Gracie Combatives

[Darqnezz]

I know that there are some that laugh at the Gracie Combatives Online learning system, but I'm here to tell you that its legit. I have the series & use it quite effectively to supplement my training. Each of the 36 lessons are broken down into slices that enable a student to easily understand & carry it out. The instructors are some of the best you'll find anywhere. I think its worth checking out. The Gracie academy has posted the first lesson for free on Youtube, so here it is.

Lesson 1: Slice 1 Trap & Roll Escape Standard variation


Lesson 1: Slice 2 Trap & Roll Escape Punch block variation


Lesson 1: Slice 3 Trap & Roll Escape Headlock variation


Lesson 1: Slice 4 Open Guard pass


Lesson 1: Slice 5 Reflex Developement


Lesson 1: Slice 6 Mindset Minute

 

[Kinosis]

Yup, I had trained for a long time off and on but decided to get Combatives anyway (white belt material). It helped me a lot. For one thing I realized how weak I was in some areas. I am much more well rounded now, instead of just having a few positions I was dominant in like before. And even on techniques I already knew I learned new details.

I would recommend looking into the blue belt material also, it's much higher level stuff. Some of it I had never seen before (I have the BB 1 material). Cyber monday after Thanksgiving is the time to buy the online stuff too, they have big discounts on it (seems like it was 40-50% off if I remember correctly). It's by far the best material and instruction I have ever seen. They connect dots for you also and the material builds on top of what you have already learned so it's a logical progression. I've noticed the people who bash it have never done it and none of the stuff they say about it are even true.

 

[RedDragonUK]

Thank you for sharing

 

[Jonny Quest]

Thanks. These are always great to go back to at any level.

 

[sebastien haff]

Yup, I had trained for a long time off and on but decided to get Combatives anyway (white belt material). It helped me a lot. For one thing I realized how weak I was in some areas. I am much more well rounded now, instead of just having a few positions I was dominant in like before. And even on techniques I already knew I learned new details.

I would recommend looking into the blue belt material also, it's much higher level stuff. Some of it I had never seen before (I have the BB 1 material). Cyber monday after Thanksgiving is the time to buy the online stuff too, they have big discounts on it (seems like it was 40-50% off if I remember correctly). It's by far the best material and instruction I have ever seen. They connect dots for you also and the material builds on top of what you have already learned so it's a logical progression. I've noticed the people who bash it have never done it and none of the stuff they say about it are even true.

People bash them selling belts. Never heard anyone say anything derogatory about the videos themselves

 

[Kinosis]

People bash them selling belts. Never heard anyone say anything derogatory about the videos themselves

They don't sell belts and I have seen people bash it for a lot of reasons. None of those reasons are legitimate either. None of those people (from every case I have seen anyway) have even gone through the program, they just bash based on their (wrong) assumptions.

 

[sebastien haff]

They sell blue belts. Let go and let god and admit it. Rorion did the same thing with the original basic tapes(you had to at least go to the academy or a seminar to get it though). I remember when they("they" being Rorion or Royce) would randomly wing a blue belt thru the air to someone at a seminar for attending a few seminars after the purchase of the videos.

 

[Kinosis]

They sell blue belts. Let go and let god and admit it. Rorion did the same thing with the original basic tapes(you had to at least go to the academy or a seminar to get it though). I remember when they("they" being Rorion or Royce) would randomly wing a blue belt thru the air to someone at a seminar for attending a few seminars after the purchase of the videos.

You have no clue what you are talking about.

 

[sebastien haff]

they award blue belts with no in person training, do they not?

