While this has yet to be confirmed by the UFC or Roger Gracie, GracieMag has reported that the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight has signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championships:
@graciemag
GRACIEMAG Roger Gracie (93kg) signs with #UFC, might train with @SpiderAnderson before his first bout. #JiuJitsu
Favorite Retweet
If this is true, Roger Gracie would be the most decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter to ever enter the Octagon with 10 IBJJF World Championships and two ADCC gold medals. Many consider Roger Gracie the best living grappler on the planet.
Gracie signed with Strikeforce in 2010 and had three fights with the San Jose based promotion.
Muhammed Lawal - Loss - KO - Round 1 - Strikeforce World Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov
Trevor Prangley - Win - Submission (Rear Naked Choke) - Round 1 - Strikeforce: Diaz vs Cyborg
Kevin Randleman - Win - Submission (Rear Naked Choke) - Round 2 - Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery
While the loss to Lawal was a serious set back to Gracie, he has recently stated that has refocused his efforts on MMA. Earlier this week it was reported by Tatame that Gracie is also close to signing with the Blackhouse management group and, as suggested by the GracieMag tweet, training with UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva.
Additionally it was reported by Tatame that one thing Gracie's new manager would consider is dropping him to Middleweight. While the Brazilian started his career at Heavyweight, he has a very lean body type and heavy weight cuts are not part BJJ competitions, so it is possible Gracie could make the cut.
"To me, he has all the tools to build up a great MMA career, he just need some work, focused. I’m sure he’ll be a tough one to fight in MMA", compliments the manager, revealing the possibility of Roger dropping to the middleweight division. "He’s considering dropping, but it’s not set in stone yet".
He would be an interesting addition to the UFC Middleweight division. Gracie would very tall for the division at 6'4", he brings elite ground skills and solid takedown game to a division searching for new contenders.
Update by Tim Burke - Multiple sources are now stating that the reports might have been premature and that Gracie will not be going to the UFC after all. Stay tuned for further updates.
UPDATE by Kid Nate: Dana White scotches the rumor at the UG:
From: dfw jr
Posted: 2/11/12, 11:12 PM
Member Since: 1/1/01
Posts: 1165not true
0 recs | 106 comments
Roger is going to get lit up in the UFC
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
I think he could much better at MW than LHW
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
Probably
I think if Jason MacDonald gets by Tom Lawlor I would love to see him fight Roger.
It would be a solid test and I am sure Jason would love to see how he would do in a groundfight with him.
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
hes way to big though no?
benten20 - February 11, 2012
Maybe, I'm not sure, but this is what TP Grant had to say in the other post.
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
ehh
well i think it is too soon.
but it would be intrestig to see him against vinny.
diablo562 - February 11, 2012 via Android app
And change your avatar dammit
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
why? to what?
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
To the guy with the monocle.
Because awesome.
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
the guy with the monocle?
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
At'll do
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
Okay. Done
In other news, I am rapidly approaching my 20,000th comment on BE. To celebrate my longevity and hatred of the outdoors and actual people I feel I should do something momentous….I dont know what though.
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
you just changed your avatar
now throw an online BE party :D
Besides i dont like avatar changes huh,,, must get used to them
szanpan - February 11, 2012
Ahhh and congrats 20 K is a LOT!!!!
..
szanpan - February 11, 2012
FanPost?
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
it would be more egomaniacal than Subo's fanpost announcing he was back
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
Perhaps a fanpost that lists things you diabolically hate?
Rabbit915 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
holy shit 20,000
I’ve been around a while and comment a fair amount but damn.
attgnp - February 11, 2012
His striking is atrocious and he got clowned by king mo. If he fights any of the top guys in his weight class and it stays standing, he will get owned.
phantom5691 - February 11, 2012
memitim will be here to tell you any time soon that Gracie will challenge Jon Jones in the future
SSreporters - February 11, 2012
What’s more reliable than me showing up to comment on a Roger ( or JOE) article? SS predicting my arrival.
Give Roger some time to get his stand up game working with the JDS and Anderson’s of the world and he can challenge Jones. Win? I don’t know, would have to see how he progresses, but Roger isn’t getting beat by a RNC or standing guillotine.
memitim - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Yes
Roger Gracie will set out where strikers Quinton Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Shogun Rua have failed, and he will win the fight on the feet against Jon Jones—-since I think we can all agree he sure as shit isn’t taking Jones down right?
