Tag: Roger Gracie

Royce Gracie Plain Wrong in His Criticism of Own Family


(We never expected The Godfather of MMA to take sides against the family like this. | Photo by Sherdog.com)

By Elias Cepeda

On Monday I wrote about practitioners of “real” Jiu Jitsu. That is, those who have a background in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and who test those skills in real fights.

Kron Gracie looks to be the next such high-profile example as he sets his sights on a 2014 MMA debut. Royce Gracie is, of course, the first that most of us ever heard of.

Gracie entered the original UFC tournaments as the lightest fighter in open weight contests where the only rules were no biting, eye gouging or fish-hooking, and submitted three and four men in single-night tournaments with the Jiu Jitsu skills that his family developed. As such, Royce’s place in history is more than secure.

As younger family members of his try to carve out their own space in MMA, however, Royce is offering not support but rather rough criticism. Many have criticized fighters like Roger and Rolles Gracie for not being as well-rounded as a few of their best opponents, and take the occasions of their losses to pile on.

Surprisingly, Royce is the latest critic to add some fertilizer onto that pile. Unlike many others, however, Royce says that the reason for his family members’ recent losses is because they are trying to be too well-rounded.

“Jiu-jitsu is enough,” Royce Gracie recently told MMAFighting.com. “I’ve trained boxing in the past to learn the distance, trained wrestling to understand how he would take me down, but I won’t get there to fight my opponent’s game. The [new] guys [from the Gracie] family want to complement their game, like if Jiu-Jitsu was incomplete. I guess they forgot a little about history.

“I do jiu-jitsu my whole life, so why would I try to stand and bang with Mike Tyson?” he went on. “I’m going to learn boxing in six months because my opponent is good in boxing? That makes no sense.”


(We never expected The Godfather of MMA to take sides against the family like this. | Photo by Sherdog.com)

By Elias Cepeda

On Monday I wrote about practitioners of “real” Jiu Jitsu. That is, those who have a background in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and who test those skills in real fights.

Kron Gracie looks to be the next such high-profile example as he sets his sights on a 2014 MMA debut. Royce Gracie is, of course, the first that most of us ever heard of.

Gracie entered the original UFC tournaments as the lightest fighter in open weight contests where the only rules were no biting, eye gouging or fish-hooking, and submitted three and four men in single-night tournaments with the Jiu Jitsu skills that his family developed. As such, Royce’s place in history is more than secure.

As younger family members of his try to carve out their own space in MMA, however, Royce is offering not support but rather rough criticism. Many have criticized fighters like Roger and Rolles Gracie for not being as well-rounded as a few of their best opponents, and take the occasions of their losses to pile on.

Surprisingly, Royce is the latest critic to add some fertilizer onto that pile. Unlike many others, however, Royce says that the reason for his family members’ recent losses is because they are trying to be too well-rounded.

“Jiu-jitsu is enough,” Royce Gracie recently told MMAFighting.com. “I’ve trained boxing in the past to learn the distance, trained wrestling to understand how he would take me down, but I won’t get there to fight my opponent’s game. The [new] guys [from the Gracie] family want to complement their game, like if Jiu-Jitsu was incomplete. I guess they forgot a little about history.

“I do jiu-jitsu my whole life, so why would I try to stand and bang with Mike Tyson?” he went on. ”I’m going to learn boxing in six months because my opponent is good in boxing? That makes no sense.”

I suppose the “history” Royce speaks of is his own, where he was able to dominate many opponents because they had never trained Jiu Jitsu before. Once they did, competition started to level-off and he and everyone else started having more trouble with one another in the ring and cage.

Why Royce is choosing to make self-aggrandizing criticisms of family members who are still physically sore from recent losses is beyond my understanding. It is safe to assume, however, that Royce has no real first-hand knowledge of the type of training and development of cousins like Roger and Rolles, who have trained under the leadership of perhaps the most MMA-accomplished Gracie, Renzo.

That aside, let’s focus on the thrust of what Royce seems to be saying. He’s assuming that his cousins are distracted by the training of too many other things other than “pure” Jiu Jitsu. Things like wrestling (ie. getting the fight to the ground) and striking (ie. not getting knocked out on the feet while you’re there).

To me, Jiu Jitsu has always been more of a philosophy than any particular set of moves or even focus of a portion of fighting (ie. grappling or submissions or ground fighting). That is to say, what makes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu unique is that it always recognized that anything – strikes, clinching, take downs, submissions, ground work – can and usually does happen in a fight. With that understanding, a true Jiu Jitsu practitioner proceeds along a path that he or she believes will best prepare them for anything.

They will ignore no possibility of danger and so will prepare for everything. As Bruce Lee was fond of saying, real fighting is about honestly assessing – through fighting – what works and what doesn’t. If something works, use it. If it doesn’t, don’t.

Something that works well for a great BJJ practitioner is being able to get on top of their opponent where they can better control and finish them. Royce knows this. He did it plenty of times.

When he could, he took down his opponents. When he could not, he worked off of his own back.

That doesn’t seem very different at all than what we have seen guys like Roger and Rolles do in their fights, mostly successfully but sometimes not. But we’ve also seen examples of Jiu Jitsu guys having lapses of judgment in fights and paying for it. Think of Demian Maia trying to throw a high kick against Nate Marquardt, or Vitor Belfort letting Randy Couture walk him backwards into the cage and initiate the grappling. I can’t remember any Gracies making similar mistakes.

So, if we see Gracies try to fight conservatively and to their strengths in competition as Royce always did, what exactly is Royce’s beef? The fact that Roger and Rolles spend time working on their weaknesses in training, evidently. This is where Royce is just flat out wrong.

Back when no one else in MMA trained the indispensable style of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu except for Royce and his family, he could get away with the basic strike-blocking and poor take downs to go along with his excellent durability and Jiu Jitsu skills. Jiu Jitsu fighters these days are faced with an entirely different world – one where everyone trains high-level Jiu Jitsu and uses it along with their own wrestling or striking bases.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu provided the first martial arts style to recognize that grappling and striking could occur along with ground fighting, but that doesn’t mean that BJJ takedowns or strikes are the most effective when facing a good wrestler or striker, all other things being equal. And that’s a big part of it – the submission grappling part of fights is very often equal, even between Gracies and non-Gracie opponents.