 

[sebastien haff]

As far as the basics videos, just look at the original ads, "study these videos and qualify to test for a blue belt at the Gracie Academy". I was around during the time of flying seminar blue belts

 

[sebastien haff]

Here's a little discussion from 10 years ago,


If you were on e of the people who were "tossed" your blue belt at a Gracie seminar in the 90's, how do you prove your rank? A person I spoke to recently told me just that and he has no back up other than Rorion telling him he earned his bluebelt? Did this really happen in the 90's?
11/15/05 3:50 PM



Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/01/2001
Posts: 4709
I believe so. I know that Pedro Villalobos (now teaching thai boxing in thailand) got his bluebelt this way from 1 Royce Gracie seminar.
11/15/05 3:57 PM




Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/01/2001
Posts: 18336
Royce still does it this way, I believe. I think that if your skills are there then you wont need any other backup as proof. Black belt is usually the only belt that absolutely requires a certificate IMO.
11/15/05 4:00 PM



Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 06/22/2004
Posts: 8
$2000 for each ear...F--- that!!!! I'm married I don't care how they look
11/15/05 4:18 PM



Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/01/2001
Posts: 4712
I agree with Andreh but would say that purples and above should have some kind of cerfiticate. Coincidently, I am a purple belt.
11/15/05 4:41 PM



Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 10/19/2005
Posts: 7
I should come clean. It was me actually, but I didn't think it held water without a piece of paper to support it. Thanks for your resposes. J
11/15/05 5:24 PM



Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/01/2001
Posts: 1776
Royce does this regularly at seminars. Guys will show and roll hoping that he will see them and tell them to go get a blue belt. Students he has never even seen before. I found it strange.
11/15/05 5:26 PM



Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/01/2001
Posts: 191
I started training right at the time UFC2 took place. there was 2 blues in cincy, 1 in columbus, thats it (southwest ohio, mid ohio), guys came from louisville, lexinton, and all parts in indiana to train with us. There was no BB to give belts except at Seminar's, or during privates. I saw Royce and Royler give out blues during seminars. I actually got my blue after a test given by Rickson.
11/15/05 5:37 PM





Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 09/12/2004
Posts: 411
To go from white to blue any black belt can tell by watching.From blue to purple is another story.THE BLUE BELT covers so munch I think.
11/15/05 7:25 PM



Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/01/2001
Posts: 8243
Our instructor, Rodrigo Medeiros, gives out certificates for every - belt blue thru black. I have all still have all of mine.
11/15/05 7:40 PM


Edited: 15-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/01/2001
Posts: 18370
lol@your post, Furacao. You smoke something before you wrote that?
11/16/05 5:06 AM

Edited: 16-Nov-05
Member Since: 09/28/2004
Posts: 732
i attended a royce seminar in 8/96 in jax, fla. i witnessed this first-hand. i had only been training for six to eight months (only his basic series vhs...no instructor) but was hoping to make the cut, unfortuntaley i did not. but i can testify i witnessed this...but it was more of a "shoulder tap (with the belt)"....

peace,

john

11/16/05 5:09 AM


Edited: 16-Nov-05
Member Since: 01/10/2005
Posts: 197
Royce awarded me the blue at a seminar this year. I'm not part of any association. I only trained by myself. But, you know, I'm a prodigy JSho I thought the same: Royce Gracie and sport JJ? I even thought: who is this guy?
11/16/05 8:51 AM

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

A former teammate at my academy got a blue belt from Royce while attending a seminar at a school he'd never been to before. Just walked in off the street having heard there was a Royce seminar and they handed him a blue belt. It was a funny situation to say the least. I will probably check out the videos if they come up cheap though. I wouldn't consider it as a replacement for live training. They are great instructors though, could make a great supplement.

 

[sebastien haff]

They are really well made, I've got instructionals going all the way back to when they were on super 8 and the combatitives are some of the most detailed.

 

[Darqnezz]

A blue belt doesn't really mean much. I'm a blue by the way, & I still feel like I don't know shit...lol. I'm confident that I can safely defend myself in a street fight against another opponent (Unless they have been training longer than I have.) Other than that, its just a marker to gauge your proficiency level according to your instructor. To Rorion, Royce, & probably most HIGH level practitioners a blue belt & a white belt is essentially the same thing. Its like saying that a PHD in astrophysics cares about a kindergarten certificate (white belt), or 1st grade certificate (Blue belt).

 

[sebastien haff]

You have no clue what you are talking about.

point out where I don't know what I'm talking about. You can't, You're to busy enjoying the "pure water"

 

[sebastien haff]

I found this and thought it might be interesting to see some history.The New Full Contact was one of the earliest NHB sites.

