo match in Japan's Tokyo Dome (before 47,860 spectators), Gracie defeated Japanese professional wrestler, Nobuhiko Takada, in 4:47 of the first round by armbar. A year later, to the day, at Pride 4, Rickson defeated Takada again by armbar. At Colosseum 2000 event, held at the Tokyo Dome, broadcast to 30 million TV Tokyo viewers, Rickson defeated Masakatsu Funaki with a rear naked choke in 11:46 of the first round.

Gracie has confirmed that he is officially retired now and his major focus is to give seminars on Jiu-Jitsu and to try to develop BJJ as his father saw it: not a fighting tool but a social tool, to give confidence to women, children, and physically weak individuals by giving them the ability to defend themselves.[citation needed]

Films [edit]

Rickson Gracie was the subject of the 1999 documentary, Choke, by filmmaker Robert Goodman. The documentary followed Rickson and two other fighters as they prepare and fight in Tokyo's Vale Tudo 1995. Released by Manga Entertainment, the film has been distributed to 23 countries.[5] Rickson has a small role in The Incredible Hulk as Bruce Banner's martial arts instructor. His character is credited as an Aikido instructor, despite his Jiu-Jitsu background. He has appeared on National Geographic's television programme Fight Science.[6][7]

Controversy [edit]

Rickson has raised the ire of some in the MMA community by criticizing the abilities of current top fighters. Though he had not fought in a sanctioned MMA contest in eight years, Rickson claimed in 2008 that he could still beat them easily. In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Rickson argued that Fedor Emelianenko was a great athlete, but possessed "so-so" technical ability, and that he (Rickson) was "100% sure" that he would defeat him.[8]

In 2010, Rickson stated that he disagreed with those who view Emelianenko as "somehow special" and that he believed Emelianenko deserved to lose the decision in his fight with Ricardo Arona; described Brock Lesnar as having "zero defense from the bottom" in the fight against Carwin; and criticized Shane Carwin for what he perceived were deficiencies in Carwin's jiu-jitsu game, characterizing him as "strong as a bull but flimsy like a paper tiger."[9] Previous critical comments that Rickson made about Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira (claiming that Nogueira has no "guard") prompted Wanderlei Silva to say that Rickson is "living in a fantasy world."[10]

Hélio Gracie disputed Rickson's claim to have had over 400 fights. According to Hélio, Rickson has only competed in fights that are commonly known and reported: the two against Rei Zulu and those that took place in Japan. Hélio alleged that Rickson uses practice and amateur bouts to obtain a number over 400, and that if he counted his fights like Rickson does, he would have in excess of one million. [11]

Personal life [edit]

Rickson has four children; Rockson Gracie (deceased[12]), Kauan, Kaulin and Kron Gracie. Aside from Jiu-Jitsu, Rickson was ranked in Judo and Sambo.[citation needed]

Mixed martial arts record [edit]

Res. Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time Location Notes
Win 11–0 Japan Masakatsu Funaki Technical Submission (rear naked choke) C2K: Colosseum 02000-05-26May 26, 2000 1 12:49 Japan
Win 10–0 Japan Nobuhiko Takada Submission (armbar) Pride 4 01998-10-11October 11, 1998 1 9:30 Tokyo, Japan
Win 9–0 Japan Nobuhiko Takada Submission (armbar) Pride 1 01997-10-11October 11, 1997 1 4:47 Tokyo, Japan
Win 8–0 Japan Yuki Nakai Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1995 01995-04-20April 20, 1995 1 6:22 Tokyo, Japan
Win 7–0 Japan Koichiro Kimura Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1995 01995-04-20April 20, 1995 1 2:07 Tokyo, Japan
Win 6–0 Japan Yoshihisa Yamamoto Technical Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1995 01995-04-20April 20, 1995 3 3:49 Tokyo, Japan
Win 5–0 United States Bud Smith Submission (punches) Vale Tudo Japan 1994 01994-07-29July 29, 1994 1 0:39 Urayasu, Chiba, Japan
Win 4–0 United States Dave Levicki Submission (punches) Vale Tudo Japan 1994 01994-07-29July 29, 1994 1 2:40 Urayasu, Chiba, Japan
Win 3–0 Japan Yoshinori Nishi Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1994 01994-07-29July 29, 1994 1 2:58 Urayasu, Chiba, Japan
Win 2–0 Brazil Rei Zulu Submission (rear naked choke) Independent promotion 01984-01-01January 1, 1984 1 9:00 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 1–0 Brazil Rei Zulu Submission (rear naked choke) Independent promotion 01980-04-25April 25, 1980 1 11:55 Brasília, Brazil

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Rickson Gracie Jiu Jitsu
  2. ^ Rickson Gracie's Budo Challenge
  3. ^ "Official Federation Belt Rankings of Gracie Members Teaching in the U.S.". Gracie USA Jiu-Jitsu. Retrieved 2010-10-16. 
  4. ^ "Gracie Family Tree". International Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Federation Family Tree. Retrieved 2006-04-08.. 
  5. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0251637/
  6. ^ "Martial Arts vs. Crash Test Dummies: National Geographic's FIGHT SCIENCE". Kung Fu Magazine. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  7. ^ "BAS RUTTEN ON 'FIGHT SCIENCE', KIMBO & IFL". MMA Weekly. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  8. ^ Wrestling Observer Newsletter,May 12, 2008
  9. ^ http://www.portaldovt.com.br/pvt_mag_en_09/
  10. ^ "Vanderlei Speaks" (Reprint). Fight Sport. August 2, 2005. Retrieved 2008-05-12. 
  11. ^ "Helio Gracie: Rickson 400-0? I Don't Think So!". TheGarv.com. November 28, 2008. Retrieved 2011-07-24. 
  12. ^ 04/23/2001 Issue 153. Epoca. Retrieved 2012-03-30.

External links [edit]
First Generation
Second Generation
Third Generation
Fourth Generation
Related
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