Posted By Anton Gurevich Other News
After fighting for the first time in four years at IFC: Genesis, LowKick.com-favorite Daniel Gracie participated in the current edition of Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament. In a fight that took place at Harrah's Tunica Hotel and Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, Gracie lost a Split Decision to Tim Carpenter in his debut at Bellator 38. After the fight, Daniel Gracie announced he's going to drop down in weight and will compete in the Bellator Middleweight division.
The legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master took time off his busy schedule to discuss host of topics in an exclusive interview for LowKick.com Community. Here's what Daniel Gracie had to say about his future with Bellator, Royce Gracie's possible fight at UFC: Rio, Legalization of MMA in New York and much more:
Feel free to follow Daniel Gracie on Twitter @DanielGracie or on Facebook. Also, please make sure you check out the Renzo Gracie Academy in Stamford at at 103 Atlantic Street.
Earlier in my career, I was too big for 185, but now everyone knows how to make weight, how to cut weight. So now, I'm a small guy for Light Heavyweight, because most fighters are cutting down from something like 230, 240. I'm walking around 220, so going down to 185 will be a big cut for me. But I know that I'm not going to struggle to make this weight, in fact, I'm not even going to diet.
I know that my Jiu-Jitsu is going to be better; I'm going to be faster. It's going to do only good to my career.
Nate Marquardt for example, is looking huge. He's fighting at 185, and now he's even cutting down to 170 for the fight against Anthony Johnson.
Look, he came to train with us in New York. I looked at him, and I'm like "man, this guy is bigger than me, how he can fight at 185?". He fought Ricardo Almeida in Japan at 170, but it's still a pretty big cut for him.
What about your last fight? Personally, I think you did pretty well out there. What in your opinion you could do different?
I wasn't sparring that much. I need more boxing sparring. What happened was that my fight in Israel went too fast, and I couldn't push myself up to my limits. Also, Tim Carpenter is a legit BJJ black belt, and he got me rocked in the first round. That punch took a lot out of me, and I found it hard to recover. But I think I won that fight. It's like, man, everyone who spoke to me said I won that fight.
At the end of the day, every time I go to decision, I feel like I deserve to lose. My goal is always to finish, so I'm not going to argue about this one. It was my fault.
You mentioned Tim Carpenter is a "legit BJJ black belt". Were you surprised by his ground skills, because after all, the majority of action was on the ground?
Yeah, what happened is that I wasn't surprised because I knew he's a black belt. I knew my Jiu-Jitsu is better than his. Because of the punch, it took me too long to "wake up" in the fight. And another aspect on this fight is that I didn't train Jiu-Jitsu, I trained Boxing. I trained boxing, but I wasn't sparring. I had MMA sparring and physical training to get myself in shape. The good thing is that everything I could do wrong, I did in this fight. Nothing is going to stop me now. I'm feeling great, Tim Carpenter is a tough fighter and it was a good war to test myself in.
When is your next fight, do you have an opponent?
I don't have an opponent yet. I'll be talking to Bellator soon, but I already told them I want to fight as soon as possible. I'm looking for something like July, but we'll see.
Is there someone you would like to fight? Because there's some pretty interesting match-ups for you in the Bellator Middleweight division.
I don't have anybody in my mind now, because I just decided to go down to 185. And to tell you the truth, Anton, I'm not that kind of fighter who checks out who's in my division. Every fight for me is a war, and it's like a Championship fight for me. I don't want to call out anyone. I'll fight anyone who Bellator put in front of me.
Okay, let's talk about Royce Gracie. There's a rumor about him fighting at UFC: Rio. What do you think about this whole thing?
I think they should put him to fight. But I also think that Renzo would be the best name out of the family to fight there. Royce never fought in Brazil. Even that Royce is the biggest Gracie name in the UFC, Renzo is the one everyone loves in Brazil. And since the event is going to be in Brazil, I think it's important. Actually, I think they should put both of them to fight and that one of their opponents should be Sakuraba.
Wow, the fight against Sakuraba would be great.
I'll prefer Renzo and Sakuraba, because everyone knows Renzo beat him up. He dislocated his arm in process, so they should have a rematch.