Royce Gracie Interview 10/22/97
by Mike Ely
Interview originally
published on
The New Full Contact
Mike Ely: What type of controversies are there in the field of jiu-jitsu instruction?

Royce Gracie: Controversy? There is not much controversy in teaching jiu-jitsu. We believe there are no bad students, there are bad teachers that teach martial arts that do not work, but no bad students.

ME: What about the controversies of No-Holds-Barred fighting?

RG: I believe all of the controversies come from boxing. No one has ever died in no rules fights, and people die in boxing every year. There are big boxing promoters that try to give no-rules fighting a bad reputation by saying people are going to be killed, people aren't going to die because this sport is much safer than boxing.

ME: I've been hearing rumors that you have challenged Maurice Smith to fight in Japan at UFC XVI in December, is that true?

RG: Yes

ME: Really! but Randy Couture is set to fight Smith in December, is SEG going to give you the fight instead of him?

RG: We're still negotiating, I want to fight him in December but that may not be possible.

ME: Will the fight have no time limit?

RG: I do not want there to be a time limit but we are still negotiating.

ME: Do you feel that you are a better fighter now that you have taken so much time off?

RG: Yes I do, I've been training hard, and working on the technique.

ME: When you do comeback are you going to continue to wear a gi?

RG: I will make that decision when the time comes for the fight, I'm not sure right now.

ME: What happened to Vitor Belfort at UFC 15? Everyone had such high expectations for him.

RG: He did too much steroids.

ME: Too much Steroids?!?

RG: Yeah, milk does your body good but not that good! Guys don't get that big that quickly from eating fruit and drinking milk, especially at 19-20 years old. Steroids will do real good for you in a fight for a real short amount of time, but you saw what happens after a couple of minutes, you get tired and lose. The technique is more important than strength

ME: Do you think Belfort will be back?

RG: Yes, he will probably be back.

ME: Do you think Belfort will ever do as good as he did in his first couple of fights?

RG: He looked the same in his last fight as he did in his all of his other fights. He never really fought anyone.

ME: What happened to Carlos Barreto? He's seemed really good in his fights outside of the UFC.

RG: Those guys don't have the technique that it takes to win. They come in and they talk real tough and act real tough, but they win one lose one, win two lose one, win three lose one. The Gracies don't go into fights and win some lose some we win them all because we have the technique.

ME: I've heard a rumor that there is a feud between your side of the family with Carlson, is that true?

RG: Carlson...Carlson sells black belts, you go to his school and you pay for the lessons and eventually he gives you your black belt. That is the problem with Carlson. At our school we make you work for your black belt, and it takes time to get it.

ME: When you said Carlson's fighters don't have the technique it takes to win, does that include Renzo and Ralph?

RG: No, Renzo and Ralf are Gracies, they don't lose.

ME: Can you tell me what happened at Pentagon Combat in Brazil.

RG: The lights started to go out and when Renzo would get close to the fence the other fighters friends started to kick his fingers and his head. Some gun shots went off but nobody got hurt.

ME: I heard Ryan was in some fights in the audience at Pentagon Combat, do you know if he will be competing anytime soon?

RG: I haven't talked to Ryan for about six month's so I don't know.

ME: I've also been hearing rumors that Marco Ruas challenged Rickson and Rickson declined, is that true?

RG: That's not a challenge. If you want to challenge someone get some promoters and put your money where your mouth is. Everyone challenges Rickson but they don't plan to fight him. You have to talk to promoters if you want to fight someone. I don't know if Rickson will fight Marco Ruas?

ME: Well thank you for returning my call and taking the time to answer my questions, I really appreciate it.

RG: No problem, take care.


(I guess Wallid and Zen Machine supersized their blackbelts with the choke upgrade at McCarlsons.)

 

[sebastien haff]

1999

An Open Letter from Rorion Gracie

To Students of Martial Arts and Friends of the Gracie Academy:

Although impressed with major advancements of the Internet, I don't spend
much time playing with it, reading e-mails, etc. However, a letter posted on
the Internet has come to my attention and I think it cannot go by without a
response.