I’ve heard some fanboyism in my day, but that’s a good one. Roger can barely throw a jab; King Mo got to do his best Roy Jones Jr impression with his left hand because of how unathletic Roger’s striking is. Unless we’re letting Gracie start as Jones wakes up in the morning in a bathrobe, Roger shouldn’t even be licensed for that fight.
joker24 - February 12, 2012
thank you for putting the fanboy nonsense to rest.
phantom5691 - February 12, 2012
I didn’t say it would happen tomorrow. In 18-24 months Roger could develop a strong stand up. His jab is already effective, if rudimentary. He is longer than most of the guys at LHW. And, yeah, if Jones, King Mo, or anyone, can hit Roger with a headbutt they have a good chance of following with a crushing blow. Jones’ standup is sloppy with not a ton of power but very effective in creating space so he can take guys down. Does he want to take Roger down? Of course not, he’d be nuts to take him down.
It doesn’t matter anyway because by the time Roger would be ready I think Jones will be fighting at HW.
memitim - February 12, 2012 via mobile
Jones doesn't have a ton of power
But he had enough to drop Machida clean.
SSreporters - February 12, 2012
Roger Gracie will beat Jon Jones!!!!!
if they started the match on the knees…
T.P. Grant - February 12, 2012
Why should a fighter in the UFC who is 4-1 fight top guys so soon? King Mo is a pretty solid fighter, and I felt that was too much, too soon for Gracie. In the UFC, there are more lower tier and mid tier fighters for Roger to fight, unlike in Strikeforce.
chrisbboy82 - February 11, 2012
There's only one person I'm interested to see Roger fight...
Maclovio Williams - February 11, 2012
this is a major step down for Paul but it is a damn fine idea regardless.
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
There's no way that fight isn't badass
Tho even Paul Harris’s sloppy hulk striking could probably overwhelm Gracie.
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
Hey, he’s getting better. I mean, not good, but better.
Patrick Wyman - February 11, 2012
Never noticed that scar on Paul Harris’ chest. What’s up with that?
KyroJudo - February 11, 2012
Some muthafucka thought that he can defent heel hook by not cutting his toe nails.
dancingChicken - February 11, 2012
He was on a wagon in a field and he fell off and impaled himself on something sharp.
I believe he used some kind of sticky tape to patch himself up since they didn’t have any medical supplies.
tkotom - February 11, 2012
yes sticky tape
and then rubbed pig feed into it to speed up the healing process…….and then ate the pig feed
Hell_Bent - February 12, 2012 via Android app
I'm not joking.
tkotom - February 13, 2012
It's from where Ryu dragon punched him
he’s never forgotten and has sworn revenge, becoming M Bison’s right hand man in his continuing search for redemption
Mattyjudo - February 11, 2012 via Android app
He’s really sagat
Hell_Bent - February 12, 2012 via Android app
Nonsense! everybody knows that Shogun is Sagat. Machida is Ryu and Paul Harris is Blanka.
Sweet Scientist - February 12, 2012
dude is a fucking beast
attgnp - February 11, 2012
You guys think we could start a campaign to have Paul Harris paint himself green for the weigh-ins?
We could also try to get Bony Acai to sponsor him so he’d have purple trunks.
thirdparty - February 12, 2012
Gracie vs. Diabate or Gracie vs. Bonnar
If he fights anyone of the UFC’s top 15 LHWs he will die.
SSreporters - February 11, 2012
Diabate is an interesting idea but I feel we have seen that Diabate fight like a million times.
I want to see Cyrille fight MOAR STRIKERS!!!!
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
I always thought he should fight at MW, though there are a lot of LWH that could make MW like Shogun, Machida, Evans,etc They are good enough to hang around the top of the division while Roger is not.
Kefka - February 11, 2012
MW is so thin right now that every grappler or one-dimensional wrestler
Should move up to 185. Fitch, Shields, Gracie, I’m looking at you three.
SSreporters - February 11, 2012
"Up" should not have been there.....
