Name Rickson Gracie
Nickname N/A
Association [[Rickson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu]]
Weight Class Middleweight (185 lbs.)
Height 5′ 10″ (178cm)
Style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Birth Date November 20, 1958
Fighting Out Of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Country Brazil
Rickson Gracie Pictures Official Website

”’Rickson Gracie”’ is a Brazilian martial artist and professional mixed martial artist who holds a 8th degree red and black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Helio Gracie, brother to Rorion Gracie and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Royce Gracie and Royler Gracie. He was the winner of the Vale Tudo Japan tournament in 1994 and 1995.

== Professional Record ==

Record 11 – 0 – 0 (Win â€Â“ Loss â€Â“ Draw)
Wins 0 (T)KOs
11 Submissions
0 Decisions
Losses 0 (T)KOs
0 Submissions
0 Decisions
Result Opponent Method Event Title Date Round Time Notes
Win Masakatsu Funaki Technical Submission (Rear Naked Choke) C2K: Colosseum 2000 5/26/2000 1 12:49
Win Nobuhiko Takada Submission (Armbar) PRIDE 4 10/11/1998 1 9:30
Win Nobuhiko Takada Submission (Armbar) PRIDE 1 10/11/1997 1 4:47
Win Yuki Nakai Submission (Rear Naked Choke) VTJ 1995: Vale Tudo Japan 1995 4/20/1995 1 6:22 Won Vale Tudo Japan 1995 Tournament
Win Koichiro Kimura Submission (Rear Naked Choke) VTJ 1995: Vale Tudo Japan 1995 4/20/1995 1 2:07
Win Yoshihisa Yamamoto Submission (Rear Naked Choke) VTJ 1995: Vale Tudo Japan 1995 4/20/1995 3 3:49
Win Bud Smith Submission (Punches) VTJ 1994: Vale Tudo Japan 1994 7/29/1994 1 0:39 Won Vale Tudo Japan 1994 Tournament
Win David Levicki Submission (Punches) VTJ 1994: Vale Tudo Japan 1994 7/29/1994 1 2:40
Win Yoshinori Nishi Submission (Rear Naked Choke) VTJ 1994: Vale Tudo Japan 1994 7/29/1994 1 2:52
Win Casemiro Nascimento Martins Submission (Rear Naked Choke) IE: Independent Event 1/01/1984 1 N/A
Win Casemiro Nascimento Martins Submission (Rear Naked Choke) IE: Independent Event 4/25/1980 1 11:55

== Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ==
Paulo Filho, former PRIDE middleweight fighter and former 185 lb World Extreme Cagefighting champion, states that Rickson’s skills at Jiu-Jitsu are unparalleled. In Gracie Magazine, Filho says “I have trained with the toughest guys formed by Carlson Gracie. They were all great and I for sure don’t want to diminish anybody, but I have to say that no one ever did to me what Rickson Gracie has done during training these last days.”

== 2008 Return ==
In an exclusive interview with Sherdog’s Denis Martins, Rickson Gracie confirmed he was looking to return to the ring. “Possibly something in the beginning of next year, I hope,” said Gracie, “if the price is right, I go for the competition.” Rickson Gracie has not commented on a return to fighting since the aforementioned interview, but has been active in the competition of his son, Kron Gracie.

== Fighting Record ==
In addition to Rickson Gracie’s record in professional mixed martial arts of 11-0, the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy website profile claims that:

* He credits himself with a combined record of over 400 victories in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments and freestyle wrestling, Sambo, and no holds barred challenge matches.
* He is a two-time Brazilian Champion in freestyle wrestling.
* He is a Gold Medal Winner in Sambo.
* He trained his younger brother, Royce Gracie, for his first four fights in the UFC.
* Rickson has at least one loss â€Â” from the 1993 U.S. Sambo Championships in Norman, Oklahoma, where he was defeated by American Ron Tripp by Total Victory via uchi-mata in 45 seconds. Rickson disputed this loss, claiming he was misinformed of the rules of the event.

== Controversy ==
Rickson has raised the anger of some in the MMA community by criticizing the abilities of current top fighters, claiming that he could still beat them easily today. In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Rickson argued that Fedor Emelianenko is a great athlete, but possesses “so-so” technical ability, and that he (Rickson) is “100% sure” that he would defeat him. Previous comments of this sort that Rickson made about Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira prompted Wanderlei Silva to say that Rickson is “living in a fantasy world.”

Hélio Gracie disputed Rickson’s claim to have had over 400 fights. According to Hélio, Rickson has only competed in fights that are commonly known and reported: the two against Rei Zulu and those that took place in Japan. Hélio alleged that Rickson uses practice and amateur bouts to obtain a number over 400, and that if he counted his fights like Rickson does, he would have in excess of one million.

Rickson told Tempos de Rio that Brock Lesnar is “impressive as an athlete. But he has holes in his game like anybody else. Technically, he is not as good as Fedor Emelianenko. It would take me longer to submit Fedor than it would him.” Regarding Lesnar’s punching ability Rickson commented, “I am not worried about that. Whether he punches at me on the ground or standing, it is only a matter of time. In some ways, it is easier if he tries to punch at me standing. All the simpler to take him down. It ends in an armbar or a strangle regardless.” Rickson also claimed that Rei Zulu was “much bigger, and look what happened to him when we fought.”

== Quotes ==
“Rickson Gracie and me had a match in the BYU wrestling room in 1992. He made me tap out twice and told me I was the toughest guy he’d gone against. Rickson was the best fighter I’d ever seen. He still may be.” – Mark Schultz

== Media Appearances ==
Released by Manga Entertainment in 1999, Choke, a 98 minute documentary by filmmaker Robert Goodman follows Rickson Gracie and 2 other fighters as they prepare and fight in Tokyo’s Vale Tudo 1995, an early MMA event. “Choke” has been distributed in 23 countries.

Rickson Gracie also has a small role in The Incredible Hulk as Bruce Banner’s martial arts instructor. He teaches Banner certain throws as well as breathing techniques designed to calm his anger. Curiously, his character is credited as an Aikido instructor, despite his Jiu-Jitsu background.
He has also appeared on National Geographic’s television programme “Fight Science”, on the episode of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.