The letter entitled, "Is this the fall of the Rorion Gracie Dynasty?" is
signed by a stupid fool, Paul Viele. I guess his main concern is to defame
me because his description of Royce's fight against Wallid was clearly
described not as the end of the Gracie Dynasty, but rather the end of the
Rorion Gracie Dynasty. He went on to explain that Rorion Gracie is the
Torrance Academy. I should remind this clown that every Gracie, as well as
every non-Gracie, who practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu today has learned it
directly or indirectly from my father, Helio Gracie. Therefore, we are all
oranges from the same bag. He's making a point saying that the Torrance
Academy teaches a different Jiu-Jitsu than other Gracie family members. Here
at the Torrance Academy, we don't teach a different Jiu-Jitsu, however, we
teach Jiu-Jitsu differently. I have made a point here at the Torrance
Academy of following a very strict teaching methodology developed by my
father and this is why every time he comes to America, he teaches here at
the Gracie Academy because he likes and appreciates the fact that I follow
his guidance.

I should also remind this uninformed fool that I did not only teach
Jiu-Jitsu to Royce, but I also taught many of the younger Gracies, including
Rickson (and I also changed his diapers!). As far as my knowledge of
Jiu-Jitsu being at "the bottom of the totem pole," I look forward to the
opportunity to show this imbecile how much I know whenever I see his stupid
face.

He goes on to say that my tapes are terrible, but let us not forget that I
set a precedent when I introduced my instructional videos that every
Brazilian and his uncle is benefiting from today, including this louse
himself. He also claims, "The American public has been getting scammed by
Rorion for a long time," but the douchebag forgot to say that the whole
world practices martial arts differently today (now every style has added
groundfighting) because of my "scam."

Regarding Mario Sperry's match with Royce, as I said, Wallid was the only
one who accepted the challenge and once I had an agreement with him, I
wasn't going back on my word. Mario Sperry, who is no question a world class
fighter, will have his opportunity, hopefully sooner rather than later.

As far as Viele's predictions that Helio and Royce are planning to break
away from me, I have a suggestion for him: Next time Royce or my dad have a
seminar on the east coast, you should go introduce yourself and greet them.
Be sure to wear goggles because they both want to spit in your face, you
lying fool!


..........................................................................................................................................

From bjjee.com

Dan “TrumpetDan” Lukehart is the owner and head instructor at Brea Jiu-Jitsu. Dan has been training Jiu-Jitsu since January of 2006 and is a black belt under Beneil Dariush.

Dan wrote a post on his Facebook denouncing the Gracie Academy’s controversial way of doing things: Pink belts, online belt testing, certified training centers, no rolling for students until blue belt, brainwashing their students about what is the ‘Real Jiu-Jitsu’.

His thoughts are very similar to what Renzo Gracie said a few years back when he was interviewed on the fightworks podcasttime and talked about the time two of his students from NYC passed by the Gracie Academy in Torrance and were told by Rener Gracie that they had not been learning the ‘Real Jiu-Jitsu’ all along :








Dan Lukehart’s post:



“I started BJJ at the Torrance Gracie Academy in 2006. Before going in, I consumed everything Gracie Academy for an entire year. The message they instilled in me was that you were drinking straight from the source of BJJ: Helio Gracie. He was the founder of the art and modified all of the techniques of Meada to a now perfect unchanging art form. Other gyms only taught watered down versions of the art. The actual metaphor of “pure water” was being used always in their examples.

Not only was this message repeated as canon, I heard him repeat this message several times over in the introduction classes held on Saturdays for perspective members which I begged to be apart of. I did not stay long at the academy due to life circumstances – not by choice. As a new white belt, my experience there was positive. After I left, I even started the 2nd Gracie Garage.