The Gracie name isn’t magic. If you train Jiu Jitsu with a real instructor for years, you will get good at it, no matter what your name is. Rolles and Roger fight guys who are very good at Jiu Jitsu, as well as other things, like wrestling and striking.

The fact that they train like professional fighters and not mid-twentieth century part-time martial arts instructors is not something to be criticized. Royce saying that Gracies can neutralize modern striking and wrestling without training striking and wrestling is just about as absurd as the Akido or Tae Kwon Do instructor who says that you don’t need to train grappling because their kicks and punches and footwork will prevent anyone from ever grabbing them.

Yeah, right.

Working on weaknesses is a hallmark of champions. Royce knows this. Maybe it is just hard to admit in public.

If he had better striking, perhaps he would not have gotten beaten up for an hour and a half by Kazushi Sakuraba’s leg kicks before having to throw in the towel. Chances are, however, that Rolles Gracies would not have avoided getting knocked out last Saturday night if he had spent less time working on his boxing in training.

“I believe in pure jiu-jitsu. That’s what I’ve done in the past. You have to go back to your roots and train Gracie jiu-jitsu,” Royce went on to say in his interview.

I couldn’t agree more. The thing is, to me Gracie Jiu Jitsu is about never staying stagnant, constantly evolving and constantly improving to be able to meet new fight challenges.

Royce met the challenges of his day bravely. It would be great if he didn’t now try to sully the efforts of his younger family members who are trying to meet the challenges of their day with bravery, but also with a bit more technique.

On Rank, Resumes, and Arm Bars — The Simple Reason Why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Still Matters in MMA


(The Gracies proved that BJJ is indispensable — not that it’s invincible. / Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in mixed martial arts has been on my mind a bit more than usual lately. A few weeks ago Benson Henderson walked to the ring wearing a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi with his brand new black belt tied around it at the waist.

Minutes later he walked out, his black belt still in tow but without his UFC lightweight title belt after getting submitted by an arm bar from inside the full guard of Anthony Pettis. At the time, Pettis was ranked as a blue belt — the belt just above white in BJJ.

Not many weeks prior to that, Roger Gracie, the most dominant submission grappling competitor in decades, lost his UFC debut and then was promptly dropped from the organization. This past Saturday, Roger’s cousin Rolles – son of legendary Rolls Gracie – got knocked out in the second round of his WSOF 5 fight with Derrick Mehmen in tragically comic fashion.

Rolles got hit, the punch put him out on his feet and he spun around slowly before falling to the ground. It looked like the slapstick “Flair Flop” move that pro wrestler Ric Flair used to pull off after getting hit to put over his opponent. Three and a half years ago, of course, Rolles humiliated himself against Joey Beltran in his lone UFC fight after appearing to exhaust himself almost immediately.

Both recent Gracie losses brought about public questions of whether or not the Gracie family and Jiu Jitsu itself have become outdated in modern MMA. Henderson’s submission loss to Pettis could have been seen as a triumph of Jiu Jitsu technique but instead, some critics chose to question the validity and use of BJJ belt ranks.

What did Henderson’s black belt mean, exactly, if he could go out and get submitted by someone with a lower BJJ rank, who was more known for high-flying kicks than anything, and with such a basic move? The notions that Gracies losing fights and Henderson getting submitted somehow reflect negatively on Jiu Jitsu itself are, of course, silly.

MMA isn’t about magical styles and secrets solely in the possession of those with certain-colored pieces of clothing or particular surnames. It never has been.


(The Gracies proved that BJJ is indispensable — not that it’s invincible. / Photo via Getty)

By Elias Cepeda

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in mixed martial arts has been on my mind a bit more than usual lately. A few weeks ago Benson Henderson walked to the ring wearing a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gi with his brand new black belt tied around it at the waist.

Minutes later he walked out, his black belt still in tow but without his UFC lightweight title belt after getting submitted by an arm bar from inside the full guard of Anthony Pettis. At the time, Pettis was ranked as a blue belt — the belt just above white in BJJ.

Not many weeks prior to that, Roger Gracie, the most dominant submission grappling competitor in decades, lost his UFC debut and then was promptly dropped from the organization. This past Saturday, Roger’s cousin Rolles – son of legendary Rolls Gracie – got knocked out in the second round of his WSOF 5 fight with Derrick Mehmen in tragically comic fashion.

Rolles got hit, the punch put him out on his feet and he spun around slowly before falling to the ground. It looked like the slapstick “Flair Flop” move that pro wrestler Ric Flair used to pull off after getting hit to put over his opponent. Three and a half years ago, of course, Rolles humiliated himself against Joey Beltran in his lone UFC fight after appearing to exhaust himself almost immediately.

Both recent Gracie losses brought about public questions of whether or not the Gracie family and Jiu Jitsu itself have become outdated in modern MMA. Henderson’s submission loss to Pettis could have been seen as a triumph of Jiu Jitsu technique but instead, some critics chose to question the validity and use of BJJ belt ranks.

What did Henderson’s black belt mean, exactly, if he could go out and get submitted by someone with a lower BJJ rank, who was more known for high-flying kicks than anything, and with such a basic move? The notions that Gracies losing fights and Henderson getting submitted somehow reflect negatively on Jiu Jitsu itself are, of course, silly.

MMA isn’t about magical styles and secrets solely in the possession of those with certain-colored pieces of clothing or particular surnames. It never has been.

Royce Gracie won the early UFC’s because of his Jiu Jitsu style, true. His style, Gracie Jiu Jitsu, or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu won him his bouts, but not because it was mystical. Quite the opposite, actually.

Jiu Jitsu succeeded simply because it a) calls for real, hard sparring with resistance every day, b) because it was the only style to at least recognize that anything can happen in a fight, and c) because Gracie was the only guy who was practicing Jiu Jitsu in the UFC at the time.

