5 Things You Might Not Know About Royce Gracie

Royce Gracie was instrumental in popularizing the Ultimate Fighting Championship and remains an iconic figure to this day. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt went 11-0-1 across his first 12 appearances in the UFC, delivering all 11 of his victories by first-round finish. His achievements are made all the more remarkable by the fact that Gracie was outsized by virtually every one of his opponents.

Here are five things you might not know about the man who brought The Gentle Art to the global stage:

1. He has spent the majority of his life in the United States.

Gracie was born in Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 12, 1966. He moved to the United States at the age of 18 and opened the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California, with older brother Rorion Gracie. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt took to his adopted home country and decided to stay. Today, the 51-year-old Gracie is a proud American citizen.

2. He has many accolades.

Gracie’s numerous accomplishments include being the first tournament champion in UFC history. He still ranks first on the promotion’s all-time list with 10 submission wins, tying him with Charles Oliveira. Gracie was part of the inaugural UFC Hall of Fame class, along with former rival Ken Shamrock. Moreover, he participated in the longest match in Pride Fighting Championships history -- his encounter with Kazushi Sakuraba covered 90 minutes -- and in 2014 was named one of the world’s 50 greatest athletes by Sports Illustrated.

3. His performances have not been limited to the mat, cage and ring.

Gracie appeared in the music video for “Attitude,” a single released by iconic Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura in 1996. At the end of the video, Gracie and some of his family members can be seen taking photographs of a rabid crowd dismantling an MMA cage. He has also appeared on the silver screen: Gracie’s role in Ecuadorian director Robert Estrella’s 2010 feature film “Vale Todo” sees him playing himself, a legendary trainer given the task of teaching a young fighter the skills of the mixed martial arts trade.

4. He is no stranger to controversy.

Gracie does not shy away from voicing his opinion, a trait that has not endeared him to all. He has been highly critical of fellow Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and rubber guard inventor Eddie Bravo. There was an altercation between the two men after Bravo’s draw with Royler Gracie in a grappling match at Metamoris 3 in 2014, and the bad blood remains to this day. Gracie has accused Bravo of disrespecting his family and advocating lifestyle choices to which he is opposed. Gracie has even publicly voiced disapproval of his own family members, notably nephews Rener Gracie and Ryron Gracie, for their less-than-stellar MMA performances. Other controversies have included run-ins with the IRS and a positive test for anabolic steroids.

5. He stays busy.

Gracie maintains a hectic schedule. His work entails teaching at his schools across the United States, along with making frequent trips overseas for seminars at his network of academies. Gracie is also a fitness fanatic. His training regimen includes weightlifting, running, meditation, cross training and copious amounts of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Gracie indicated on his website that he recently completed a 40-mile run with longtime trainer James Strom.