Life led me to Ralph Gracie Black Belt Brad Jackson who took me under his wing. He had a background at Gracie Academy, Rickson Gracie, Rodrigo Gracie and Ralph Gracie. Very old school style with a flair for studying the new game too. He would incessantly tell me how brainwashed I was – pointing out the various different approaches and mindsets that Helio, Carlson and others had. I would only do a technique a certain way because that was the way that Helio did it – or that I didnt feel it was “street certified” in my wonderful white belt silent judgement.

I remember how horrified I was when I saw a trap and roll escape shown with a different grip on the arm. If I can describe the feeling I had, it would be imagining somebody suggesting a different interpretation of a religion that you have strong convictions about at a dinner party where you are supposed to be polite. Embarrassing as that is now, thats the type of mentality they instilled. This must be the watered down Jiu-Jitsu they were talking about! Everything needed to be spoon fed. No creativity. No individuality. No variation. No independent thought. Rener and Ryron have become more progressive since that time, but they were repeating the words that had probably been repeated to them since birth at that point.

It was only slowly as my experience in Jiu-Jitsu progressed where my perspective changed and my memory soured.

As a 2 stripe white belt when I left, I was fully convinced that I could defeat a division 1 wrestler in a street fight. Why? I was naive, but it also was hammered into me from day 1 of my 2x daily sessions. Wrestling was a game. Not a fight. My Jiu-Jitsu was a fight. My questions about strong wrestlers posing a threat were always reassured with borderline delusional confidence and references to what Royce did in UFC 1 up on the small TV by the juice bar.

Reality came crashing down when I trained with my first division 1 wrestler. It was after a wrestling practice at Cal State Fullerton. It was the first time I had ever had somebody use a leg drag to pass my guard. He was so freaking fast, coordinated and precise….he killed me. It wasnt close. How on earth could somebody lead me down the path that would make me believe I could beat somebody like this? He had so little submission grappling knowledge too! On a interesting note, the wrestler was TJ Dillashaw.

It wasn’t just a random future UFC champion that started to put me in my place. Here I am in Brad Jackson’s garage pontificating about how I was only learning street certified techniques, and Sean Roberts is strangling me helplessly from mount – and all the other white belts too. It didnt matter what I knew. He was going to do whatever he wanted to me at any moment of choice.

It wasnt just this type of on the mat exchange. It was what I was observing from the outside as well.

They would gradually shift their message from 2005 as the facts suited at that particular moment. Something I found out from old forums that they had been doing for quite a while. For example, they used to profess that their Jiu-Jitsu was the best for both Jiu-Jitsu tournaments and self defense, but they would challenge other academies to tournaments to show their pure Jiu-Jitsu and lose – badly. They would shift the message as a result that their Jiu-Jitsu wasnt for tournaments, it was for fighting only.

I remember when they announced UFC 60 how the message was that Royce was going to show the world how Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was still the only necessary martial art for MMA competition. Shortly after Matt Hughes used his superior wrestling and submission grappling to remove any shadow of a doubt, the Gracie Academy declared a moral victory because Matt had used Jiu-Jitsu against him. They pivoted again saying their techniques are best used against untrained attackers and that skilled opponents have different reactions. After that you can learn the sport of BJJ. After all, they HAD been really emphasizing the importance of building reactions against untrained attackers. Eliminate skilled attackers all together was the answer.

More things started to make my Gracie Jiu-Jitsu loving self wake up: Pink belts, ultra fast scheduled promotions, online belt testing, certified training centers, no rolling for students until blue belt. I watched Rener almost become a caricature of himself. He was a tamer version of his fathers salesman qualities – more likable but just as thirsty in his zeal for a buck.

Intermittently I would go back and roll. Two times at blue belt. Once at purple. I was shocked – SHOCKED – at the extremely low level of competence on the mat by many of the students. Don’t get me wrong. There are some tough guys that train there, but not a single one I rolled with in my visits. Ryron and Rener would always take the time to roll with me…and they are as legit as it gets…. BUT… The average level was so low that it was difficult to even get in a workout. It was such a shame, because they were indeed great teachers with good techniques and information. What was wrong I asked myself? Recent rationalizations from videos about their promotion justifications are so strange albeit well articulated. I can see new people buying the fact that worse quality is better. Its impressive if you think about it really. An admirable goal of bringing as many people into BJJ as possible cleverly cloaked in their rather extreme viewpoint and financial motivation.