Gracie may have been the smallest and weakest guy in the early UFC tournaments but he was the only one who trained each day against resisting opponents and was ready for people to punch, kick, grab, head butt, and pull hair. So, the most prepared guy won those early UFC’s.

In modern MMA, it’s largely the same thing. The most prepared, well-rounded and conditioned man or woman usually wins.

In that way, not as much has changed since those early days of MMA. The conventional wisdom about what the early UFC’s proved about Gracie Jiu Jitsu is wrong.

Royce Gracie and UFC’s 1-4 did not prove that Jiu Jitsu is dominant but rather that it is indispensable. You could have ancient secrets from Chinese monasteries and do one-finger push ups but you’d better be experienced in real combat.

You could be a game, hard-hitting boxer with great sense of distance and timing but you’d better be ready for someone to grab you and no ref there to save you by breaking up the clinch. You could be an outrageously strong and conditioned wrestler, used to working on the mat and man-handling opponents, but you’d better recognize that in the real world it isn’t illegal for your opponent to choke you or twist on that shoulder lock until you say uncle.

Many fight-styles and disciplines existed for ages but the introduction of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to the world is what made Mixed Martial Arts. Royce Gracie showed that you needed to train BJJ to be successful in real fighting.

That’s still true to this day. Every amateur and professional MMA fighter trains Brazilian Jiu Jitsu whether they call it that or catch fighting or submission grappling or what have you.

Proving BJJ necessary in real fighting is the long-ago established success of the Gracie family, much more so than any particular win by Royce or anyone else in their clan.

As for Henderson losing to Pettis, one guy was better that night than the other. That’s it.

Henderson, black belt or not, decided to let his arm hang out in a dangerous position in Pettis’ guard for no apparent reason other than his supreme confidence in his own slipperiness, and he paid for it.

Fighters make mistakes and, sometimes, their opponents make them pay for it.

No one questions whether a boxer who has spent his entire life training is a “real” boxer or whether or not boxing is useful for fighting when he gets hit with a straight right – a “basic” punch. More often than not, it is only the basics – executed with impeccable timing, that work in real fights.

And, only real fights show who is, in fact, better and should be ranked higher. A Jiu Jitsu belt, given to a hard working and accomplished student from a reputable and credible instructor can be a very meaningful and representative thing. But, in the words of Royce, the only thing a belt will do for you when push comes to shove is hold your pants up.

Getting submitted in and of itself doesn’t mean that Henderson shouldn’t feel proud of his black belt. However, submitting Henderson should definitely make Pettis damn proud of his blue belt.

As for Roger and Rolles, they also just lost to better fighters. That’s it.

Roger is no disappointment. In Tim Kennedy, he came up against a better, far more experienced and well-rounded fighter who, like all MMA fighters, has been studying Gracie’s family style for years. Overall, Roger has a solid 6-2 record in three weight classes, and has beaten former world champs and UFC and Pride veterans like Kevin Randleman, Yuki Kondo, Trevor Prangley and Keith Jardine.

Rolles is 8-2 in his MMA career in a number of different international organizations and all of his wins were by submission. Of course, Rolles and Roger face increased scrutiny because of their last names and because they are so accomplished in submission grappling competition.

Both Roger and Rolles are wizards in Jiu Jitsu competitions but probably will never become champions in MMA. “See?” one can hear sour critics of Jiu Jitsu taunt. “Winning world titles in submission grappling doesn’t make you the best fighter in the world anymore.”

Of course it doesn’t. The thing is, winning submission grappling world titles doesn’t make them the best BJJ practitioners or representatives, either. These guys are not the best BJJ practitioners any more than great boxers or kick boxers are the best strikers.
The best striker is a fighter who can land those same punches and kicks against people who are not just trying to hit them but also take them down, choke them, etc.

As such, the best grapplers, then, are the ones who do it effectively in MMA – not just win gold at Jiu Jitsu tournaments. There are plenty of examples of that in MMA.

Rolles and Roger have grappled since they were children and accomplished much in the submission grappling world. They don’t deserve derision for not being perfect in MMA, they deserve some respect for being brave enough to fight guys who have been fighting in the sport for much longer.

That said, the current and next generation of MMA champions are all fighters who have trained Jiu Jitsu and just about everything else since they were kids and haven’t wasted too much of their youth and abilities in contests where strikes, slams, etc. are not allowed. On that note, the son of perhaps Jiu Jitsu’s best practitioner ever recently announced plans to make his MMA debut within the year.

Kron Gracie, the youngest son of Rickson Gracie, told Tatame magazine that he’ll fight MMA in 2014. The twenty five year-old has medaled at the ADCC submission grappling world championships but has yet to win a world title since becoming a black belt.
Kron does have an attitude and approach to Jiu Jitsu that should suit him well for MMA. He’s also young enough to make the transition, and has been doing MMA sparring with some of the best fighters in the world for some time now.

Kron is close with Nate and Nick Diaz and has worked with them extensively, as well as their teammates Jake Shields and Gilbert Melendez. When I spoke with Kron last May as he prepared to compete in the submission grappling event Metamoris II, his mind was already on MMA.

He was with Nate as he spoke to me about “real” Jiu Jitsu. “Jiu Jitsu is about what works in fighting,” he told me as he explained why, even in submission grappling matches, he never goes for the types of fancy, esoteric moves that so many other Jiu Jitsu competitors favor these days.

Kron told Tatame about fighting in MMA, “It’s a truer fight, there’s no guard… It’s you and another man going to war. It’s truer than jiu-jitsu.”

Here’s what separates guys like Kron, or BJ Penn or Demian Maia from other Jiu Jitsu-based athletes. Since BJJ began to be a big-money pursuit, medal stands have become stacked with great athletes who have dozens of world titles but have never thrown or taken a punch.

They claim that submission grappling tournaments showcase more elegant, technical displays than the stuff we see work in MMA fights. That BJJ matches are somehow more pure demonstrations of Jiu Jitsu.

They’ve got it all wrong. Before there were a million different grappling organizations — all with their claim to being “world championships,” and each with their own volumes of rules and all the moves that are not allowed — Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was developed and used in the real world, in real fights.

