Rener Gracie FightHype Interview

[Lindsey Loewen]

Rener Gracie did a interesting interview on www.fighthype.com , he talks about how growing up in a family so immersed in Jiu Jitsu how he thought the ultimate goal was to be a UFC champion. Normally Gracie's and many of there students and people they influenced are of the idea that jiu jitsu can dominate MMA like it did back in the day. Check out people with no stand-up skills and how they embarrass themselves (Read: Rolles Gracie) especially when there up against elite fighters like the UFC has. rener says that even if he met that goal how it wouldnt neccessarily do anyhting for Jiu Jitsu now, how "he would win one day, lose the next". I thought this ws interesting, as champions, even those will a vast skill set like GSP, eventually lose to someone who out strategized and out-performed them. One can infer that even the Helio Gracie clan now acknowledges that JJ isnt the only answer and while an amazing (in my opinion the best) martial art can succeed, just becoming a UFC champion doesnt neccessarily mean that the fighter's fighting-style is superior. Thoughts on future of jiu jitsu in MMA (trying to start a discussion, not a flame war!)