SSreporters - February 11, 2012
MW?
why roger is pretty tall ,lanky and thin even at lhw seems unhealthy to do that
P86 - February 11, 2012
If Roger can cut out carbs and deplete his glycogen stores
Then cut a tiny amount of water weight, he could make 185lbs.
KJ Gould - February 11, 2012
I don't know if he really cuts any water weight either
T.P. Grant - February 12, 2012
Holy crap
He’s that much bigger than king mo?
Rabbit915 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
BY getting serious, hopefully Roger means getting on a proper S&C schedule
He should stay at LHW with his height and spend the time in a S&C program to put on pounds of lean muscle mass. He’ll need that added strength to deal with the wrestling and clinch work he’ll find in either MW or LHW.
Cocytus - February 11, 2012
Yes.
StephenDedalus - February 11, 2012
Gracie vs Maia?
RUSHoverSPIDER - February 11, 2012 via mobile
I have had enough shitty kickboxing fights
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
I never saw you complaining about Condit/Diaz..
vivero - February 11, 2012
exactly!
Earl Montclair - February 11, 2012
No, Gracie vs Cheal!
775assassin - February 11, 2012 via mobile
Roger is good.
His last fight was unfortunate because he was thrown off balance by a King Mo headbutt.
Not to mention King Mo has been popped and that puts a shadow of doubt over his whole career.
tkotom - February 11, 2012
No it doesn't
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
How does it not
tkotom - February 13, 2012
besides the roids comment… i agreee
the-gentle-way - February 11, 2012 via mobile
How dare you??
Don’t you know steriods are fine and dandy?!
Its the devilish weed that damns your whole career and family to hell!!!
cager - February 11, 2012
So i've heard.
tkotom - February 11, 2012
if he can cut to middleweight
he should fight Palhares or Maia.
jirloow - February 11, 2012
I don't like a guy coming off a fresh KO getting signed to the UFC
am i the only one that has a problem with this?
AfroSamurai - February 11, 2012
he got KOed after a illegal headbutt and he is the greatest grappler on earth.
maybe you are right though …. does he deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as people like Matt Brown., Leonard Garcia or Bruce Leroy? Cmon’ son.
the-gentle-way - February 11, 2012 via mobile
In related news
I really don’t care for King Mo. I’m looking forward to the day that he comes to the UFC and gets exposed by top-flight light heavies who are bigger than him, can negate his wrestling and light him up standing.
Dave Strummer - February 11, 2012
who can negate his wrestling
he has far and away the best wrestling in the LHW division, and besides Cormier I think he is the most decorated wrestler in all of mma
OneFitchTwoFitchRedFitchBlueFitch - February 11, 2012
I think Rampage would shrug off whatever takedowns he throws.
Tats16 - February 11, 2012
Jon Jones has never been taken down
Rampage has some of the best TDD in the game. Machida isn’t easy to get to the ground either. Same with Rashad. Outside of the top 10, he’ll give a lot of people problems, so I don’t agree with Monte that he’d be somehow “exposed” with a move to the UFC.
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
I'm just bitter that he roided up
and beat my boy Lorenz Larkin. I also don’t like his personality. And think there are at least a half dozen UFC light heavies who beat him on any given day.
Dave Strummer - February 11, 2012
Can't disagree with that really
But only getting beat by a half dozen elite fighters isn’t really a poor accomplishment either
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
Surprised you think that about his personality Monte. I always find him a decent guy whenever i see him interviewed.
sheikybaby - February 12, 2012
He's obviously really smart
but I find him really, really condescending about MMA fans and their supposed inability to appreciate wrestling.
Dave Strummer - February 12, 2012
I hear you esp about Garcia
But coming off that undisputed ko idk man
AfroSamurai - February 11, 2012 via iPhone app
Roger should stick to Light Heavy
He was doing fine there so far and didn’t look horrible against Mo sans the headbutt.
I could see him reaching top 10 and he uses his reach better than Struve so maybe that’ll be a factor.
cager - February 11, 2012
That’s like saying he rides a bike better than a paraplegic.
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
please somebody tell me how you rec from mobile app
AfroSamurai - February 11, 2012 via iPhone app
You can't
you just say “mobile rec”
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
I've been waiting for this to happen for a long time.
goodbones - February 11, 2012
Burke, who are the sources that are disputing the announcement?