Kron Gracie, Penn, Maia and the like all went the submission grappling international tournament route for a time, sure. They’re fun, you can make some money if you’re good, and it’s excellent training.

Ultimately, however, they craved something more. They craved what Jiu Jitsu was developed for – the fight.

Submission grapplers are often referred to as Jiu Jitsu “players,” as if they played basketball or baseball or some other entertaining but ultimately useless sport. Before there were ever Jiu Jitsu players, however, there were only Jiu Jitsu fighters.

Some of them remain. Some, like Kron and his father and grandfather before him, know that if they train Jiu Jitsu, their destiny is to fight in the sport that Jiu Jitsu created.

And Now They’re Fired: Gracie, Magalhaes, Herman, And Three Other Fighters Removed From UFC.com Roster


(*yawn*…damn, I was having the most incredible dream. I was being held in the arms of a beautiful woman. She had this long, blonde braid that was tickling my-OH MY GOD, NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” / Photo via Getty)

It’s been a while since the UFC has had a good ol’ mass bloodletting, and it looks like the UFC sent out the firing squad this week, with a half-dozen struggling fighters removed from the UFC.com roster after recent losses. Let’s run ’em down…

Roger Gracie: Gracie’s contract wasn’t renewed after his uninspiring loss to Tim Kennedy during his Octagon debut at UFC 162, officially making him the third-straight Gracie to go “one and done” in the UFC.

Vinny Magalhaes: Vinny’s 14-second knockout loss to Anthony Perosh at UFC 163 made it two defeats in a row for him — following a decision loss against Phil Davis in April — and dropped his overall Octagon record to 1-4, through two stints in the promotion. Last week, the TUF 8 finalist claimed he would retire from MMA if the UFC dropped him. So…good luck, man.

Dave Herman: Four-straight stoppage losses and two failed drug-tests for marijuana — few fighters have had poorer showings in the Octagon than Pee-Wee. It’s a mystery why he even got a chance to fight Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 162 in the first place, but a 17-second KO loss sealed his fate for good.


(*yawn*…damn, I was having the most incredible dream. I was being held in the arms of a beautiful woman. She had this long, blonde braid that was tickling my-OH MY GOD, NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” / Photo via Getty)

It’s been a while since the UFC has had a good ol’ mass bloodletting, and it looks like the UFC sent out the firing squad this week, with a half-dozen struggling fighters removed from the UFC.com roster after recent losses. Let’s run ‘em down…

Roger Gracie: Gracie’s contract wasn’t renewed after his uninspiring loss to Tim Kennedy during his Octagon debut at UFC 162, officially making him the third-straight Gracie to go “one and done” in the UFC.

Vinny Magalhaes: Vinny’s 14-second knockout loss to Anthony Perosh at UFC 163 made it two defeats in a row for him — following a decision loss against Phil Davis in April — and dropped his overall Octagon record to 1-4, through two stints in the promotion. Last week, the TUF 8 finalist claimed he would retire from MMA if the UFC dropped him. So…good luck, man.

Dave Herman: Four-straight stoppage losses and two failed drug-tests for marijuana — few fighters have had poorer showings in the Octagon than Pee-Wee. It’s a mystery why he even got a chance to fight Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 162 in the first place, but a 17-second KO loss sealed his fate for good.

Ednaldo Oliveira: “Squidward” came into the UFC as an undefeated heavyweight, was quickly subbed by Gabriel Gonzaga last January at UFC 142, spent an entire year battling injuries, dropped to light-heavyweight, and lost to some guy named Francimar at UFC 163. peaceout.gif

Bristol Marunde: Marunde’s two-fight stint in the UFC resulted in stoppage losses to Clint Hester at the TUF 17 Finale and Viscardi Andrade at UFC 163. The loss to Andrade was actually Marunde’s third overall, as he entered the UFC following a submission loss to Ronaldo Souza in Strikeforce.

John Maguire: The fact that Maguire won his first two fights in the Octagon makes him the most successful UFC fighter on this list by far. At one point a solid British prospect with an interesting backstory, Maguire followed up those wins with decision losses to John Hathaway and Matt Riddle. Then, Maguire dropped to lightweight and lost another decision to Mitch Clarke at UFC 161 in June. Three in a row, gots to go.

It Looks Like Roger Gracie Will Be the Third Straight Gracie to Go “One and Done” in the UFC


(“And he couldn’t be more thrilled. Back to you in the studio, Ariel!” Photo via Getty.) 

It’s safe to say that time has not been kind to the Gracie family, at least in the UFC. Hell, it’s safe to say that time has been kinder to the Sumatran Tiger than it has to the Gracies, and I see at least fourteen adds asking me to save the former from poachers every goddamn day.

It all started when Rolles Gracie shit the bed in his octagon debut at UFC 109. While you could argue that he might have been called up to the UFC a little prematurely (being that he was only 3-0 at the time), Dana & Co. showed no such consideration or hespect for the Gracie name when they gave him the boot. Next, Renzo Gracie was leg kick TKO’d by Matt Hughes at UFC 112 and that’s all we are willing to say about that. Most recently, Roger Gracie rode a two-fight win streak in Strikeforce over to the UFC, where he was upended by Tim Kennedy in an absolute snoozefest at UFC 162.

Unfortunately, it looks like the most qualified Gracie to…grace the octagon in years will suffer the same fate as the former two. Combate.com is passing along word that the Brazilian’s four fight Strikeforce contract — which transferred/expired following Roger’s uninspiring UFC 162 loss — has not been renewed by the promotion. We know what you’re thinking, and yes, it looks like Rampage vs. Ortiz just became A TRIPLE THREAT CAGE MATCH FOR THE WHATEVERF*CKYOUWEIGHT TITLE!


(“And he couldn’t be more thrilled. Back to you in the studio, Ariel!” Photo via Getty.) 

It’s safe to say that time has not been kind to the Gracie family, at least in the UFC. Hell, it’s safe to say that time has been kinder to the Sumatran Tiger than it has to the Gracies, and I see at least fourteen adds asking me to save the former from poachers every goddamn day.

