Rickson Gracie

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Rickson Gracie

Born November 20, 1958 (1958-11-20) (age 51)
Brazil Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st)
Style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Fighting out of Brazil Brazil
Teacher(s) Helio Gracie
Rank      9th degree red belt in BJJ
MMA record
Total 11
Wins 11
By knockout 1
By submission 10
Losses 0
[1]

Rickson Gracie (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈʁiksõ ˈɡɾejsi]; born November 20, 1958) is a Brazilian martial artist and professional mixed martial artist who holds a 9th degree red and black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.[2] He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion Gracie and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Royce and Royler Gracie.[3] He was the winner of the Vale Tudo Japan tournament in 1994 and 1995.[4][5]

Contents

[edit] Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Paulo Filho, former PRIDE middleweight fighter and former 185 lb World Extreme Cagefighting champion,[6] states that Rickson's skills at Jiu-Jitsu are unparalleled. In Gracie Magazine, Filho says "I have trained with the toughest guys formed by Carlson Gracie. They were all great and I for sure don’t want to diminish anybody, but I have to say that no one ever did to me what Rickson Gracie has done during training these last days.”[7]


[edit] Retirement

Rickson 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. This is in tune with his father's beliefs and the direction which he has taken for his life and jiu jitsu.

[edit] Personal life

Rickson has 4 kids; Rockson Gracie(deceased), Kauan, Kaulin & Kron Gracie. One of his students is Maynard James Keenan, the singer-songwriter of the bands Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer.

[edit] Fighting record

In addition to Rickson Gracie's record in professional mixed martial arts of 11-0, the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy website profile claims that:

Rickson has at least one loss — from the 1993 U.S. Sambo Championships in Norman, Oklahoma, where he was defeated by American Ron Tripp by Total Victory via uchi-mata in 45 seconds. Rickson disputed this loss, claiming he was misinformed of the rules of the event.[8][9]


."[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]

[edit] Quotes

“Rickson Gracie and me had a match in the BYU wrestling room in 1992. He made me tap out twice and told me I was the toughest guy he’d gone against. Rickson was the best fighter I’d ever seen. He still may be.” - Mark Schultz[12]

[edit] Mixed martial arts record

Result Record Opponent Method Event Date Round Time
xWin 11-0 Japan Masakatsu Funaki Technical Submission (rear naked choke) C2K: Colosseum May 26, 2000 1 12:49
Win 10-0 Japan Nobuhiko Takada Submission (armbar) PRIDE 4 October 11, 1998 1 9:30
Win 9-0 Japan Nobuhiko Takada Submission (armbar) PRIDE 1 October 11, 1997 1 4:47
Win 8-0 Japan Yuki Nakai Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1995 April 20, 1995 1 6:22
Win 7-0 Japan Koichiro Kimura Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1995 April 20, 1995 1 2:07
Win 6-0 Japan Yoshihisa Yamamoto Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1995 April 20, 1995 3 3:49
Win 5-0 United States Bud Smith Submission (punches) Vale Tudo Japan 1994 July 29, 1994 1 0:39
Win 4-0 United States Dave Levicki KO (punches) Vale Tudo Japan 1994 July 29, 1994 1 2:40
Win 3-0 Japan Yoshinori Nishi Submission (rear naked choke) Vale Tudo Japan 1994 July 29, 1994 1 2:52
Win 2-0 Brazil Rei Zulu Submission (rear naked choke) Independent promotion January 01, 1984 2
Win 1-0 Brazil Rei Zulu Submission (rear naked choke) Independent promotion April 25, 1980 1 11:55

[edit] Media appearances

Released by Manga Entertainment in 1999, Choke, a 98 minute documentary by filmmaker Robert Goodman follows Rickson Gracie and 2 other fighters as they prepare and fight in Tokyo's Vale Tudo 1995, an early MMA event. "Choke" has been distributed in 23 countries.

Rickson Gracie also has a small role in The Incredible Hulk as Bruce Banner's martial arts instructor. He teaches Banner certain throws as well as breathing techniques designed to calm his anger. Curiously, his character is credited as an Aikido instructor, despite his Jiu-Jitsu background.

He has also appeared on National Geographic's television programme "Fight Science".[13],[14]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Fight Finder: Rickson Gracie". Sherdog. 2007. http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?fighterID=292. Retrieved 2007-07-02. 
  2. ^ Rickson Gracie Jiu Jitsu
  3. ^ "Gracie Family Tree". International Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Federation Family Tree. http://www.550media.com/igjjf/familytree.html. Retrieved 2006-04-08.. 
  4. ^ "Fight Finder: Vale Tudo Japan 1994". Sherdog. 2007. http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?search=yes&eventid=73. Retrieved 2006-04-08. 
  5. ^ "Fight Finder: Vale Tudo Japan 1995". Sherdog. 2007. http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?search=yes&eventid=71. Retrieved 2006-04-08. 
  6. ^ "WORLD EXTREME CAGEFIGHTING: Brazilian pounds out win Middleweight Filho earns title". Review journal. 2007. http://www.lvrj.com/sports/8930432.html. Retrieved 2007-08-06. 
  7. ^ "Rickson Awes Paulo Filho". Gracie Mag. 2006. http://www.graciemag.com/?c=145&a=4184. Retrieved 2007-08-06. 
  8. ^ "Rickson Gracie interview: part one" (Reprint). FreeFight magazine. December 12, 2005. http://www.onthemat.com/articles/Rickson_Gracie_Freefight_interview_10_13_2005.html. Retrieved 2007-07-02. 
  9. ^ "Rickson Gracie interview: part two" (Reprint). FreeFight magazine. December 12, 2005. http://www.onthemat.com/articles/Rickson_Gracie_interview_2_10_13_2005.html. Retrieved 2007-07-02. 
  10. ^ "Vanderlei Speaks" (Reprint). Fight Sport. August 2, 2005. http://www.onzuka.com/news_2005Aug2.html. Retrieved 2008-05-12. 
  11. ^ "Hélio Gracie talks about Rickson Gracie's record" (Video interview). http://thegarv.com/2008/11/28/helio-gracie-rickson-400-0-i-dont-think-so/. Retrieved 2008-12-02. 
  12. ^ http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/mark-schultz-where-is-he-now-15062
  13. ^ "Martial Arts vs. Crash Test Dummies: National Geographic's FIGHT SCIENCE". Kung Fu Magazine. http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=675. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  14. ^ "BAS RUTTEN ON 'FIGHT SCIENCE', KIMBO & IFL". MMA Weekly. http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templates/dailynews.asp?articleid=5565&zoneid=4. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 

[edit] External links