Greatness of Renzo Gracie: Perhaps the Greatest Gracie of All

In 1992 Royce Gracie's cousin Renzo in the Gracie vs Vale Tudo Tournament. It was his first pro MMA fight on paper (before MMA was formed Gracie's and Vale Tudo fighters would compete in the street.

At Gracie Vale Tudo Renzo got a rear naked choke on Luis Augusto Alvareda. THe Gracie's won all 4 fights.

In 1995 Renzo returned for the first World Combat Champinship Tournament. A very tough tournament. Renzo choked out Ben Spijkers in under 3 minutes. Then made tough Phil Benedict tap due to strikes in 2 minutes in his next fihgt. Later that night Renzo beat James Warring by choke. Defeating 3 tough fighters in 1 night. Renzo is 4-0 and won the annual WCC Tournament.

At MARS (an old school MMA promotion) Renzo was facing the toughest opponent of his career in 1996. UFC 6 Tournament winner, Oleg Taktarov. Surprisingly Oleg was getting the better of Renzo on the stand up and then ended up on his back, Oleg looked like he was about to close the show when all of a sudden BOOM. What the Fuck just happened? The first Up Kick in modern MMA, thats what. Oleg was standing over Renzo teeing off 1 second, the next he was out cold on top of Renzo. One of the greatest knockouts in MMA history. Renzo is 5-0 and has defeated an ATG fighter.

In 1997 Renzo was facing Eugenio Tadeu, a tough fighter with a grudge vs the Gracies. At Pentagon Combat the two where fighting around the 15 minute mark when fans rioted outside the arena and the fight was stopped. It was ruled a No Contest.

At Pride 1 Renzo fought to a 10 minute draw with Akira Shoji, I think Renzo got a raw deal and won this fight, but whatever. Renzo is 5-0-1-1 NC.

At Pride 2 Renzo fights Sanae Kikuta in a classic 6 round battle. Very good early Pride fight that eventually ends up with Renzo getting Kikuta's kneck and Kikuita tapping. At Pride 8 Renzo goes 20 minutes with tough Alexander Otsuka and gets a unanimous decision in what was probably Otsuka's best performance.

A month later Renzo entered Ring King of Kings Tournament. Another good tournament outside the UFC. In the first round Renzo armbarred Wataru Sakara in just over a minute in the first round. Later that night Renzo was facing Maurice Smith a former UFC Heavyweight Champion. It only took Renzo 50 seconds to submit SMith who was a top fighter then (1999). Smith got his arm trapped and it was over, Renzo has a professional MMA record of 9-0-1-1 NC.

Renzo faced Kiyoshi Tamura in the finals of the torunament, I havent seen it so I cant comment. But it is the first time Renzo loses a fight. It is a Decision.

Later in the year Renzo is facing Kazushi Sakuraba. Hoping to be the first Gracie to beat Sakuraba, Renzo can not threaten Sakuraba from his back. Eventually in the 2nd round Renzo has the Sakuraba special (Kimura) slapped on in maybe the nastiest submission ever. Renzo's arm is cranked to the point of bye bye and he wont tap. The fight is stopped and Renzo's arm is grotesque.

At Pride 13 Renzo is facing Dan Henderson and it goes horrible to say the least. In under 2 minutes Renzo is knocked out by Henderson. It is the first and only time Renzo was ever knocked out in a fight. At Pride 17 Renzo gets back on the winning track by beating Michiyoshi Ohara by decision. At Pride 21 Renzo loses to Shungo Oyama by decision.


Renzo is 10-4-1-1 NC. At Pride Bushido 1 he is facing Carlos Newton. It is a close good fight. But in the end I think Carlos Newton got the split decision that he deserved. Good grappling match.

In 2005 Renzo fought at K-1 Grand Prix against BJ Penn. A very big win for BJ as he is fighting the traditional bigger man. BJ gets a clear cut decision. It is clear Renzo isn't who he was in 1995 or 2000 for that matter.

2006 Renzo faces Pat Miletich and gets back on the winning track by choking out a past his prime Pat. Never the less it was a good win to have. Surprised Matt Hughes didn't talk about this on the CountDown. Later that year Renzo got revenge with a split decision win over Carlos Newton in an IFL rematch.

In 2007 Renzo had the last fight of ihs career until tomorow night. In a StrikeForce fight against Frank Shamrock. Renzo was doing well initially, and winning the fight but Frank got him down in the 2nd round and landed illegal knee's. Frank was DQ'd and Renzo won.

Renzo's record stands at 13-6-1. In the 90's he was the best Gracie in my opinion. Shame he never fought in UFC until know, he could have been the face of the organization after Frank. But with the Gracies leaving UFC after UFC 5 that wasn't going to happen.

Renzo vs Oleg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg58TdNUM24

Renzo vs Henderson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jqn1CpndGnc&feature=related

Renzo vs Sakuraba

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy_cWb9G4hU

BJ vs Renzo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTXk8mNN8Lk


Renzo never had a list of demands when he fought and he fought every man big or small. Gotta respect that.

i may be wrong but didnt you already make a greatness of renzo gracie?

Rickson was the best Gracie

no sir, Royce is the only other Gracie I have done so far.

Ludo, I have Rickson being the 2nd best unde Renzo, although I will say, I rank Renzo higher based on waht i think he could have done not what he necesarrily did.
Rickson never lost so you cant argue with that, but dont think his biggest wins are as big as Renzo's.

Rickson was smart though and didnt fight past the 2000's

Thats another misconception IMO. People are like well the sport evolved and the Gracie's couldnt just rely on BJJ anymore

Ya well while the sport was taking 10 years to evolve the Gracies werent getting any younger.

He was also a pioneer in MMA altogether. Fighting as early as 1980 in Brazil. His biggest wins may not have been at the same level as Renzo, but as you said you can't really argue with undefeated. He was also 9 years Renzo's elder, and by the time he was fighting in 94 was already almost 40 years old.

LudoCain wrote:

He was also a pioneer in MMA altogether. Fighting as early as 1980 in Brazil. His biggest wins may not have been at the same level as Renzo, but as you said you can't really argue with undefeated. He was also 9 years Renzo's elder, and by the time he was fighting in 94 was already almost 40 years old.

By his own account his record in fights is around 400 - 1 , crazy thing is I believe him

Yeah as slick as his subs were I wouldn't doubt it. He was a tough motherfucker.

agree, he was big but wanted to goto the ground, and basically got there everytime he needed to