It all started when Rolles Gracie shit the bed in his octagon debut at UFC 109. While you could argue that he might have been called up to the UFC a little prematurely (being that he was only 3-0 at the time), Dana & Co. showed no such consideration or hespect for the Gracie name when they gave him the boot. Next, Renzo Gracie was leg kick TKO’d by Matt Hughes at UFC 112 and that’s all we are willing to say about that. Most recently, Roger Gracie rode a two-fight win streak in Strikeforce over to the UFC, where he was upended by Tim Kennedy in an absolute snoozefest at UFC 162.

Unfortunately, it looks like the most qualified Gracie to…grace the octagon in years will suffer the same fate as the former two. Combate.com is passing along word that the Brazilian’s four fight Strikeforce contract — which transferred/expired following Roger’s uninspiring UFC 162 loss — has not been renewed by the promotion. We know what you’re thinking, and yes, it looks like Rampage vs. Ortiz just became A TRIPLE THREAT CAGE MATCH FOR THE WHATEVERF*CKYOUWEIGHT TITLE!

Despite opening most of our eyes to this great sport in 1993, this most recent setback brings the Gracie’s UFC record to 0-4-1 since, well, 1994. While success in the modern era of MMA can be defined by much, much more than UFC wins, to say that the UFC performances of the Gracies in recent years have been anything less than disheartening would be an understatement that everyone else in the room would silently resent you for making.

We blame the disintegration of the Gracie Train. How about you?

–J. Jones

UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman Aftermath — Human After All


(Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)

By George Shunick

Surreal. That’s a pretty apt description of most Anderson Silva fights, for better or worse. Dodging Forrest Griffin’s strikes like he was in the Matrix, standing on the cage against Stephan Bonnar, front-kicking Vitor Belfort in the face? Surreal. Dancing around Thales Leites and shouting “where’s your jiu-jitsu now, playboy?” at Demian Maia? Surreal.

But those pale in comparison to what happened last night. What happened last night, when Silva lost for the first time in seventeen fights because he pushed the envelope too far, was the definition of surreal. For the sake of trying to comprehend what happened, let’s recapitulate for a moment. The first round saw Chris Weidman, the new middleweight kingpin of the UFC, take Silva down. Faced with the area in which he was most vulnerable, Silva deftly rolled with what ground and pound Weidman offered and defended any submission attempts before getting back to his feet. The rest of the round was spent taunting Weidman and stuffing any attempts at taking the fight to the ground. At the end of the round, Silva inexplicably hugged Weidman before returning to his corner.

When the second round began, Silva was in complete control, mocking Weidman’s attempts to hurt him. It was a performance unlike any other. But Silva strayed too far to the edge; caught with his chin up in the middle of a Weidman combination, he was felled by a left hook. His eyes rolled back; he was out before he hit the ground, where Weidman followed with a salvo of ground and pound that was merely a formality. Somehow, Silva had lost his title even more than Weidman had won it.


(Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)

By George Shunick

Surreal. That’s a pretty apt description of most Anderson Silva fights, for better or worse. Dodging Forrest Griffin’s strikes like he was in the Matrix, standing on the cage against Stephan Bonnar, front-kicking Vitor Belfort in the face? Surreal. Dancing around Thales Leites and shouting “where’s your jiu-jitsu now, playboy?” at Demian Maia? Surreal.

But those pale in comparison to what happened last night. What happened last night, when Silva lost for the first time in seventeen fights because he pushed the envelope too far, was the definition of surreal. For the sake of trying to comprehend what happened, let’s recapitulate for a moment. The first round saw Chris Weidman, the new middleweight kingpin of the UFC, take Silva down. Faced with the area in which he was most vulnerable, Silva deftly rolled with what ground and pound Weidman offered and defended any submission attempts before getting back to his feet. The rest of the round was spent taunting Weidman and stuffing any attempts at taking the fight to the ground. At the end of the round, Silva inexplicably hugged Weidman before returning to his corner.

When the second round began, Silva was in complete control, mocking Weidman’s attempts to hurt him. It was a performance unlike any other. But Silva strayed too far to the edge; caught with his chin up in the middle of a Weidman combination, he was felled by a left hook. His eyes rolled back; he was out before he hit the ground, where Weidman followed with a salvo of ground and pound that was merely a formality. Somehow, Silva had lost his title even more than Weidman had won it.

Looking at it like that, as a sequence of events, it seems like what happened last night can be condensed into something that resembles a traditional narrative. Anderson Silva was clowning when he shouldn’t have been and paid the price. He shouldn’t have done it in the first place, and that’s why he lost. I’m not so sure it’s that simple. What made Silva great wasn’t just his win streak, it was how he won. How he transcended the bounds of what we thought was possible in combat sports, how his greatest challenge wasn’t the person standing across from him but the shadows of the performances he had to live up to and surpass. Like Icarus, he flew a little too high, strove to be something that no one could be. It turns out that Anderson Silva is not some deity of violence descended from the heavens, that he is prone to the same physical limits and temptations of hubris and grandeur that plague us lesser mortals. But that willingness to push those boundaries, to tempt fate and escape its consequences again and again, is what made Anderson Silva the best fighter in the history of the sport.

As for Weidman, the man has earned his time in the sun. His home was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy, he endured shoulder surgery and went an entire year without fighting. He deserves the money, the $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus, the fame and the accolades that come with dethroning a legend. Regardless of how much Silva’s approach to the fight impacted the result, Weidman capitalized on an opportunity that no else managed to. There’s something to be said for that. With that said, if there will be an immediate rematch, I wouldn’t favor him. But then again, I was wrong about him last night.

Oh, there were some other fights too. Frankie Edgar and Charles Oliviera put together an entertaining, technical scrap tht shared Fight of the Night honors with Swanson vs. Siver. While there were momentum shifts, Edgar won all three rounds and finally got back on the right side of the win-loss column. Tim Kennedy managed to control Roger Gracie in an uneventful decision win and Mark Muñoz made a triumphant return to the Octagon in thrashing Tim Boetsch over three rounds. And to begin the night, Cub Swanson came back from a first round deficit to knock out Dennis Siver in the third in a contender for fight of the year.