Is there any rivalry between Royce and Renzo Gracie inside the family?
We don't see each other too much, because they're on the West and we are on the East. I don't think there are any problems inside the family. Everything is okay.
Okay, Daniel. That's all I wanted to ask. Is there something you would like to add?
First, I want to say something about the situation of MMA in New York. I don’t know why it's taking so long to legalize it. This coast has a very strong MMA community, and it would be great for everyone to have MMA events here in New York. So I just want to complain a little bit.
Another thing, is that I wish everyone would stick to their teams, instead of jumping from side to side. I wish everyone would have a strong team like the Renzo Gracie and Cesar Gracie teams. Friendship can beat everything. If the team is not doing well, you should help the team instead of leaving to some other place.
Great! Is there someone you would like to mention?
Oh yeah. I would like to thank all my trainers. I'm doing my physical preparations at All American Athletes, that's in Stamford, Connecticut. Dr. "Evil" Carlon Coker of Peak Wellness, he takes care of my injuries and makes my body stronger. And of course I would like to thank my wife, she's the reason I'm fighting again and she's always supporting me in any situation. That's it.
3 FEBRUARY 2011 458 VIEWS VIEW COMMENTS
Gracie. Pioneers of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, this is a family name which evokes both history and respect. And, after a four year hiatus teaching at the Renzo Gracie Academy, one of their big guns is back in MMA and more than ready to start the next chapter of his career. As many of you will know, Daniel Gracie will be competing in Bellator’s first Light Heavyweight Tournament in March this year and is singularly focused on taking home the title and living up to the expectations and honour of fighting under the Gracie banner.
Holding a professional MMA record of 5-2-1 and having competed in Pride and IFL events in both Japan and the US, Daniel engineered a compelling comeback with a RNC victory against Martin Wojcik at Israel FC: Genesis last November. With four of his five wins coming via submission, Daniel will be looking to adding even more submission victories to the Gracie canon.
Check out Zombie Prophet’s awesome highlight video below:
Daniel was kind enough to answer some questions about his life as a Gracie as well as his return to competitive MMA.
1. It must be very intimidating trying to live up to the Gracie name. Was it hard growing up as a Gracie or did it open more doors for you? It is my pride in life to be a Gracie. My family has pioneered the advances in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and invented the sport of MMA. To be a Gracie is an honor for which I will fight for the rest of my life.
2. Fighting or Teaching? Between the two where does your passion lie? My passion is to fight. Being back in MMA is the best. Throughout my life, it has been my pleasure to teach my knowledge of BJJ and MMA to my students.
3. If the moon and the stars were perfectly aligned and you were able to get a rematch vs a fighter who beat you, which one of your two loses would you like to avenge and why? I don’t look to the past or to losses. From every fight, every match you learn and grow as a person. I will say this: I will fight any and all comers. This is the Gracie challenge. This is my credo.
4. How interesting was the Saku-Gracie rivalry to you when you were growing up and has it finally been put to bed in the Gracie family after Royce and Ralek’s wins? Sakuraba surprised everybody with his explosive and technical game. Rivalries are good media and it helped to push MMA forward. And with all the media, his game was studied and he was beaten.
5. How do you feel about signing with Bellator? Are you targeting other orgs for the future or just taking things step-by-step? The Bellator Light Heavyweight tournament is an excellent opportunity and I am proud to be the 1st to sign up and commit. As I am preparing to go the distance, my sights are clearly focused on Bellator.
6. Where do you imagine yourself a couple of years from now? Fighting even harder!
7. What’s the goal in your MMA career? What do you want to achieve and how would you like to be remembered? I’m prepared to fight as long as possible. As a Gracie, it’s only natural for me to want to be a fighter. And that’s what I’ll always be. To be thought of as such would be the highest compliment.
8. How much do you enjoy teaching and what have you learned from it? I love to teach and I’ve been doing it since I was 16. Each student brings something new to me and I am always learning from them. It keeps me young and focused on learning.
9. Was Pride Shockwave the most exciting event you’ve participated in? Which competition or fight stands out the most in your memory, and why? Pride Shockwave was an extraordinary event. The arena was full with 80,000 fans. All eyes focused on me and my opponent. That sensation stays with me until today.
