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Press Release – Vancouver, BC (June 14, 2012) – Roots of Fight announces the release of their latest short film tribute and clothing collection paying homage to the Gracie family and the role Gracie Jiu-Jitsu played in shaping the sport of mixed martial arts.
The distinguished contributors to Gracie Family Influence illustrate how the reputation of the legendary clan of Brazilian ground fighters stretched far beyond the boundaries of mixed martial arts and into the mainstream. MMA cognoscenti such as Urijah Faber, Ed Soares, and Eddie Bravo share their thoughts on the Gracie family, alongside sports and pop culture luminary “Iron” Mike Tyson and multi-platinum recording artist Snoop Dogg.
“Rorion [Gracie] created the UFC to prove that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was the most efficient martial art in the world,” says Soares, the owner of Black House. “And that point was proven. Anybody who fights mixed martial arts right now, trains Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.”
“The Gracies are not as big as they should be. They had an art that was so outrageous, and it showed that size didn’t matter,” says Tyson. “The fighting world has the utmost respect for the Gracie clan.”
In addition to the tribute piece, Roots of Fight has produced a limited edition men’s ‘Helio ICON T’ and a women’s version of the popular Gracie Vs Kimura Event T, paying respect to the Gracie Family patriarch.
About Roots of Fight
The Roots Of Fight™ pays tribute to the rich history and tradition of martial arts from regions around the globe and connects the history and images of iconic fighters like Muhammad Ali ® and Bruce Lee™ with the contemporary global scale of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).
Roots Of Fight™ tells an authentic story that reflects a genuine place and time and weaves the true stories of icons from the past with those of the present – paying homage to the roots, regional influence and diversity of each discipline. The “Sweet Science”, “Jun Fan Gung Fu”, Jeet Kun Do along with Muay Thai, Russian Sambo and Krav Maga – legends about these fighting systems and others are explored in the Roots Of Fight™ concept.