When Renzo gave the interview in this video, I listened to Rener’s response in his own interview. I listened to him tell flat out lies based in half truths. I knew this, because I had heard him say the exact same thing he said to Renzo’s student – even though Renzo only partially articulated what he exactly said. Rener said it both to myself and to trial class students with no consequence because nobody of note was listening. Only perspective students. This was the moment that I realized how much of a self serving person he was when it came to ideology of his specific brand of Jiu-Jitsu.

As a black belt, reflecting back I now mostly resent my time there. It killed off my creative thinking. It made me delusional. It made me closed minded. I do feel it made me very detail oriented and formed the foundation of a more analytical mind but overall, my progress was greatly hindered over taking classes virtually anywhere else. I cant stress how much I needlessly struggled now that I teach new white belts daily and how possible it is to be quite decent at white belt with no crazy tricks. There a really good places for learning self defense Jiu-Jitsu – some of which are offshoots of the Gracie Academy who apply the lessons of the past 23 years – but this isnt one. I suspect a few students of the school will read this. Please, if you are white-purple visit another school just once and try not to rationalize the experience away. Any school. If you are in Torrance, go to Cobrinhas. Its pretty darn “sport” there. Try Kings MMA if you are more interested in fighting.

I probably would be fine with keeping my opinions to myself, but I had one of their money grabs – A Level III Certified Training Center (TM) – open up next to my academy. I take a deep breath as they boast that myself, Checkmat HQ and CSW teach the great unwashed Jiu-Jitsu. Checkmat is home of the finest black belts in the world. CSW is a top MMA team consistently producing UFC fighters. At my academy you roll with judo black belts, division 1 wrestlers and dedicated practitioners who are both skilled, knowledgeable and friendly students of the game. You might even find Checkmat and CSW guys on the mat because we all share a common bond in the pursuit of excellence. We welcome them and visitors from all walks.

They tell people who walk through their door that other academies are just out to hurt you. Let me tell you this: the only people that get hurt at almost every academy are the people that come in with bad attitudes. Be a normal person there to learn and you are fine at most places! At our gym, we even extend grace to people who are pressing all the wrong buttons! We have those wrestlers showing you how do make a stance as Omar did tonight to our brand new white belt. I worked with him teaching him how to defend punches from the guard and get a double leg vs an overhand right.

Just as they did when I was a beginner, they make their straw man case for what other “sport” academies are like…and we are as sport as it gets. Berimbolo, worm…I teach it at a high level of detail. Its offensive.

Honestly, I can even see them doing a Gracie Breakdown of this post for damage control. They will make the same tired arguments they have always made, that their goal is to reach out to people and provide a safe atmosphere where its all about self defense. See what I did there? Thats calling setting expectations. It makes you, the reader, slightly less receptive to their message and criticisms. This is exactly the same tactic they use with their jiu-jitsu philosophy. Set exceptions of criticism by the BJJ community to make you less receptive to what they are saying. Expect criticism, but YOU are on the correct path and they are all wrong! Hard to reason with people who have that train of thought.

Instead of helping the new student rise up to the occasion of Jiu-Jitsu, they bring Jiu-Jitsu down to the student. ”

 

[Darqnezz]

I refuse to talk trash about a place unless I roll there. This thread isn't about the Gracie Academy either, its about the Combatives series. I own it, & from the standpoint of self defense, I think its great. I have been to a few schools and most don't teach the self defense principles. Like a simple standing headlock escape. At my buddy's academy, he teaches that if you're not training with strikes then your not learning Real BJJ.
This series has strike defense. Most don't.

 

[sebastien haff]

point out where I don't know what I'm talking about. OOPS. I was trying to argue with the wrong person. I deeply regret my mistake and humbly beg apology for any distress My remark caused You or Your Family.


Please accept this small token for reparation,

 

[sebastien haff]

You have no clue what you are talking about.

Explain please.



