Photo by Josh Hedges/Mike Roach/UFC
Strikeforce light heavyweight Roger Gracie (4-1) is reportedly the latest fighter to make the jump over to the Ultimate Fighting Championship between the two owned Zuffa promotions was reported to have signed with the UFC earlier Friday night by GracieMag on Twitter but several sources have confirmed that the news was premature.
The former ADCC and IBJJF world champion has been interested in furthering his training in mixed martial arts, and is apparently comfortable enough to try his hand inside the Octagon versus the world’s top light heavyweight fighters.
Gracie had his last mma bout in September at the Strikeforce World Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov in Ohio, suffering his first loss at the hands of Muhammed ‘King Mo’ Lawal. The former champ, Lawal, would end things near the end of the first, dropping Gracie at 4:33.
Previous to that, Gracie had won four straight, all by submission with victories coming against Trevor Prangley, Kevin Randleman, Yuki Kondo, and Ron Waterman.
Update (8pm EST): Reporter Brian McMahon is saying that “Tatame and Sherdog jumped gun” on the signing of Roger Gracie to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.