But the story of the night was Silva. It always is when he fights, when he clowns, when he wins. But that’s not how last night unfolded. Anderson Silva was dethroned. It’s funny; when pressed to ask who he wished to fight, Silva would often respond “my clone.” Silva didn’t fight his clone last night, but he still managed to beat himself. I suppose that’s inexorable when you compete against your past accomplishments; sooner or later, you can’t go any higher. Last night, Anderson Silva flew too close to the sun and we were still shocked that he fell. With Silva, the rules seemed like they never applied. When they finally did, that was more surreal than anything else.

UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman — Main Card Results & Commentary


(“Cmm ert mih brrr.” / Photo via MMAFighting.com)

They’ve smushed chins. They’ve mushed lips. But tonight at UFC 162 in Las Vegas, Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman will let their fists do the love-making, and the only bodily fluids being exchanged will be BLOOD. [Ed. note: Look, I’m doing my best here.] Whether the Brazilian G.O.A.T. makes his 11th middleweight title defense, or the “All-American” lives up to his Rocky-esque underdog hype, I think we’re in for a hell of a battle.

Also on the pay-per-view lineup, Frankie Edgar steps into his first non-title fight since 2009 when he tangles with featherweight Charles Oliveira, while divisional standouts Cub Swanson and Dennis Siver jockey for their place in the 145-pound contender chain. Meanwhile in the middleweight division, Strikeforce vets Tim Kennedy and Roger Gracie look to make a good first impression in the UFC, while familiar contenders Tim Boetsch and Mark Munoz try to bounce back to the win column.

Handling our liveblog for the “Silva vs. Weidman” main card is Alex Giardini, who will be slingin’ live results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for the latest updates, and feel free to mouth off in the comments section.


(“Cmm ert mih brrr.” / Photo via MMAFighting.com)

They’ve smushed chins. They’ve mushed lips. But tonight at UFC 162 in Las Vegas, Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman will let their fists do the love-making, and the only bodily fluids being exchanged will be BLOOD. [Ed. note: Look, I’m doing my best here.] Whether the Brazilian G.O.A.T. makes his 11th middleweight title defense, or the “All-American” lives up to his Rocky-esque underdog hype, I think we’re in for a hell of a battle.

Also on the pay-per-view lineup, Frankie Edgar steps into his first non-title fight since 2009 when he tangles with featherweight Charles Oliveira, while divisional standouts Cub Swanson and Dennis Siver jockey for their place in the 145-pound contender chain. Meanwhile in the middleweight division, Strikeforce vets Tim Kennedy and Roger Gracie look to make a good first impression in the UFC, while familiar contenders Tim Boetsch and Mark Munoz try to bounce back to the win column.

Handling our liveblog for the “Silva vs. Weidman” main card is Alex Giardini, who will be slingin’ live results after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for the latest updates, and feel free to mouth off in the comments section.

Good evening gentlemen (let’s be honest, your girlfriends are out cheating on you)…the Potato’s resident spaghetti-bender here, guiding you through UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman. After yesterday’s attempt to dethrone Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling’s moment of the century, both Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman will battle for the middleweight title in a main event we actually give a shit about (it’s rough in the bubble these days, my patates).  After a hectic week full of fighter pay controversies, Ken Shamrock sleazebaggary and a video that surfaced where Chael Sonnen looks severely out of place, the focus should be on Silva’s legacy and if the time has finally come for us to witness his first Octagon loss. Despite over a dozen fighters siding with Weidman, Silva will never be an underdog in a middleweight fight (for you Jon Jones fanny’s out there). He has been a gift for us to watch and you’ll agree with me when I say I never want this dude to go away. Weidman, a 9-0 Serra-Longo fight team product, really caught everyone’s eye when he submitted Tom Lawlor in just over two minutes back at UFC 139. I don’t have to remind you of what he did to Mark Munoz in his last fight to bring you up to speed on where we’re at today. He is also making $24,000 to show, which is less than the average Cage Potato reader’s annual salary.

The co-main event features Frankie “Lil’ Balboa” Edgar against Brazilian submission ace Charles Oliveira. Edgar is on a three-fight losing streak and despite still being viewed as one of the best fighters in the world; he desperately needs to win tonight…which is why this slight mismatch was made in the first place.

Also on the card is everyone’s favorite complainer Tim Kennedy, as he squares off against fellow Strikeforce vet Roger Gracie. Mark Munoz takes on Tim Boetsch and Cub Swanson meets Dennis Siver in what should be the fight of the night. Sit tight, refresh and don’t stream this one illegally, you vile combat sports enthusiast – scam your parents into thinking you’re visiting them tonight and order it on their satellite provider, because that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Intro video has Anderson Silva declaring the fans will like what they see tonight. Weidman says he will look to submit him and take his belt. And of course, cue the “Bring the pain, it’s insane, make em’ step to this” song that has never left us.

Cub Swanson vs. Dennis Siver

Round 1: Dennis Siver comes out to fucking Papa Roach and Swanson to something that kids who take molly’s listen to. Herb Dean summons them both and they touch gloves. Siver misses with a low legkick. Both men exchange low legkicks, as Siver bounces up and down repeatedly. Swanson gets a nice jab in as Siver misses with a big overhead right. Siver throws a headkick but it doesn’t connect. Nice right hand by Swanson. Siver catches a kick by Swanson and throws him to the ground. Siver trying to work as Swanson has his right leg stuck in his half-guard. Siver trying to clinches Swanson’s head and arm, and then ends up in side control. Siver attempting a crucifix and throws a few punches. Siver now has Swanson’s hips and Swanson attempts a guillotine. Both men are back on their feet, Swanson now in a southpaw stance. Siver lands another kick and a flurry before the bell sounds. 10-9 Siver.