10. Did you miss competing during your four year hiatus from MMA? Of course. However, one must do what their body asks. It was time for me to take a break. After competing in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments for 18 years and in MMA for four years, it was time to hone my teaching skills. The break was just right and now I’m back.
11. After the loss to Allan Goes, what initially made you walk away from the sport, and what brought you back? What brought me back was the timing. Everything was right for my return. Since, I had not stopped training during that time, I stayed in shape and kept a foot in the game. Now I’m back.
12. Which win are you the most satisfied with, and why? Every fight won by submission is truly satisfying. To win in a sport invented by my family in a way pioneered by my family is an honor.
13. What are you thoughts on the recent resurgence of tournaments, especially in relation to Bellator and Strikeforce? It’s the Gracie way of fighting. This is the way we started in MMA. Everything comes full circle and now it’s time to get back to basics. The tournament format is a tough test of endurance, focus and heart.
14. Where did the nickname “Ikemen” come from? It means “handsome/hot guy” in Japanese right? It came from the Japanese media. When I fought my first MMA fight in Japan, I was still a model in Brazil. Pride used this as marketing… encouraged by Renzo who gave them the info and photos of me modeling.
15. How have you found your life in the US compared to Brazil? Do you ever miss home? Everyday I think about Brazil. It is a beautiful country that has made me the person I am today. I am thankful to be in the States and enjoy everything that the US has to offer. It is the Land of Opportunity.
We would like to kindly thank you for your time and wish you the best of luck in the Bellator tournament!
You can follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielGracie and keep up to date with his training and upcoming fights on his website here: danielgracie.com. The Bellator Light Heavyweight Tournament will screen on MTV2 this March.
Daniel Gracie talks Bellator, Georges St. Pierre and Frankie Edgar (Exclusive Interview)
Posted By Anton Gurevich UFC News
BJJ maverick Daniel Gracie took time off his training schedule, to share thoughts with LowKick.com about his plans for 2011, training Georges St. Pierre and Frankie Edgar for their title defenses and much more. Daniel Gracie was recently signed up for Bellator's first ever Light Heavyweight Tournament, which will take place next spring. Currently holding a professional Mixed Martial Arts record of 5-2, Daniel Gracie is coming off a convincing submission victory over the Swede Martin Wojcik at IFC: Genesis event, which took place last November in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Daniel Gracie runs Renzo Gracie BJJ Academy in Connecticut (103 Atlantic Street in downtown Stamford). You can follow Daniel on Twitter @DanielGracie or his personal Facebook profile. Hey Daniel, it's great to have you back on LowKick.com. Congratulations for signing with Bellator. How are you doing these days? I'm training like a maniac. And I'm so happy to sign with Bellator. I'm not gonna be waiting for UFC to call me. I'm 38 years old, so I can't be fooling around. Bellator are a big promotion. Getting into their tournament is a fantastic opportunity for me. So I took it right away. Yes. They also recently announced a deal with MTV2. Exactly. That's another reason behind signing for them. They got that great TV deal, which can provide me a really good exposure. It's my chance to show all the people how good I am. That ideal for any MMA fighter. Obviously it's a tournament format. Which means that you'll be fighting quite often. How do you feel about this? It will be like, fighting almost every three months. I think that every event should be like that. I don't know why people want to take 4 or 5 months off. Only if you're hurt, you want to take such a long time off. Like I said, at my age I'm not here to play games. I want to fight. And Bellator are perfect for this. Do you have an exclusive contract with Bellator? Can you fight outside the promotion? One of the reasons I signed for Bellator is that they are very flexible with their contracts. It's only exclusive in the US. So I can fight outside US in any promotion if I want to. Only during the tournament I can't fight for other promotions. The tournament will be March, April and May. I would like to take you back to your fight at IFC: Genesis against Martin Wojcik. How you felt coming to this fight, especially after 4 years off fighting? I didn't spend these four years for nothing. I trained hard all that time and was in a great shape. I was a little bit nervous before entering the cage, but as soon as I began to sweat, and the blood was flowing… boom. I was not nervous anymore, and felt at home. This event in Israel really reminded me of PRIDE. The organization and the environment was really good, so it really was a good way for a comeback. Did you have any injuries after this fight? Because if I remember well, you were cut during that fight. No, no injuries at all. The cut I got was from a glove. It was not even a punch. I was in great shape, and my body reacted well for the fight. I weighed 206 at the weigh-ins, and right now I'm walking around 218. So it's easy for me to keep this weight.
