Kron Gracie: ‘I want to fight MMA again as soon as possible’

Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom Kron Gracie made quick work of Hyung Soo Kim in his professional MMA debut, finishing the 160-pound catchweight bout with an armbar in just 65 seconds at Real 1 in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 23.

Son of MMA and jiu-jitsu legend Rickson Gracie, Kron Gracie trained with the likes of Cesar Gracie, Nick Diaz, Gilbert Melendez and Nate Diaz for his first MMA bout, and it didn’t go as he expected.

“I expected a 25-minute fight, but thanks God it ended earlier,” Kron Gracie told MMAFighting.com. “My first fight was a good fight. It was a good result. I won the fight, and I’m happy with my training. My training was hard, so the result of the fight was a result of my training.”

Gracie always went for the finish in grappling competition, and he got the tap seconds after pulling guard against Kim.

“I didn’t train to pull guard. It simply happened,” he said. “I don’t think he let me do this, I just think he didn’t have much option. The way I pulled guard, it was tough (for him to escape). I don’t think he expected that. And me neither. It was something that happened that moment, and it’s hard to defend for something you don’t expect.”

Happy with his training camp and win, Gracie won’t grade his performance in his first MMA bout.

“I think I did my best to win the fight,” he said. “In my training, in my preparation, during the fight. I did my best. I don’t see how I can grade this, I just did my best. I have to evolve in some aspects, though. Life is an experience, every fight is an experience. I never see myself at 100 percent because I always see things to get better, and I’m far from where I want to be. To me, I’m not happy when something is really good because it always can get worse.”

Rickson Gracie was in his son’s corner in the fight also approved his performance, but getting his father’s compliments is not what drives Kron Gracie anymore.

“He thinks it was a good fight, a good training camp and everything, so he didn’t have much to say,” Kron Gracie said. “Right now I see my father as a good support, but I’m my biggest critic. I have to learn and see where I need to get better, where should I focus my energy, because when I go inside the ring I’m by myself. I can’t look too much to my father anymore.”

Fresh off a 65-second win, Kron Gracie wants more.

“I want to fight MMA again as soon as possible,” he said. “I’m just waiting to negotiate my next fight.”

Brazilian jiu-jitsu phenom Kron Gracie made quick work of Hyung Soo Kim in his professional MMA debut, finishing the 160-pound catchweight bout with an armbar in just 65 seconds at Real 1 in Tokyo, Japan, on Dec. 23.

Son of MMA and jiu-jitsu legend Rickson Gracie, Kron Gracie trained with the likes of Cesar Gracie, Nick Diaz, Gilbert Melendez and Nate Diaz for his first MMA bout, and it didn’t go as he expected.

“I expected a 25-minute fight, but thanks God it ended earlier,” Kron Gracie told MMAFighting.com. “My first fight was a good fight. It was a good result. I won the fight, and I’m happy with my training. My training was hard, so the result of the fight was a result of my training.”

Gracie always went for the finish in grappling competition, and he got the tap seconds after pulling guard against Kim.

“I didn’t train to pull guard. It simply happened,” he said. “I don’t think he let me do this, I just think he didn’t have much option. The way I pulled guard, it was tough (for him to escape). I don’t think he expected that. And me neither. It was something that happened that moment, and it’s hard to defend for something you don’t expect.”

Happy with his training camp and win, Gracie won’t grade his performance in his first MMA bout.

“I think I did my best to win the fight,” he said. “In my training, in my preparation, during the fight. I did my best. I don’t see how I can grade this, I just did my best. I have to evolve in some aspects, though. Life is an experience, every fight is an experience. I never see myself at 100 percent because I always see things to get better, and I’m far from where I want to be. To me, I’m not happy when something is really good because it always can get worse.”

Rickson Gracie was in his son’s corner in the fight also approved his performance, but getting his father’s compliments is not what drives Kron Gracie anymore.

“He thinks it was a good fight, a good training camp and everything, so he didn’t have much to say,” Kron Gracie said. “Right now I see my father as a good support, but I’m my biggest critic. I have to learn and see where I need to get better, where should I focus my energy, because when I go inside the ring I’m by myself. I can’t look too much to my father anymore.”

Fresh off a 65-second win, Kron Gracie wants more.

“I want to fight MMA again as soon as possible,” he said. “I’m just waiting to negotiate my next fight.”