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Rickson Gracie FAQ

Balto said:
The empirical evidence weighs in favor of the more modern MMA training style, and Rickson himself is not active in high level MMA (fighting or coaching) anymore, so constantly criticizing the technique of MMA fighters today rubs many people the wrong way.
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Well, most MMA fighters ARE bad strikers or grapplers. Guys with a striking background suck at grappling because they have learned it just enough to try to defend themselves and vice-versa. Now there are truly well rounded fighters in MMA but they are the absolute minority. But there are also fighters that are not only bad strikers but also bad grapplers and are still fighting in the UFC.
 
ASiAnVaLEtUDo said:
By the time this event happened, Kondo was by far the much more dangerous fighter. Funaki then (and probably still) was a more technical and superior grappler to Yuki Kondo. But, Kondo was a much more vicious and superior striker who was accustomed to maiming grapplers with with his striking and takedown defense. Funaki was far past his prime, older, and battered when Rickson fought him. As far as I'm concerned, Kondo was the far superior fighter at that time of the event. If Rickson had fought Kondo that night, I would not be surprised at all if the same thing that happened to Saulo happened to Rickson.

And from Rickson to Sperry mma wise, Rickson cannot compare to Sperry at all. Mario Sperry fought much more well rounded and dangerous fighters who were of much higher calibur talent than anyone Rickson has fought. His level of competition was much tougher than anyone Rickson had fought in the past or ever will.
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This was 2000. Everyone was interested with Catch vs BJJ grappling wise, not who was going to out strike who. Rickson was the God of BJJ and Funaki was the God of Catch. That fight was going to the ground, and who ever submitted the other was the one who was going to take home a win for their respected art. Even IF Funaki was shot (I don't think he was) the fight was primarily a grappling fight, and the smaller Rickson MANHANDLED Funaki with pure grappling. He didnt expose a shot chin or anything, he just outgrappled him plain and simple.

The fact that you had the founders of NU, BTT and JJ University fighting on the same card and failing to finish their fights (and Saulo pissing enough blood to supply up to 100 blood transfusions) and a 41 year old Rickson destroying their best grappler AT grappling speaks wonders about him in my opinion. It really pisses me off when modern MMA fans jump on the bandwagon thinking he did absolutely NOTHING and that any average BJJ guy would have done what he did much easier, because that simply is not true.
 
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iirc saulo kondo threw a knee while saulo shot in. It wasn't some long drawn out beating like people here claim to be
 
Supereem said:
This was 2000. Everyone was interested with Catch vs BJJ grappling wise, not who was going to out strike who. Rickson was the God of BJJ and Funaki was the God of Catch. That fight was going to the ground, and who ever submitted the other was the one who was going to take home a win for their respected art. Even IF Funaki was shot (I don't think he was) the fight was primarily a grappling fight, and the smaller Rickson MANHANDLED Funaki with pure grappling. He didnt expose a shot chin or anything, he just outgrappled him plain and simple.

The fact that you had the founders of NU, BTT and JJ University fighting on the same card and failing to finish their fights (and Saulo pissing enough blood to supply up to 100 blood transfusions) and a 41 year old Rickson destroying their best grappler AT grappling speaks wonders about him in my opinion. It really pisses me off when modern MMA fans jump on the bandwagon thinking he did absolutely NOTHING and that any average BJJ guy would have done what he did much easier, because that simply is not true.
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my whole point of my post earlier was that night, IMO I thought Saulo probably had the toughest opponent of the night out of all the BJJ guys that night. Style wise, Kondo was the worst type of matchup for any bjj guys without strong takedowns. And even still, Kondo is a nightmare for any grappler to face off with.
 
What is Rickson's opinion of GSP and training in various disciplines, given his stance of only using bjj for mma.

What would have happened as a result of him competed at UFC 1 or 3 like he was supposed to, instead of Royce?
 
As far as I know Rickson states his opinions mostly on:

1- Brazilians
2- People whom he is asked about

Personally I've never seen Rickson mention GSP.


As for what would have happened, considering Rickson is stronger, more technical, far more athletic, a better wrestler, and eons beyond Royce in terms of jiu jitsu and fighting experience, it's pretty safe to say that he would have crushed the first UFCs very much like his brother did.
 
In regards to the safety of striking exchanges to grappling exchanges:

Cannot the speed of the counter be a factor?

A sweep, a reversal, a sub, any grappling move really relies on using large parts of the body which would make it slower than say a short left hook?

Reaction times probably having a limit to how fast they get this would mean that in striking the counter has a better chance of taking a very good fighter off guard than say a takedown?
 
DonkeyKong said:
As far as I know Rickson states his opinions mostly on:

1- Brazilians
2- People whom he is asked about

Personally I've never seen Rickson mention GSP.


As for what would have happened, considering Rickson is stronger, more technical, far more athletic, a better wrestler, and eons beyond Royce in terms of jiu jitsu and fighting experience, it's pretty safe to say that he would have crushed the first UFCs very much like his brother did.
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I actually think it would have been very much UNLIKE how his brother did. His total ring time would have been under 20 minutes for the first 5 UFC's...instead of over an hour. LOL *ahem* sorry
 
DonkeyKong said:
That is true. Royce did train in Muay Thai, to use his great flexibility and reach on standup. That resource is what helped him beat Sakuraba.

When I referred to Royce I mean for most of his career, up until the Sakuraba fight.

Im pretty sure Helio did not approve of that.
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Royce really never beat Sakuraba... that K1 fight was a poor decision. Steroids and muay thai still couldnt beat Saku.
 
I thought Royce beat Sakuraba. Either way, Ralek certainly did.
 
Oh dont get me wrong, in my opinion, Sakuraba is a genius comparable only to Rickson and Roger in terms of grappling. And with no parallel in MMA grappling.

Royce did roid up, that`s true, but he roided up and won IMO. And Ralek, it was a beatdown.....
 
Thanks for bumping this thread DK. I forgot how much good stuff I read here.
 
Love it, thanks for the article
 
Ah, the epic Rickson thread. This thread is whispered about in the the halls of martial forums throughout the internet.
 
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