I wanted to ask you about Georges St. Pierre. He trains at Renzo Gracie's Academy. Can you talk about how he improved his BJJ game, and how he's now as a fighter?
Since Georges's training with us at the academy, his BJJ improved greatly. Same with Frankie Edgar. To tell you the truth, I can't see Georges losing his title in the near future. He's a very well rounded fighter. The only thing I thought he has something to learn at – is his BJJ game, and he closed that gap thanks to a very hard work. He's a complete fighter now. I heard he's going to fight Jake Shields next. Jake is a very good guy and in my opinion one of the best submission fighters in the game. But Georges improved so much, especially his submission defense. So I think Georges St. Pierre can go out there and win against anyone with great Jiu-Jitsu.
If the fight between Georges St. Pierre and Jake Shields goes to the ground, what will be Georges' goal? Will he be aggressive, or just trying to defend against Jake Shields's submissions?
I think that his goal should be to defend Jake Shields's Jiu-Jitsu. And he can do it. If I was Georges St. Pierre I would not go into exchanging my Jiu-Jitsu skills against Jake Shields. Shields is a complete fighter in terms of Jiu-Jitsu.
What do you think about the attitude of some of the Cesar Gracie fighters? Fighters like the Diaz brothers, for instance.
Oh, to tell you the truth, I love it. And you know why? Because these guys are real fighters. They have a hot blood, always aggressive and ready to put up a good fight. When you get inside the cage against them, you better to be prepared for war. I like their personality. They are for real, and will do anything for victory. This strong "street fighter personality" only makes the fights more exciting. They will do anything for their team, and it's simply great in my opinion.
What's your prediction for the fight between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard?
It's gonna be a great fight. I think Gray Maynard has a chance to win, but that does not gonna happen. Frankie is in such a good shape. He's well prepared – so I think it will be an easy fight, actually. The only skill Maynard has is his wrestling, but I think that Frankie Edgar learned perfectly how to use his skills inside the cage. Maynard may be a better Wrestler, but Frankie knows how to use it, and he utilizes his skills better. Just like Georges St. Pierre. Koscheck maybe on paper is better than Georges, but Georges is smarter on using his skills in MMA. That's why I say that Frankie Edgar's wrestling is better for MMA than Maynard's.
What are your goals for 2011?
I want to become a Champion, to have a belt. But if I don't get a belt in 2011, at least many people will hear about me. My goal is to be a Champion, but I also want people to see my work. I want to put great fights for the fans in 2011.
Daniel Gracie signs with Bellator and will fight in Season 4 Light Heavyweight Tournament
CHICAGO, Ill. (December 22, 2010) - With a fighting history that can be traced directly back to the origin of mixed martial arts nearly two decades ago, the legendary Gracie family will now bring its unique Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu influenced fighting style to the Bellator cage in 2011. Bellator Fighting Championships announced today the signing of fourth degree BJJ black belt Daniel Gracie to the Season 4 Light Heavyweight Tournament.
Daniel is a cousin to Renzo Gracie, Ralph Gracie, and the late Ryan Gracie. The two-time Jiu-Jitsu World Champion is currently set to enter the next chapter of his professional MMA career in Bellator's first Light Heavyweight Tournament slated for March 2011. Gracie enters the tournament with a professional record of 5-2-1, recently ending a four-year hiatus due to a plaguing elbow injury with a comeback submission victory over Martin Wojcik just 2:17 into the first round.
"The Gracie family has truly influenced MMA as we know it today and I'm proud to say that heritage continues when Daniel steps into the Bellator cage to try to become our Light Heavyweight Champion" said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. "A Gracie back in the tournament format, is reminiscent of the days when the Gracie's dominated MMA and that's something I'm excited to see".
