I can only imagine what it’s like growing up in a family like the Gracies. I can’t really equate anything to it outside the Mannings in pro football. Rickson redefined the way the world looked at fighting by formulating Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, then the line just continues to get more and more impressive (if you can get more impressive than Rickson). Royce Gracie obviously introduced the masses to BJJ, and became a cult superstar in martial arts circles. Renzo became a legend in his own right, then Kron Gracie, son of Rickson made his dent in the BJJ world, and we see Ryron and Rener Gracie have their breakdowns, and now: Roger.
Some say Roger Gracie is actually the best (and obviously biggest) BJJ practitioner of the family. It’s not surprising, he’s been drilled by the best since the day he’s been born. He started his career at heavyweight, then slowly transitioned down to light heavyweight, where he would improve in Strikeforce to 4-0 after impressive submissions of Trevor Prangley and Kevin Randleeman, then he ran into King Mo’s fist, which sent him down to middleweight.
He may look sucked dry during weigh-ins, but at 185 pounds and standing 6 foot 4, Roger Gracie is a scary fight for anyone, and now he’s facing fellow former Strikeforce vet TIm Kennedy tonight at UFC 162, who is also making his UFC debut.
None of this worries Gracie, who is taking the bright lights in stride. He’s seen them before.
That talk starts when you’re very young, and it never stops, I’ve been dealing with that pressure since I was born. Every single time I fought in my whole life, I always had to deal with that pressure, the fact that I have a Gracie last name.”
“Since it was a member of my family who created the UFC, it means a lot to fight there, we already have a big history in fighting, so there’s a bigger expectation when a Gracie fights in the UFC.
“I think it gives me more power, having the Gracie name.”
