Some other fella brought up that Rickson respected Yuki's injury. Rickson seems like a really cool guy and all, but he was 5'9 and 185lbs and never beat anyone of note. The difference between someone like Rickson and Bruce lee is that mma didn't really exist when Bruce lee was around and that's the big excuse for him not ever actually fighting anyone, while Rickson was yet only competed a few times against nobodies. This is why I'll always respect fighters like John L. Sullivan more than the both of them. Both Bruce Lee and Rickson Gracie trained in a bunch of martial arts and even had their own yet never fought anyone (Rickson did but only a few). John L. Sullivan went in with no training or knowledge at all and fought over 300 times (although most of them where just town to town open challenge fights, he fought pretty much everyone who was anyone in his day). Two are Lions --- they look like they can fight and (likely) can fight, but decide to sleep for 20 hours of the day and just run off hyenas or lioness from food instead of hunting themselves. The other is a wolverine --- he looks like he can fight and most certainly does. Wolverine doesn't scare off smaller animals, it scares off bears from a dead moose (old video of that on youtube). I'm just tired of people putting this guy over actual fighters who really fought everyone put in front of them like Chuck Liddell even though he didn't take the risk or make the sacrifices. I mean, I could go 25-0 if all of my opponents are people who never fought before or just aren't that good. Who do you respect more? A guy who fights 100 men, loses 5 times, and fought other tough fighters or a guy who fights 10 men, loses none, and fought relatively unknown opposition?
Rickson was already 36 when he fought in VTJ 94, 37 in 95 and practically had to pay his own way to go over there. These were the first of what we call now "MMA" events. Nobody thought these things would take off and become a mainstream sport, so the spectacle was important, and discipline vs discipline was paramount, because it would set up the teaching business, which is where the money was at the time.
The question for these events was about size discrepancies and which discipline (east vs west) was more effective. The Japanese set up guys who they thought could beat Rickson, all notable for either their size (290 lb former Army Ranger) or their skill set (Japanese Jiu Jitsu, which was said to be better than the Gracie counterpart, or Pro Wrestling = a branch of Catch Wrestling which has history with Gracie JJ). Rickson fought, did not break a sweat, and everybody after (and everybody since) went to study with the Gracie's or their students. Remember, the Rickson vs Takada fights were two of the biggest/most important bouts in MMA history. Takada represented Japan and its history, and Rickson represented Brazil and his Families' honor. But Why Rickson?
Rickson is not 400 and 0, he never said he was or implied it, but he does have a long history of competition. 14 years before he went to Japan he fought the toughest Vale Tudo fighter in Brazil. Despite his Sherdog record which starts when he was in his 50's, Rei Zulu in 1980 was a force (Waldemar Santana's disciple). Rickson beat him twice, one time in front of the biggest crowd for Vale Tudo/MMA till the year 2000.
Then he fought Sergio Penha, and beat him twice (Submission grappling is basically what MMA would look like without gloves), Beat Rigan Machado twice, beat Hugo Duarte twice (there is a video of their beach fight somewhere on the tube) had several dojo fights during the Luta Livre war, as well as others later including the infamous Yoji Anjo massacre (lol!). Of course he beat all his brothers and cousins to become family champion.
He solidified his legacy in Japan by beating the previous years #1 fighter in the world. Funaki outweighing Rickson by 25 pounds and being 11 years his junior (Rickson was 42), was the favorite in the Japanese media. Rickson beat him in one of the coolest MMA fights... Rickson retired after that fight, and became (really continued to be) one of the most respected teachers in martial arts.
How would have Rickson done if he was born ten years later, having the prime of his career when MMA started to get officially sanctioned? By 2000 he was still the most well rounded fighter, athletically gifted, and genius level in martial arts knowledge.
I enjoy your comments and your use of examples (including John L Sullivan!), but I think you did not take into account Rickson's full history, and the context of the fights he did in Japan. Oh and I agree Wolverines are awesome!
