ROYCE GRACIE INTERVIEW!!!!!

[Tiger69]

Alright, here it is. Royce told me that he wanted the interview to be short so I couldn't ask all the questions that I wanted. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Q: When will you fight again Royce?

R: Next year.

Q: Do you want a rematch with Wallid or Sakuraba?

R: I like to fight Sakuraba again next year.

Q: How about Wallid?

R: Why should I? He's not worth anything.

Q: Do you still think Sak tapped?

R: Watch the video and judge for yourself.

Q: Are you proud of your Pride performance?

R: Well, the result didn't come out as I expected but I dominated the whole fight until I broke my foot.

Q: Will you be changing your approach when you fight Sak again?

R: He's the one that need to change his approach next time. As I said, I dominated the fight. He couldn't make anything happen until my injury occurred.

Q: Are you saying that you would fight the same way as you did last time?

R: Why not? I was superior. I've been absent for over 5 years. Sakuraba has faced many opponents and nobody gave him any trouble like I did. Again, I was superior thru out the whole fight until I broke my foot. If it was a regular rule with time limit, the fight would've stopped at Sakuraba getting punched in the face.

Q: I thought Goes and Mezger gave pretty tough fight to Sakuraba?

R: Those guys are great at fighting with time limit.

Q: Any respect on Sakuraba as a fighter?

R: He's a tough fighter I admit that. He trains Jiu Jitsu everyday.

Q: People want Sakuraba to fight Rickson next, do you think Rickson should fight him?

R: People want my family to get destroyed, that's what they want. Everybody has forgotten the fact that we are the ones that brought NHB today. We built this thing. GJJ has been undefeated for 75 years and now everyboday trains jiu jitsu and they want my family to be destroyed.

Q: So, should Rickson fight Sak?

R: You should ask Rickson about that.

Q: What do you think of Renzo's loss?

R: Like Renzo said, shit happens. Renzo was never in any trouble but he did the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Q: What do you mean?

R: Sakuraba applied same lock to Renzo that he used on me. I was in no trouble at all, that lock doesn't make anything happen. Renzo was in no trouble either but he made a bad mistake by moving to the wrong way and broke his arm. It was Renzo that broke his arm.

Q: There is a rumor that Ryan may fight Sakuraba in the next Pride. Do you think Ryan has a chance at beating Sak?

R: Whoever wins I wouldn't be surprised. They are both Jiu Jitsu fighters.

Q: Thanks for your time Royce. I'm looking forward to see you fight again.

R: No problem, thank you.

[pharochuck]

i hope if he fights sak again he won't be overconfident. there did seem to be some adjustments needed if he wants to win

[Marcus]

"that lock doesn't make anything happen."

Damn, I've been wasting my time practicing the chicken wing all this time when all it does is break arms.

[paw]

R: He's the one that need to change his approach next time. As I said, I dominated the fight. He couldn't make anything happen until my injury occurred.

Well then, how did the injury occur? (here's a hint, you were fighting another person, and you didn't injure yourself....)

Ok, that's rude. I admit I'm being harsh. Royce is a tough fighter, but my concern is he won't prepare for future fights properly with this type of attitude.

[Mako]

Q: How about Wallid?

R: Why should I? He's not worth anything.

He sure looked like he was worth SOMETHING as he was carried off victoriously on the shoulders of Carloao, while you were asleep, face down on the mat.


Q: Will you be changing your approach when you fight Sak again?

R: He's the one that need to change his approach next time. As I said, I dominated the fight. He couldn't make anything happen until my injury occurred.

He won, you didn't. Scoreboard Sak.

Q: Are you saying that you would fight the same way as you did last time?

R: Why not? I was superior. I've been absent for over 5 years. Sakuraba has faced many opponents and nobody gave him any trouble like I did. Again, I was superior thru out the whole fight until I broke my foot. If it was a regular rule with time limit, the fight would've stopped at Sakuraba getting punched in the face.

Q: I thought Goes and Mezger gave pretty tough fight to Sakuraba?

R: Those guys are great at fighting with time limit.

Read these 2 quotes together. Goes and Mezger are good w/time limits, but in the first response he said he would have WON w/time limits, and he LOST w/o.

