Rickson Gracie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rickson Gracie |
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| Born | November 21, 1959 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
| Division | Middleweight |
| Teacher(s) | Helio Gracie, Rolls Gracie |
| Rank |
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| Years active | 1980, 1984, 1994-2000 (MMA) |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 11 |
| Wins | 11 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| By submission | 9 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Notable relatives | Kron Gracie, son |
Rickson Gracie (born November 21, 1959) is a retired Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is part of the famous Gracie family, known for developing Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Rickson is the third oldest son of Hélio Gracie, who was one of the founders of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
In the 1980s and 1990s, many people thought Rickson was the best fighter in the Gracie family. They also believed he was one of the toughest fighters in the world. In July 2017, he earned the ninth-degree red belt. This is the second-highest rank you can get in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
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Biography
Rickson Gracie, the son of Helio Gracie, started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at a very young age. He earned his black belt when he was 18 years old in 1977.
Fights Against Rei Zulu
When Rickson was 20, he had a big fight in Brasília against a famous Brazilian fighter named Casemiro "Rei Zulu" Nascimento Martins. Rei Zulu was a very large man, weighing about 230 pounds (104 kg). He was known for a local wrestling style called tarracá.
Even though Rei Zulu was much bigger, Rickson Gracie won the fight. He used a move called a rear naked choke to make Zulu give up in the third round. This win made Rickson famous across Brazil.
In 1984, Rei Zulu wanted a rematch in Rio de Janeiro. This fight was held in a large stadium called Maracanazinho, with 20,000 people watching. Rickson Gracie won again by using another choke in the second round.
Challenges from Luta Livre Fighters
In the late 1980s, there was a rivalry between Brazilian jiu-jitsu and another fighting style called luta livre. Rickson Gracie was often challenged by luta livre fighters.
One famous challenge was from a fighter named Hugo Duarte. Rickson Gracie faced Hugo Duarte on a beach. Rickson won the fight by making Duarte give up. Later, they had a rematch at Rickson's gym, which Rickson also won.
After these fights, Rickson Gracie moved from Brazil to the United States. The rivalry between Brazilian jiu-jitsu and luta livre continued, but without Rickson.
Fighting in Japan: Vale Tudo Japan
In 1994, Rickson Gracie was invited to compete in a tournament in Japan called Vale Tudo Japan. He traveled to Japan and showed his skills.
In this tournament, he first fought Yoshinori Nishi. Rickson took him to the ground and won with a rear naked choke. Next, he faced Dave Levicki, who was much bigger. Rickson quickly took him down and won by hitting him until the referee stopped the fight. In the finals, Rickson fought Bud Smith and won in a similar way, becoming the tournament champion.
Later that year, a professional wrestler named Yoji Anjo came to Rickson's gym to challenge him. Rickson Gracie won this fight by using his ground skills and choking Anjo until he became unconscious.
A year later, Rickson was invited back to Vale Tudo Japan. He won all his matches again. In the finals, he fought Yuki Nakai, who was almost blind from an earlier match. Nakai fought hard, but Rickson managed to get behind him and choke him, winning the tournament for the second time.
Pride Fighting Championships
In 1997, Rickson Gracie fought Nobuhiko Takada at an event called Pride 1 in Japan. This was a very big event held at the Tokyo Dome, with nearly 48,000 people watching. Rickson Gracie won by getting on top of Takada and using an armbar to make him give up.
Rickson became very popular in Japan. He had a rematch with Takada at Pride 4. Takada had improved, but Rickson still managed to win again with an armbar.
In May 2000, Rickson Gracie fought Masakatsu Funaki at an event called Colosseum. This fight was also held at the Tokyo Dome and watched by millions on TV. Rickson won this fight by using a rear naked choke.
After this, Rickson was asked to fight other famous martial artists like Naoya Ogawa and Kazushi Sakuraba. However, a sad event happened in Rickson's life. His son, Rockson, passed away in January 2001. This tragedy made Rickson think about retiring from fighting.
Other Appearances
Rickson Gracie has made other appearances in media. In 2002, he helped out fighter Naoya Ogawa before a match in Japan.
In November 2014, Rickson Gracie was honored by being inducted into the Legends of MMA Hall of Fame. This is a special award for great fighters.
Rickson Gracie also appeared on a podcast called The Joe Rogan Experience in 2014.
In Other Media
Rickson Gracie was the main subject of a documentary film in 1995 called Choke. This film followed him and two other fighters as they got ready for and competed in the Vale Tudo Japan 1995 tournament.
He also had a small role in the movie The Incredible Hulk. He played an instructor in the movie. Rickson has also appeared on the television show Fight Science on National Geographic.
In 2020, news came out that a Netflix film about Rickson Gracie was being made. The movie is directed by José Padilha, and the actor Cauã Reymond plays Rickson Gracie.
Personal Life
Rickson Gracie has four children. Their names are Rockson (who has passed away), Kauan, Kaulin, and Kron Gracie.
In June 2023, Rickson Gracie shared that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2021.
Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 11 matches | 11 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 2 | 0 |
| By submission | 9 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 11–0 | Masakatsu Funaki | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | C2K: Colosseum | May 26, 2000 | 1 | 12:49 | Japan | Special rules: Knee and elbow strikes were forbidden. |
| Win | 10–0 | Nobuhiko Takada | Submission (armbar) | Pride 4 | October 11, 1998 | 1 | 9:30 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 9–0 | Nobuhiko Takada | Submission (armbar) | Pride 1 | October 11, 1997 | 1 | 4:47 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 8–0 | Yuki Nakai | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Vale Tudo Japan 1995 | April 20, 1995 | 1 | 6:22 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 7–0 | Koichiro Kimura | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 1 | 2:07 | ||||
| Win | 6–0 | Yoshihisa Yamamoto | Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | 3 | 3:49 | ||||
| Win | 5–0 | Bud Smith | TKO (Submission to punches) | Vale Tudo Japan 1994 | July 29, 1994 | 1 | 0:39 | Urayasu, Chiba, Japan | |
| Win | 4–0 | Dave Levicki | TKO (Submission to punches) | 1 | 2:40 | ||||
| Win | 3–0 | Yoshinori Nishi | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 1 | 2:58 | ||||
| Win | 2–0 | Rei Zulu | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Independent promotion | January 1, 1984 | 1 | 9:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Win | 1–0 | Rei Zulu | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Independent promotion | April 25, 1980 | 1 | 11:55 | Brasília, Brazil |
Jiu-Jitsu Record
| Result | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Notes |
| Win |  Joe Moreira |
Submission (Choke) | V Copa Company - Absolute | 1988 | |||
| Win | Joe Moreira |
Submission (Choke) | V Copa Company - Light Heavyweight | 1988 | |||
| Win | Rigan Machado |
Submission (Rear-naked choke) | Independent promotion | 1986 | |||
| Win | Murilo Sa |
Submission (Armbar) | Copa Cantao | 1986 | |||
| Win | Rigan Machado |
Submission (Exhaustion) | III Copa Company | 1986 | |||
| Win | Otavio Peixotinho |
Submission (Armbar) | LINJJI | 1984 | |||
| Win | Sergio Penha |
Submission (Choke) | AABB | 1981 | |||
| Win | Sergio Penha |
Submission (Armbar) | AABB | 1981 |
See Also
In Spanish: Rickson Gracie para niños
- List of Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners
- List of undefeated mixed martial artists
