Renzo Gracie calls alleged street fight ‘educational moment’

The grappling legend claimed he was allegedly goaded by racist comments from his impromptu opponent.

BJJ black belt and ADCC Hall of Famer Renzo Gracie was seemingly involved in an altercation at an NYC subway station earlier this week. Video posted by reddit user u/fxwhiteo and further circulated by BJJ Instagram page choke_lab shows Renzo to be tripped by a bystander near him, only for the MMA legend to counter with a body lock before making his way to mount.

Locking in an arm triangle, the man allegedly gives a verbal tap as the video ends. His identity unconfirmed at first, Renzo soon commented on choke_lab’s Instagram post seemingly confirming it was him. “No fight… some educational moment,” the comment read. According to a claim in the reddit post, Gracie was allegedly instigated by the man’s insistence that he speak English after overhearing Gracie speaking Portuguese with his friend.

Audio messages from a WhatsApp group were also referenced, With Gracie discussing the situation further. This recording has yet to be fully verified by Gracie.

choke_lab

This marks the third publicized street fight involving Gracie in New York.

In 2012, Gracie live tweeted as he chased after and badly beat up what he claimed were two alleged muggers. He proudly described how he hunted and beat up two men as they kept trying to run away. Gracie boasted how he was beating and repeatedly choking them out over and over, saying “before he woke up I did hit each eye socket at least twice, tomorrow he will wake up like a raccoon, and every time he woke up I was… Whispering at his ears.. That’s what death feels like.”

In 2014, Gracie and his entourage were arrested for a brawl involving nightclub bouncers, and he eventually plead guilty for misdemeanor assault.

Bloody Elbow has reached out to Gracie for comment, but has yet to receive a response. Updates will follow as more information becomes available.