Q: Any respect on Sakuraba as a fighter?

R: He's a tough fighter I admit that. He trains Jiu Jitsu everyday.

Back to the "you can only beat JJ w/JJ. Then again, if he never trained w/Helio, Rorion, and Royce, how can he know the TRUE JJ?"

Q: People want Sakuraba to fight Rickson next, do you think Rickson should fight him?

R: People want my family to get destroyed, that's what they want. Everybody has forgotten the fact that we are the ones that brought NHB today. We built this thing. GJJ has been undefeated for 75 years and now everyboday trains jiu jitsu and they want my family to be destroyed.

I'm w/Royce on this one. So what, he lost. His family DID build this thing. Total respect to the Gracie clan for giving us this MMA.


R: Sakuraba applied same lock to Renzo that he used on me. I was in no trouble at all, that lock doesn't make anything happen. Renzo was in no trouble either but he made a bad mistake by moving to the wrong way and broke his arm. It was Renzo that broke his arm.

Man, for once could he give some respect, and admit that someone else did something well? Sak got a surprise submission and ended the fight. I love Renzo, but good grief, could you admit that someone did something well?


Guys, this is classic. It's a psychological phenomenon called COGNITIVE DISSONANCE. Which basically is this; if you are faced with a reality that opposes your previously held beliefs, you have 2 choices:

1. Hold on to the previously held beliefs in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
2. Adjust your beliefs to fit the changing reality.

Most of the time, we do the second. However, if we hold the belief strongly enough, or long enough to where it becomes a part of who we are, then the changing of this belief would cause us to question who we see ourselves to be. In this case, many people choose 1. This is true psychopathology. (For example, a kid loves his Dad. His dad is awesome. The dad then developes a drinking problem and begins to abuse his kids. Many kids believe it is THEIR fault, because they can't accept the reality that opposes their previous belief that dad is a good man, and loves them.)

Example. GJJ has been undefeated for over 75 years. Royce has never lost (NHB), Rickson, etc.
BANG! Royce loses.
Hmm, here are my choices.

1. Maybe the art needs to evolve. Maybe I faced a superior opponent. Maybe GJJ is a good art, but not infallible.

2. GJJ is unbeatable, I only lost because my opponent knows it too! He got lucky! (anything that would not make him choose the first choice.)

Let's be objective here. I like Royce, i've met him. He's a really nice guy, and an amazing fighter. His family is awesome, they gave us what we have today. BUT, do his comments really match up w/reality, or are they maybe a result of COGNITIVE DISSONANCE? I'm somewhat neutral on the whole thing, I don't care either way. It's hard to find middle ground on this subject, but you've got to admit. This is textbook.


Just my thoughts.

[Hookah Smokin Caterpillar]

I think the only things that are truthful about this interview is that

1) The Gracies are trying to be destroyed by people in NHB
2) Sak kind of got lucky in the end of the Renzo fight, but I think Sak would've gotten a decision eventually and Renzo was trying to do something and got stuck. Renzo is my favorite fighter by the way, I hope none of you guys think I'm a gracie hater

Either way, Royce needs to wake up, train hard as hell in some sort of stand up [Renzo is the only one that took on and won the stand up battle with Sak] update his Jiu Jitsu and beat Sakuraba and bring it back to us BJJer. I love BJJ and I train in it and I'm confident that alone I can use it to beat so many people, but I DO know if I wanted to step up in a cage or a ring or to fight a great fighter I need a stand up art and to keep my grappling knowledge open to other arts. Jiu Jitsu is the best MA but it still can't work alone.

[Clark Kent]

Looks like Royce is still lost in his own world. The previous replies touched on all the points but I would like to add that Royce did not dominate Sak. Royce could not do ANYTHING to Sak. Royce is not a complete fighter.
1. Royce has zero striking skills. He was punching Sak in the face and Sak didn't block or even move. Royce can't hurt anyone striking.
2. Royce does not have quality takedown skills. He would run at Sak flailing trying to get a takedown. (my friend and I busted up laughing when we saw this on the tape)
3. Royce needs to get rid of the GI. He has good submission skills but his overall lack of fighting skills dosen't force his opponent to open up so he can use those skills.