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
John O’Regan of Fighters Only
Tim Burke - February 11, 2012
Thanks
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
What’s weird is that Renzo, Rolles and Igor all said Roger to the UFC is a go. Those guys usually aren’t blowing smoke like Cesar.
Ben Thapa - February 11, 2012
I saw it on Draculino’s twitter too.
castleeb - February 11, 2012
and also
Braulio
OneFitchTwoFitchRedFitchBlueFitch - February 12, 2012
Can't say I'm surprised if he didn't sign
Always seemed like a guy looking for a quick buck and not like someone who really wanted to do mma. That’s all good and fine but usually the ufc isn’t having that.
Rabbit915 - February 11, 2012 via mobile
He has zero sponsors on his shorts
I think you may be a little off base with the money grabbing idea.
Well Read Idiot - February 12, 2012 via mobile
yeah he doesn't need the money
he has a super successful academy, in five years he will be able to charge more than Rickson or Royce for privates and grapplers beat down the doors for seminars with him.
The man is set.
T.P. Grant - February 12, 2012
it is still amazing to me
how many people think and treat Royce like the king of grapplers. It contributes to his HUGE ego and exorbitant prices. I understand his historical significance, but DAMN. Shit pisses me off
OneFitchTwoFitchRedFitchBlueFitch - February 12, 2012
yep
Royce is a great black belt for sure. Anyone who grows up in an art will be. But his success in the early UFCs against guys who had little or no grappling chops.
I mentioned Royce because he rolls in HUGE private fees because of that fame. Not sure if that was the point you were making also, just wanted to clarify.
T.P. Grant - February 12, 2012
This was my point
Unlike most grapplers who turn to mma because they need money that they can’t get in jiu jitsu, he doesn’t need the money. That’s why he has no will to seriously compete in mma regularly unless he’s making bank. That’s what I’ve heard regarding his strikeforce contract.
Rabbit915 - February 12, 2012 via mobile
the Gracie's in general
have an approach right now that they know they aren’t the top dogs any more. But tons of people are more than happy to make their names off beating a Gracie (see Eddie Bravo).
so the Gracies have the general attitude that if you going to go out there, get a serious payday out of it.
T.P. Grant - February 12, 2012
"Gotchya" journalism strikes again
RandyCouture'sDivorceLawyer - February 11, 2012 via mobile
I'm not sure if you understand the term "gotcha journalism"
Chris Hall - February 11, 2012
huh? How is it "gotcha journalism"?
there was no interview or trap questions…
we just published that there was a report that Roger was going to the UFC and that he was eyeing a drop to middleweight
T.P. Grant - February 11, 2012
Gotcha journalism is when Katie Couric asks Sarah Palin what she reads, for example. It isn’t this.
memitim - February 12, 2012 via mobile
to be fair, I don't think Couric thought "What do you read" was going to be a showstopper before she asked it
The Lethal Haze - February 12, 2012
I agree
discoandherpes - February 12, 2012
Read?
Who the fuck expects a candidate for a top governmental position to read?
Andy Davis - February 12, 2012
She knew who Sarah Palin was, she should’ve known the answer.
The Bible.
And that’s it!
thirdparty - February 12, 2012
Someone has no fucking idea what they’re talking about. “Stupidity” strikes again.
Tim Burke - February 12, 2012
I feel i have to say something bad or mock this dude in order to fit in.
I don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.
krste - February 12, 2012
showtime probably said wait a minute.....he has been a big name on their cards for awhile.
SDChief - February 12, 2012
yeah for real
the only time every guy at my Gracie Barra knew there was a Strikeforce card coming was when Roger was on it
T.P. Grant - February 12, 2012
Are we forgetting that Roger Gracie has only had five fights in six years?
The guy is a prospect at this point. He’s a baby in the sport. Of course he has holes in his game, MMA was never his full time focus. Let’s get him fighting on a consistent basis against lower to mid tier competition and see how he does. The guy has never fought three times in a single year.
Just because his last name is infamous doesn’t mean that he’s ready to fight anyone near the top 20.
discoandherpes - February 12, 2012
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