When Royce Gracie first met Ken Shamrock in the semi-finals of UFC 1 on Nov. 12, 1993, he was an unknown 26-year-old Brazilian submission fighter.
Today, the world’s most famous mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter says he could defeat his younger self, a bold statement for a man nearly nine years removed from the sport.
In two short weeks the men involved in that historic fight that took place more than 22 years ago will rematch in the main event of Bellator 149, a prospect which enticed the legendary fighter out of retirement and back inside a cage.
“I guess the guy’s been losing sleep for, what, the last 20 years since I choked him out in less than a minute?” Gracie said recently to Inside MMA’s Bas Rutten on AXS TV.
Gracie admitted…
When Royce Gracie first met Ken Shamrock in the semi-finals of UFC 1 on Nov. 12, 1993, he was an unknown 26-year-old Brazilian submission fighter.
Today, the world’s most famous mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter says he could defeat his younger self, a bold statement for a man nearly nine years removed from the sport.
In two short weeks the men involved in that historic fight that took place more than 22 years ago will rematch in the main event of Bellator 149, a prospect which enticed the legendary fighter out of retirement and back inside a cage.
“I guess the guy’s been losing sleep for, what, the last 20 years since I choked him out in less than a minute?” Gracie said recently to Inside MMA’s Bas Rutten on AXS TV.
Gracie admitted…