Round 2: Siver working with those low legkicks as a part of his gameplan. Nice left hook by Swanson forces Siver to reshuffle his positioning. Patented spinning heel kick by Siver lands but doesn’t do too much damage. Swanson checks another headkick from Siver. Swanson goes for a left hook and Siver ducks under, working for a takedown but its stuffed. Solid kick by Swanson and Siver is slightly bloodied in the nose. Both men circling more and more, looking for openings. Another headkick blocked by Swanson and he throws one of his own that also gets blocked. Siver pushed forward with the jab and Swanson gets a good kick in to the body. A solid left jab rocks Swanson back a few steps. Big uppercut by Swanson and Siver tries to go for a takedown and Swanson judo flips the living hell out of Siver. Swanson in full mount and defends positioning well as Siver tries to get up. Sloppy display by Swanson has Siver reverse positioning but he doesn’t have any time to work. 10-9 Swanson.

Round 3: Siver lands a decent left hook and Swanson returns the favor with a solid headkick. Siver looking slightly tired as Swanson jukes back and forth. Nice right hand by Swanson; he’s getting into the groove now with his combinations. Siver misses with a spinning heel kick. Jab by Siver but it doesn’t faze Swanson. Another right hand by Swanson and another – Swanson drops Siver and continues to pummel him on the ground with hammerfists. Herb Dean steps in and that’s it for Siver.

Cub Swanson def. Dennis Siver by TKO (Strikes), Round 3, 2:23. 

Notable celebs in attendance include Mike Tyson and according to Mike Goldberg, “one of the greatest in the world”, Usher. A shot backstage sees Anderson Silva looking like a badass Bruno Mars in a fitted, while Weidman gets booed by the home crowd.

Mark Munoz vs. Tim Boetsch

Round 1: Munoz looking hella in shape. Mazzagatti gets booed and the fighters touch gloves. Frontkick by Boetsch and gets a takedown but Munoz flips him over. That doesn’t last for long as both men are back up but Boetsch gets a big takedown. Both men back up and Boetsch clinching Munoz against the fence. They break apart to the center of the Octagon. Boetsch pushes forward and clinches Munoz against the fence. Nice knee to the body by Boetsch but Munoz takes him down. Boetsch gets back up and eats a punch on the way. Munoz gets another takedown but Boetsch rolls and ends up on top. Boetsch works a guillotine while Munoz takes him down but Boetsch hangs on. Boetsch rolls but loses it. Back on their feet, Munoz catches him with a solid right hand. Munoz has Boetsch clinched up against the fence. Munoz with a knee to the body as Boetsch tries to work for something. Combination by Munoz includes an uppercut but Boetsch looks alright. Tough round to score. 10-9 Boetsch.

Round 2: Nice kick to the body by Boetsch. Munoz returns the favor and adds a solid hook in the process. Munoz has Boetsch clinched against the fence but Boetsch reverses the positioning. Right hand by Boetsch but he cannot capitalize as Munoz scores a takedown. Munoz on top, looking for those Donkey Kong punches. Boetsch is controlling Munoz’s left wrist. Hammerfist by Munoz followed by huge shots to the body (specifically the ribcage). Boetsch gets up but he cannot stop Munoz’s wrestling, as the “Filipino Wrecking Machine” scores another takedown. Munoz is now controlling this fight. More shots to the body by Munoz, as he is playing seesaw with Boetsch’s head and ribcage. Knee to the body by Munoz as he stands over Boetsch. The horn sounds and Boetsch has got to be hurting. 10-9 Munoz.

Round 3: Munoz backing up towards the fence and sets up a big right hand as he lunges forward. Munoz goes for another takedown but Boetsch goes for a guillotine. He cannot secure the choke and goes for a Japanese necktie but he can’t get that either. Boetsch now going for Munoz’s arm but Munoz explodes out of the position and takes his back, raining down hammerfists. Munoz continues his assault with hammerfists to the head, thigh and ribs. Boetsch covering up and Munoz continues with relentless ground and pound. Kimura attempt by Munoz in half-guard, stretching Boetsch’s arm back. Munoz loses it but continues to ground and pound. Munoz sneaks an arm behind Boetsch’s neck for a rear-naked choke but Boetsch isn’t having any of it. Munoz now continues with his ground strikes as Boetsch tries a kneebar. Munoz tries a jumping donkey punch but misses as the round ends. 10-9 Munoz.

Mark Munoz def. Tim Boetsch by Unanimous Decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-28)

Man, Tim Boetsch is a tricky name to write over and over. It’s no Nurmagomedov…but it’s still tough. Finally, they show Roy Jones in the crowd…and then Ronda, of course.

Tim Kennedy vs. Roger Gracie

Round 1: Both men touch gloves and Kennedy immediately crouches coming forward. Gracie looking quite huge next to Kennedy. Gracie clinches and grabs control of Kennedy’s waist, as plenty of morons in attendance commence to boo. Kennedy is back up and goes for double-underhooks. Both men exchange jabs as the fight gets back to the center. Gracie catches Kennedy’s legkick but cannot capitalize. Gracie clinches Kennedy against the cage and ends up on top of him on the way down. Gracie now takes his back but Kennedy is doing a good job of controlling Gracie’s wrists. Brazilian fans chant for Gracie in Portugese. Kennedy spins out of the position and ends up on top but does not have any time to do something significant. 10-9 Gracie.

Round 2: Kennedy throws a kick to Gracie’s knee, followed by another legkick. Kennedy gets a takedown and ends up taking Gracie’s back. He starts to ground and pound and Gracie is covering up. Gracie rolls out and both fighters are back to their feet. Both men grappling against the cage and Kennedy has superior position over the Brazilian. Gracie reverses and now has Kennedy against the cage, who looks at the clock. Takedown by Kennedy and is now in half-guard. Kennedy is doing a good job of staying clear from submissions but he isn’t working and Kim Winslow stands them back up. Frontkick misses by Kennedy and pits Gracie against the fence once more. 10-9 Kennedy.