Here's the letter Rorion was referencing

1-16-99

Open Letter to Rorion Gracie
I would like to clearly state the contents of this letter is solely my opinion.
In no way does it represent the opinions of any other persons or companies.
This letter was written solely by me and should be taken as the opinion of Paul
Viele and not as fact.

Lets get started. This guy is beautiful! It seems like the tides have turned
and now he has changed his thinking to suit the moment. The real question that
a lot of people are asking is why did he post this letter? Rorion is desperate.
He needs to shift the blame and the attention on someone else. When Ze Mario
Sperry choked out Royler Gracie, he made history. He was the first person in
history to make a Gracie submit. Rorion probably foreseeing the downfall coming
made a slick move. Lets challenge Mario Sperry! This now places Royce in the
limelight. It steals from Sperry's achievement. Now everyone can argue about
the Royce Vs Sperry match. Before you know it, Royce would be the champion and
they would have never fought. This very slick move was done last year with Mark
Kerr.

One thing Rorion did not bank on was me. I publicized the match big time.
Actually we all did. Everyone on the net heard about this and before you knew
it, Rorion had a major problem. Fight or look stupid. This is why Rorion's
letter states that he is "impressed with the Internets major advancements".
Great job guys, we put the pressure on and he felt it. He knew if he backed out
he was in trouble. If anyone out there has a problem believing this, lets look
at some facts. Tell me the first time you heard that Royce was going to fight
in Brazil? You heard it from me and my Sperry web site I had created. At that
time it was not on their web site.

Now think for one moment. I created that site roughly one month before the
fight happened. Only four weeks. Were was the Torrance advertising? Only four
weeks from the big match and they never said a word. The biggest name in
Martial Arts, Royce Gracie making his comeback and oops, we forgot to tell
everyone. Is that odd? I saw the game. Challenge Sperry privately but don't
tell anyone. When the word of the Royler loss started to get around, they could
respond with this "yea maybe he beat Royler but we challenged him and backed
out! Yea that's right, Royce would kill him. Royler does not practice the pure
Gracie method anyway".

I saw the game. I did not want to play. When I first heard of the challenge I
immediately told Mario to accept under any conditions. Checkmate. One month
from the fight and now they got this big mouth "Douchbag" telling everyone. Now
what? Got to fight baby. Fight Sperry, hell no. Let's get someone we know we
can beat. Wallid Ismail. We can beat him. He losses to everybody. If anyone
thinks they were ever going to really fight think about this. Here is Royce
Gracie, the biggest name alive. Has not fought since the UFC. Undefeated. What
is his comeback fight worth? Half a million? What would Pride pay? At least
that. If you were Rorion wouldn't you be looking for the big bucks? Huge fight.
Big story in Black Belt. All kinds of sponsors. Pay Per View. Merchandising. Is
that not Rorion's character? Merchandise and make money. His match with Sperry
would have had to been the biggest blunder he ever made. No Pay Per View? No
American audience. Think about it. THERE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE A MATCH!

We forced the play, those damn kids on the Internet. That new amazing invention
that Rorion "just can't find the time to play with." Now they had to fight and
on top of it for free. Here is the next thing that I want everyone to think
about. Were is Rorion's audience? Is it here or in Brazil? I hope your answer
is America. What is in Brazil? All those Brazilian fakes. You know the ones
that Rorion badmouths all the time. The ones that don't know anything. With all
those fake titles and records. The ones that claim to know Jiu-Jitsu but never
trained and learned from Rorion and the grandmaster. Why fight there? These
people he hates. He gives them no respect. And now he is ready to take the
Golden Boy to Brazil for the big comeback. Forget all the loyal fans that have
stuck with him all these years. They get nothing. Forget you the Americans that
made him rich and have waited for Royce's comeback for years. You will see
nothing. All the Americans that keep Rorion's bank account fat. He would not
even give you guys the chance to watch it on Pay Per View. Gee, does it not
seem like maybe, just maybe, something was wrong? Like HE NEVER WANTED TO FIGHT
SO HE NEVER WANTED YOU TO SEE IT. Just in case Royce lost or something, God
forbid.

