Even the most devout boxing fan has certainly stopped to watch two gladiators rolling around on their backs clenched in combat in a cage looking starkly different than the roped ring of their beloved pugilism. As they flipped through the channels in search of some type of fist flying action to satisfy their ache for the sweet science of trading blows they were suddenly caught up in the strange engagement of the two individuals with small gloves and gnarled cauliflower ears. The sport is Mixed Martial Arts. It is everywhere and quit honestly much more available to a viewing audience than boxing is today. It is a rapidly growing and constantly evolving sport that really has not existed very long. In fact, the later part of the twentieth century saw the formation of the Ultimate Fighting Challenge or UFC, by two men. Art Davie, a Southern California ad-exec and Rorion Gracie, son of Helio Gracie, the founder of the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, were the driving forces behind the creation of this no-hold barred competition designed to settle the age old question of who would win between ‘a boxer’ and ‘a wrestler’. As they say, the rest is history. Mixed Martial Arts and Gracie jiu-jitsu are the dominant forces in the fighting world today. Recently, on rare occasion, three members of the Gracie clan were together for ‘Caged Fury’, a mixed martial arts promotion and jiu-jitsu seminar in West Monroe, Louisiana. One of those Gracie’s was Ralek (pronounced Halek), the grandson of Master Helio and son of Rorion. Ralek is a Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt and currently the lone professional Gracie MMA fighter. He is undefeated with submission wins in K-1’s Hero’s and Dreams IV, both in Japan. Boxing Herald had the distinct privilege of sitting down with Ralek the afternoon before the event in Louisiana.
BOXING HERALD: Thanks for talking with me today. Tell us what you are doing professionally? Are you fighting full-time?
RALEK GRACIE: Yeah, basically, I am training for my next fight. I’m trying not to get hurt, while still training hard. I’m working on a new deal for a fight. I’m not sure what venue I will end up in. Whoever offers the best scenario, that’s where I’ll go.
BOXING HERALD: Can you tell us who you may have talked to?
RALEK GRACIE: Honestly, I haven’t spent a lot of time talking with anyone in particular. Sure, I’d love to fight in the UFC or another big promotion. But, I’ve really focused on putting a great team of people around me to facilitate that kind of move when the timing is right. The right people have fallen into place and it’s getting close to where it needs to be.
BOXING HERALD: Surely, the UFC would have to be interested in seeing a Gracie back in the UFC?
RALEK GRACIE: Absolutely, that would make sense. That’s a goal for now. We’ll have to see what happens.
BOXING HERALD: What does your training look like right now? Obviously as a Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt your ground game is solid, but are you working on muay thai and boxing for your stand up right now?
RALEK GRACIE: Absolutely, my jiu-jitsu is the back bone of what I do, but I’ve been working with a boxing coach for a few years now. I spend about 75% of my time working on my hands. A lot of my focus is getting my hands to where I can exchange with top boxing and muay thai competitors, while still keep my jiu-jitsu sharp.
BOXING HERALD: Are you teaching at all at the Gracie Academy in Torrance right now?
RALEK GRACIE: No, I’ve backed of almost all teaching to focus on training purely. I’m training twice a day. Once in the morning, then rest and then train again in the evening. I do still travel some and teach seminars.
BOXING HERALD: That’s so great you have the ability to train that way.
RALEK GRACIE: It really is bro. We have a foundation that’s already in place allowing me to do that. I’m so blessed.
BOXING HERALD: Ok, I studied your family tree last night…but just to make sure, your father is….?
RALEK GRACIE: My father is Rorion. Rorion, Rickson, Royce…all of them are brothers. Then my brothers are Ryron, Rener and Reylan. Then my cousin Krohn is here with us this weekend. He’s Rickon’s son.
BOXING HERALD: What is it like for you to step into the ring or cage and face an opponent? Not only are you about to go toe to toe with another man, your last name is Gracie. Your family basically started the Mixed Martial Arts movement, do you feel the weight of that when you fight? Do you feel a pressure to perform purely because of your heritage?
RALEK GRACIE: Outside looking in…sure there’s a mystique there about being a Gracie. But for me, it’s literally like asking you how it feels to be you. You are already you. You wake up that morning and don’t think about it. You are who you are.
BOXING HERALD: I would think that’s important to remove any unnecessary pressure and be confident in who you are as an individual.
RALEK GRACIE: Absolutely. We have no choice but to accept who we are and go forward. Push it as hard as we can, which is what I’m trying to do. It is an honor to be born into a family that has created this sport and put so much into it. I do feel an obligation to keep that going and take it further. What else what would I do?
BOXING HERALD: What are the major goals for you guys as a family and Gracie jiu-jitsu right now? Tell us about Gracie Combatives.
RALEK GRACIE: Gracie Combatives is basically designed specifically for street self-defense and to help people get to the point where they can defend themselves properly in the street against a much larger opponent if necessary. It’s broken down into a certain amount of lessons within a certain amount of days that can help the average person become more empowered in jiu-jitsu. They are not necessarily learning tournament style jiu-jitsu where they would wind up pulling guard and then taking a bunch of punches to the face. He’s going to actually be pro-active in the fight and be aware of the punches and the threat that is there.
BOXING HERALD: Do you feel like this may be you and the third generation’s contribution to Gracie jiu-jitsu?
