MMA Legacy Interview: Rorion Gracie

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Sherdog's Keith Shillan is joined by Gracie Jiu-Jitsu legend Rorion Gracie in an in-depth discussion about Rorion's life and the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu legacy.

00:00 - Did you know Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu / Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was going to be big? History of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and adapting Japanese Jiu-Jitsu into Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.
06:40 – Carlos Gracie’s legacy, and Carlos Gracie fighting Capoeira fighter on Brazilian TV.
15:20 – How was Carlos as a father and a teacher? BJJ vs. other martial arts.
19:38 – Did a Gracie ever lose a Gracie challenge? Carlos Gracie vs Masahiko Kimura and what it meant to the development of BJJ. Gracie Jiu Jitsu history
30:00 – Gracie Jiu Jitsu vs. Luta Livre grappling in Brazil.
33:19 – Royce Gracie.
37:50 – Rorion Gracie first trip to America in 1969. Working in White Castle. Going to law school in Brazil and saving to finally moving in 1972. Gracie Challenge matches, too many students and creating the UFC.
47:00 - Why didn’t Rickson Graice fight in the UFC instead of Royce?
53:00 – “BJJ is the spine of MMA, take it out and everything collapses”
57:40 – Did Rorion Graice expect the UFC to be as big as it is today? Getting no.10 Boxer Art Jimmerson in first fight, keeping in contact with original UFC members and raising money for the first UFC.
01:03:02 – UFC Hall of Fame. Selling the UFC. PPV mishap at UFC 4.
01:09:22 – The first triangle choke in the UFC.
01:11:20 – Rorion Gracie is launching Gracie Week. 100% online and 100% free, MMA stories from the old days. The Gracie Diet. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Book.