3. Royce Gracie
In the mind of Art Davie, Royce Gracie was not even the top choice from his own family. The year was 1993, and Davie, along with Rorion Gracie, had put together an eight-man tournament to be broadcast on pay-per-view. Weight classes were non-existent. Rules were limited. It was not an event for the weak of stomach.
Sending all 175 pounds of the less-menacing Royce through the bracket would prove to be an even greater testament to the virtues of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, however. If someone had lined up all eight competitors side-by-side and taken bets on who would emerge victorious prior to UFC 1, only insiders with an intricate knowledge of BJJ might have wagered on Royce. That night, the future UFC hall of famer rolled through the competition, baffling his opponents with his grappling acumen. It would be a recurring theme for the next couple years, as Royce went unbeaten in his first 12 UFC fights, with a draw against Ken Shamrock at UFC 5 the only blemish on his record.
UFC analyst Joe Rogan has called Royce “the man who revolutionized martial arts,” a sentiment with which many fans would agree. Not bad for a guy who was not even supposed to be there when the UFC got started.
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