RALEK GRACIE: It is definitely. A lot of what our generation has tried to do is to help to bring some focus to the art. It leans toward the street self defense aspect of it. Ten years ago when my dad or Royce was teaching at the Academy, the moves were pretty general, meaning they showed you how to control a guy with a gi. Everything was laid out in a somewhat unorganized fashion. That wasn’t a bad thing, it’s just that they were focused on being the best teachers they could and teaching proper technique. They set up an amazing foundation. We now get the benefits of that foundation. We can work on the moves and tighten them up. Make certain moves smaller, possibly more effective. We have the easier job. They pioneered it, created it from nothing. We are mostly organizing it and making it more available. We are making it more digestible for the general public. Becoming a black belt ten years ago was more difficult. You would train for years and one day they may hand you a belt. Now, there’s a system in place. You train a certain amount of hours and understand a certain amount of technique and you know you are going to be able to achieve the next level.
BOXING HERALD: People need goals. Need to know they are working towards something.
RALEK GRACIE: Yes, in today’s society people need structure. People want to see that if they put in a certain amount of work and they will be rewarded for it. I think we’ve helped this process move forward and become available.
BOXING HERALD: Boxing Herald is read primarily by boxing fans. They may or may not understand in a mixed martial arts match what’s going on when guys are rolling around on the ground. Some people are critical of the grappling aspect of the sport. They say it’s boring to watch. Referees are even given to standing fighters up when the ground game is slow. What would you say to people to help them understand better what’s happening when two fighters are engaged on the ground?
RALEK GRACIE: I would say MMA promotions are probably more concerned with putting forth a product then necessarily allowing for the most realistic fight setting. Basically, they are more worried about the “taste” or a desired out come of pleasing the viewer. A real fight always ends up on the ground. To say, hold on, stop the fight, lets’ get back up potentially gives the stand up fighter an advantage. So, as an MMA fighter you have to train stand up boxing-style fighting and be ready for whatever.
BOXING HERALD: Is it possible Royce, your uncle, (who won three of the first four UFC) events would have had a harder time in current MMA because of this perceived need to not let fighters stay on the ground?
RALEK GRACIE: Possibly, because Royce had a more passive style. But it was strategic. He waited on his opponents and wore them down with his ground game. Still, we have to accept the rules of the game. I have no problem with that. If I take a fight within an organization and they lay out for me how they will run the fight, no matter what it is I have to adjust to that. You set yourself to that frame of mind. It’s all good.
BOXING HERALD: Considering your family’s role in starting the UFC, have the Gracie’s considered starting their own fight promotion since then?
RALEK GRACIE: Yes, it’s been tossed around as an idea. But, the purpose of doing that would be to create a more realistic fight setting. Similar to what was done with the early UFCs. There would longer rounds. No safety net of time limits. But, this type of fights cannot be sanctioned today. Sanctioning bodies have set out guidelines that don’t make the type of fight we would like to put together possible. So, until we could start our own commission, such as the current boxing commissions, then we can’t really pursue it.
BOXING HERALD: I saw Rickson, your uncle, and often referred to as the greatest ‘fighter’ in the Gracie family, say in an interview with Sherdog.com that he may return to fight in 2009 at the age of fifty? Could we see that?
RALEK GRACIE: Any fighter always could fight again. All great fighters have one last fight in them. Rickson coming back would be strictly for the public. It would be a huge promotion. Rickson has done his thing and has nothing to prove. But, he’s a fighter, I would never put it past him.
BOXING HERALD: Are you competing in any grappling competitions at all?
RALEK GRACIE: I’d like to do the Abu Dhabi tournament this year, other than that, no. It’s such a different mind set that you have to get in from MMA. It’s tough to prepare for grappling knowing someone can’t hit you makes for a tough transition back to MMA where your opponent is trying to take your head off.
BOXING HERALD: Last question, what would you say to boxing fans about why they should give watching MMA chance?
RALEK GRACIE: It really comes down to what you are interested in. People often watch boxing because they appreciate the science behind it, how a fighter moves and punches. That same appreciation can be found for MMA fighters. But, it’s just preference. You may or may not like them both.
BOXING HERALD: But, I think the point they need to know is that MMA is not just two guys in a cage trying to kill each other. They aren’t street brawlers. There is so much more technicality there than many realize. Agree?
RALEK GRACIE: Oh yeah. Anyone who goes in there and tries it would agree as well. People who knock something until they try it are purely critics. A guy can’t judge something he can’t do…he’s a critic. Anything and everything can be appreciated. I can learn from any experience. That’s how I feel. Anything on our planet in its physical form can be appreciated. Mixed martial arts is closer to the reality of a fight. It deserves respect for its unpredictability. It’s really what you choose to enjoy. At the end of the day it’s what makes you happy. We’re all here for a short time…so choose what you want to spend your time on, it’s your choice. What matters is that you are happy. Spend your time and energy with people you love, being as happy as you can. What else can you do?
BOXING HERALD: Ok, so, I have to ask one more question on the tail end of that. On the personal side, what is it that you love to do? What makes you happy?
RALEK GRACIE: I love being outdoors. I don’t stay indoors for too long. I’m sort of an animal in that way. I love being in the environment. I love the ocean. I spend my life trying to be in the present as possible. Living in each moment. Every second being as happy as possible. Everything is a part of the plan. Everything can make sense. If someone were to slap me in the face, I can make it make sense. Of course now, they will get slapped back, but that’s part of it. We all act and react to one another. Fighting helps you become present. You train jiu-jitsu or fighting…you have to be in that moment or you will lose. Jiu-jitsu life breeds moment to moment thinking. I’m not worried about what’s going to happen way down the road. Right now, I wouldn’t rather be any where else in the world than sitting her talking to you. It wouldn’t make sense not too.
BOXING HERALD: Well, thanks bro. That’s an incredible philosophy and one that bleeds Gracie influence. I really appreciate your candidness and honesty.
RALEK GRACIE: You’re welcome. Thank you.
Note: Special thanks to John Blunschi, Gracie West Monroe Instructor and ‘Caged Fury’ promoter.