Round 3: Another frontkick that misses by Kennedy opens the round. Kennedy throws a big left but misses. Gracie has his hands down and isn’t throwing many punches except for a jab here and there. Not much going on with both fighters throwing a strike every few seconds. Gracie works for a takedown and eventually gets it but Kennedy gets right back up. Gracie is pushed against the fence and looks exhausted. This round is so lackluster than a wave has started in the crowd and Kim Winslow seems to acknowledge it by breaking up the fighters. Left hook by Kennedy lands right on the chin. Gracie’s hands are still down, looking quite Frankensteinesque at this point. Kennedy lands a knee with Gracie against the fence as the fight ends. 10-9 Kennedy.

 Tim Kennedy def. Roger Gracie by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

No post-fight interview for Kennedy. Time constraints or conspiracy, you decide. GSP in attendance, as Goldberg says Dana White has a special announcement for us regarding the welterweight champ. Co-main event time…here comes Lil’ Balboa.

Frankie Edgar vs. Charles Oliveira 

Round 1: Both men looking pumped at the staredown. Yves Lavigne brings them together. Both men start out with a furious pace. Edgar with a right hand and Oliveira immediately goes for a takedown. Edgar lands on top and gets a harsh warning for hanging on to the cage. Edgar looking faster on the feet but Oliveira is keeping up so far. Edgar is landing the jab over and over again. Oliveira tries to climb the Edgar tree but Edgar slams him down. Edgar is now in Oliveira’s guard and escapes to his feet before Oliveira can get a hold of his ankle. Edgar lands a legkick as Oliveira misses a flying scissor-kick. Frankie lands a left hook but Oliveira answers with a solid right hand. Big left hook by Edgar slightly rocks Oliveira. Edgar goes for a takedown but cannot get it. Edgar has a little bit of blood trickling out of his nose. Oliveira is thrown down again but is staying active with elbows from the bottom. 10-9 Edgar.

Round 2: Edgar keeps on landed his left hook by faking with his right. Frankie’s footwork looks great but Oliveira is keeping up like no other so far. Edgar trying to get a takedown but Oliveira is doing a good job defending. Nice legkick by Edgar followed by a big right hand. Nice jab lands by Oliveira, looking sharp with knees to the body in the clinch as well. Edgar takes him down but Oliveira wraps his long legs around Edgar, forcing him to find answers in the guard.  Oliveira is keeping busy with elbows from the bottom but Edgar landing some solid shots. Back on their feet, Oliveira lands a solid combination. Edgar with a left hook but Oliveira answers with a sharp elbow. Oliveira with another jab and Edgar is bloody now. Edgar catches Oliveira’s kick but cannot make him pay as Oliveira moves backwards. Edgar clinches Oliveira back against the fence and scores a big takedown. Edgar finds himself in a guillotine but survives as the horn sounds. 10-9 Edgar.

Round 3: Edgar opens up with two left hooks. Oliveira picks up the pace with a nice combination but Edgar tags him with a big right. Edgar catches Oliveira’s leg and throws him to the ground. Lavigne stands up Oliveira who has done a remarkable job by keeping up with Edgar. Oliveira rocks Edgar with a right to the temple that forces Edgar to step back. Oliveira follows up with a knee that connects. Edgar goes for a takedown but it ends sloppily and Oliveira is back up. Oliveira lands another big right hand, followed by a left hook. Oliveira’s striking looks very impressive in this fight – a big improvement in his game. Another big right hand stuns Edgar. Edgar fights back with one of his own. Flying knee by Edgar but it doesn’t do damage. Oliveira sort of throws himself on the ground and Edgar jumps on top of him with some ground and pound. With Edgar in the guard, he tries to throw some big shots from the top. That’s got to be the Fight Of The Night. 10-9 Edgar.

Frankie Edgar def. Charles Oliveira by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

I think Oliveira surprised a lot of people, myself included. Definitely not the same dude that got rocked by Cub Swanson. How could you not love Frankie Edgar? How?

Steven Segal in attendance sporting a ridiculous goatee, which goes well with his ridiculous yellow shades. This will be a good time to tell you I actually love his movies…have I purchased any? Don’t be silly.

Main event time…holy shit, this is going to be something.

Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman

Round 1: Weidman extends his hand but Silva simply bows. Yikes. Dean summons them to the center and Silva starts to shuffle left to right. Silva with some nice footwork and Weidman goes for a takedown. Silva is on his back and Weidman ends up in his guard. Weidman pouring some ground and pound with some solid left shots. Silva is deflecting the shots and Weidman tries to pass. Weidman is back on his feet and keeps on punching Silva. Weidman goes for a heel hook while Silva spins out of it and they are back on their feet. Both fighters have their hands down and are trying to find openings. Both fighters are clinched together and break apart. Nice knee by Silva. Silva throws a vicious legkick. Weidman throws a jab and Silva returns the favor in nonchalant fashion. Silva continues with some legkicks and starts to taunt Weidman, asking him to bring it on. Both men embrace at the sound of the horn and Silva kisses him. A very tough round to score. 10-9 Weidman.

Round 2: Silva says “Come on, man!” in the corner. Weidman with a nice jab and Silva starts to dance. Silva now jogging while throwing kicks. Silva taunting his opponent as Weidman lands a jab. Silva doesn’t cover up and Weidman rocks him. Silva taunts him, gets hit with a left hook, falls and Weidman follows up with some big shots. Weidman has just knocked out Silva. Oh my god. New middleweight champion.

Chris Weidman def. Anderson Silva by Knockout (Round 2, 2:12), wins the UFC Middleweight Championship.

“It pisses me off when someone does that to me”, Weidman tells Rogan. Well, that’s how you win over the crowd. That’s quite the reversal, as the crowd relentlessly boos Silva. When asked if he wants a rematch, Silva declines and says he won’t fight for the belt. He has 10 fights left and what he is saying is that he is superfight bound at this point. When is the last time a fighter paid that high a price for slacking off? “Hello Japan”?!

Writing that last paragraph, I was five espressos deep and quite frankly I couldn’t feel my face as I watched that knockout. I think this is the biggest moment in MMA history and I can’t believe I was able to share it with Potato Nation. There is nothing else I can say. Let it simmer, I guess. Goodnight. Holy shit, man. Goodnight.