Roger seeks to be first Gracie to win MMA world title

SINGAPORE – Many look to the Gracie family with high regard because their clan was one of those who paved the way for putting up the foundation of mixed martial arts (MMA).

With their own brand of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, there was a period wherein the Gracies dominated MMA, making them a royalty in the sport.

Ironically, despite their success and contribution to MMA, not one of them has ever been a world champion.

Royce, Renzo and Rickson were an integral part in maintaining the Gracie family’s stranglehold on MMA, but a world championship belt still shied away from them.

Royce, the first and only 3-tournament winner in UFC history, may have a sixth-degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt around his waist, but an MMA world title remained elusive to him.

Although Royce is widely considered to be the most influential figure in modern MMA, he never held a title in the sport, facing Ken Shamrock to an anticlimactic draw for the UFC superfight belt in April 1995 before bowing down to Kazushi Sakuraba in the quarterfinals of PRIDE’s Openweight Grand Prix in May 2000.

On the other hand, Renzo owns notable victories over 4 former UFC champions such as Maurice Smith, Pat Miletich, Carlos Newton and Frank Shamrock, but he never had an opportunity to vie for a world title in any major MMA league due to his losses to high-profile opponents.

Meanwhile, Rickson compiled a professional record of 11-0 and came out on top of two Vale Tudo Japan tournaments from 1994 to 1995.

Rickson competed in organizations like PRIDE and C2K-Colosseum, but his MMA career did not last for long.

If Royce, Renzo and Rickson were less fortunate, one of the younger members of the Gracie clan will have the chance to be a world champion.

Roger Gracie is slated to face Russian prospect Michal Pasternak for the promotion’s inaugural ONE Championship light heavyweight title in the co-headliner of the “Ascent to Power” event on Friday, May 6.

The 34-year-old Brazilian and third-generation Gracie stressed that walking out of the 12,000-seater Singapore Indoor Stadium is the main priority, while accomplishing the recognition of being the first world champion in their family serves as a consolation.

“It will give a special taste to the victory, but the priority is winning the belt,” Roger told Rappler.

Roger, who will be fighting for the first time since scoring a third-round stoppage victory over James McSweeney in his December 2014 promotional debut, downplayed that his long layoff may result into a poor performance.

“The layoff won’t affect me. I’m not the kind of guy who only trains for a fight. I always train. I am always active,” he said.

Roger shot down the notion that he is living under his family’s shadow as he values representing the Gracie name inside the cage.

“It is very important. I’ve been representing my family ever since I was kid. I will be living with it for the rest of my life,” he stated. – Rappler.com