The decorated submission grappler and PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran has competed primarily in the heavyweight division for much of his career but feels strongly that he will be better than ever at 205 lbs.
"I feel faster and like my technique is better when I fight at light heavyweight. I also feel like my cardio is much improved and I'm much more explosive at 205 lbs.," said Gracie. "I feel like I'm just better all around at light heavyweight."
Signing with Bellator is not only a return to MMA for the submission specialist but also a return to the tournament format for the Gracie family.
"This Bellator tournament is the Gracies getting back to our origins," said Daniel. "The tournament is the way the Gracies got started in MMA. That will give me extra motivation to win this tournament."
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Gracie first began training Jiu-Jitsu at six years of age, eventually earning his black belt under Carlinhos Gracie at the ripe age of 23. Following two world championships in the sport, Gracie decided that he had done all he set out to do in Jiu-Jitsu and set his sights on MMA. Daniel began traveling to the United States to train alongside Renzo Gracie ten years ago and decided to make the move a permanent one in 2004. He currently operates his own Gracie school in Stamford, CT while training to fight out of the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York, New York.
Gracie says that although his eye is on the prize, he's also focused on putting on good fights.
"I'm imagining myself winning this tournament, I have nothing but winning this tournament on my mind right now," said Gracie. "Of course I know that anything can happen in MMA, but one thing I guarantee everyone that tunes in is that I'm going to put on a great show. You can bet on that."
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator
About Bellator Fighting Championships
Bellator Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts promotional company headquartered in Chicago. Bellator's founder/CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment professional with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator Fighting Championships' executive team is comprised of top industry professionals in the areas of live event production, television production, fighter relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations.
Posted on November 8, 2010 by Damon Martin
When Daniel Gracie steps in to fight Martin Wojcik in Israel on Tuesday it will be the first time in over four years since the jiu-jitsu instructor has competed in MMA. Dealing with some injuries, but always training, Gracie is ready to get back to active competition and it starts with his return to action this week.
Any fighter with the last name Gracie will always have a target on his back, and Daniel Gracie is no exception. Through seven fights, Gracie has faced many fighters with sometimes double and triple his experience in the MMA ring, but he has always stood up to the challenge.
With over four years away from active competition, Gracie is finally ready to get back into MMA, and hopefully make this stay last a long time.
“I fixed all my injuries, I feel healthy and strong,” Gracie told MMAWeekly.com from Israel. “I have been training with some of the best MMA fighters in the sport and I feel I am ready to compete on the highest level.”
While he may not have been in the spotlight of the MMA world, Gracie has been teaching at the Renzo Gracie Academy in Connecticut as well as the main gym in New York City. He’s also sought out one of the best trainers in the world to get him ready for his return to action this week in Israel.
“I have been training at the Sityodtong in Boston with Mark Dellagratte and Tim Barchard,” Gracie commented. “In New Jersey, I train with Kevin Mulhall at The Edge Hoboken, but my main training is at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York. My physical preparation is at Hybrid Athletics in Stamford, Connecticut.”
Gracie has been hard at work to get back to MMA, and he hopes that once the train gets rolling, it will be hard to stop.
“This is my first step of many, I plan to continue until my body says no more,” he said.
Gracie’s opponent in his return match will be 5-4 fighter Martin Wojcik, who has been a winner in three of his last four bouts. Expecting a tough fight, Gracie has done his research and is ready for whatever happens on Tuesday.
“I have watched a few of his fights, he has a very good base, and heavy kicks and punches,” Gracie said about Wojcik. “But I am ready for whatever.”
As a proud member of the Gracie family, carrying the family’s legacy into 2010 and beyond, Daniel has a very simple message to his opponent and anyone else who opposes him as he returns to full time MMA this year and next.
“I am very proud to represent my family,” Gracie said. “I would die for my name.”
With such strong emotion behind the pride of fighting under the Gracie name, Daniel has a very simple and direct way of predicting his fight against Wojcik on Tuesday in Israel.
“Me winning,” he predicts.
Gracie faces Martin Wojcik under the Israel Fighting Championships (IFC) banner.