Lets move on. His letter states that all Brazilians and non-Brazilians
basically learned from the same place. Well is that not the funniest statement
you ever heard. Especially from Rorion Gracie! I almost fell off my chair when
I read that. The guy who says that everybody is a fraud. The guy who claims
that if you are not part of his original pure Gracie Academy system you suck.
The guy who ran full page adds in Black Belt claming how he and the "clan" are
disgusted with all these fake Brazilians coming to America to cloud the "pure
waters" his father created. Boy have times changed. Now he wants everyone to
believe that they are all the same. This works well because now everyone is
talking about the difference between in technique between Sperry and Rorion.
Rorion needs to take credit for Mario's win. After all, he is responsible for
the techniques that Sperry and Wallid used to choke out his two brothers. Yea
right. From the sounds of it he may want to invite everyone over for Christmas
next year for one big family gathering. After all, they're all from the "same
bag of oranges now." I can only picture poor old Helio Gracie sitting back
listening to all of this with this contorted look on his face saying "now what!
I thought we didn't like these guys?" Meanwhile Rorion is bombarding the old
man with all kinds of goofy ideas like, "lets get pictures dad with you and
Wallid and Sperry with a caption that says, come join our family."

Now, Rorion is calling Mario Sperry a "World Class Fighter". Boy, this is a day
to remember. My question to Rorion is what has Sperry done to deserve your new
found respect? What fights has he won? It couldn't have been those stupid World
Championships in Brazil. The ones that you and Royce laughed at and called
ridiculous. The ones that Royce just mocked in his last interview when he said
Sperry is nothing because he won those fights under "those rules".

Their claims are so ridiculous it amazes me every time I think about. They are
slamming their own sport? They run around and tell people that sport Jiu-Jitsu
is no good. That means they are insulting every Brazilian in the game including
their whole family. On top of that they are laughing at all of you who ever
competed in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament with "those rules". What "rules" have they
used in their own in house tournaments?

Gee, now Sperry is a World Class Fighter. I Guess you want credit for those
too. By the way, those stupid rules and stupid tournaments are the ones that
made your brother Rickson famous. Remember Rickson? He is the one that you use
to use for all the challenge matches you needed to fight when you first got
here. Remember? He is the one you made fight the 300 pound wrestler in "In
action 1" when you fought that karate guy with the point fighting gloves and
boots on. Oh, you forgot the guy I'm talking about. That guy your dad called a
fraud in that disgrace of an interview in the Gracie Advanced tape series.
Remember your brother Rickson? The guy you used to "change his diapers". Tell
me, did you spit in his face too? Last but not least, is Rorion's name calling
of me. This is nothing new. He has been insulting people for years. Look at
this months Inside Kung Fu. He says in his column that if you are not with his
pure Gracie system you are "ignorant". That's real nice, calling Martial Artist
of other styles ignorant. Last Sunday night on the 10th (1-10-99), Rorion
called Mario Sperry crying like a baby saying that he demands respect and that
the people on the Internet are ruining him. He also said that I was the main
culprit and that I am some kind of "devil." My advice to you "my friend" is to
look in the mirror if you want to see the enemy. You don't own Jiu-Jitsu. Stop
suing everyone including your own family. Stop bad mouthing legitimate
fighters. They have worked hard to get their respect, you should try the same.
Stop running stupid ads and making ridiculous claims. I protect my family.
These guys are like my brothers. You just barked up the wrong tree this time
pal. Sooner or later someone was going to have the balls to tell you like it
is. It just happened to be me. I am not proud of it either. I sure as hell am
not looking for the attention. This type of fighting is not what Martial Arts
is all about. It turns off more people then it turns on. But, you are screwing
with the wrong guy this time. I'm sure you already gathered that at this point.
Do yourself a favor and get back to the basics. Maybe this terrible loss of
Royce's will get you guy's back on track. In my opinion it sure shows how off
the track you were. Your mouth will not win any fights. If you need some decent
videos to learn from, ask around the Internet. I'm sure everyone could give you
some good suggestions.

Paul Viele