I trained BJJ (just had shoulder surgery) so I love the art and respect it but as far as fighters go Royce is now a B level fighter. Renzo and Goes are the next generation of BJJ fighters because they evolve their art to include striking. If Royce does not evolve he will stagnate (we all know that stagnation stinks )

[Tony10]

I can't think of much to add to Mako's post--I think you're right on--except to say that since Royce came back, he disappoints me every time he opens his mouth about this sheet.

[Hawk]

I don't see Royce being a B-Level fighter unless all the rest, including Sak are also B-Level. Many say Royce didn't do anything to Sak, but Royce was never hurt until he got his ankle broke, which was a fluke. Many have said Sak laid back and could have/would have done more in a TL match. Well, everytime he could he went for a submission, 1st round, second round. IMO he wasn't laying back, he was fighting his fight against a great defensive fighter. The only NHB fight Royce has ever lost was this fight after an hour and a half. Even with a broken ankle he still lasted more then half the fight against Sak. Royce's style is such that he's at his best in a NTL, No rounds, No Rules type fight and in that type match he can stay with anyone. In this type scenario, there is no reason for him to change anything. Sak could not use anything, be it Gi or whatever to his advantage until Royce's ankle was broken, and then he was still in a fight. Wallid shouldn't even be in the discussion. His skills, as good as they are, are obviously sport skills, not NHB. Royce's skill is NHB/NTL/No rules. A.Goes and G.Metzger are excellent fighters in a TL match, and maybe in a NTL match although I've never seen them in one. I'd like to see Royce and Sak fight again and maybe they will.
Hawk

Tiger69:

Thanks for using so many of my questions! I'm honored that they were included.

Hmmm. Well. "Cognitive Dissonance"? Yeah, a little. I'm interested in Royce's opinion that he dominated the fight until the injury. Technically, he may be correct, although he nearly got knee-barred at the end of Round 1. Yes, he landed many punches on Sak. But they seemed to have more the effect of tiring Royce out than hurting Sak. Royce DEMANDED an NTL fight, got it, and lost it. So his contention that he would have won a TL fight is silly. He didn't WANT one!

And Hawk, I like you, I respect you, but the kick that broke Royce's foot was NOT a fluke, it was due to Sak's kicking skill and Royce's poor defense. Period. Just like Renzo's broken arm was NOT a fluke, but a combination of Sak's submission skill and Renzo's bad judgment. Sak is/was the superior fighter to Royce and Renzo, unless they get their $hit together and plug the holes in the Gracie ship.

People do not want to "destroy" the Gracie family, they want to beat the best, and the Gracies were the best. But Sak is better, so far.

[andreh anderson]

Everything in me wants to like Royce because I am training in jiujitsu because of his tremendous performances in the UFC.

I want to like Royce, but an interview like this kills me. I mean it REALLY kills me. The ignorant will look at Royce vs. Severn and say that Severn was dominating that fight until he got caught. I look at it and say that Royce was wearing him out and waiting for the right opportunity to finish it. When Sak uses the same strategy, Royce has the nerve to say that Sak was being dominated. The Sakuraba I saw was slowly turning up the heat round after round. Of course he will take a submission if it is there (like the kneebar after Royce's takedown), but I never saw him chase submissions like he has in the past (against Vernon or Newton).

Wallid is worthless? If thats true, why did Royce fight him in the first place? Is he more worthless now that Royce lost to him?

The saddest part is that Royce still insists that he broke his foot in some sort of fluke. It was no fluke when Royce popped DeLucia's arm in the UFC, and its no fluke when Sak does it to Royce's ankle with a kick. The only difference is the technique that's used. MAYBE, and just MAYBE, I would say it was a fluke if Sak only threw one kick the whole fight and that kick ended up breaking Royce's foot. But the truth is that he threw many, many kicks and if the target remains constant, eventually it will break.

Where is the respect, even an ounce of it, in Royce's interviews? He asks for NTL, gets it, loses and still no respect for his opponent.

Please, Royce...PLEASE learn some humility from Renzo. You taught us so much and you gave us this great art, now please dont be the tough guy all the time. Its good to see people own up to a loss when it happens.


[Edited by andreh anderson on 10-03-2000 at 01:38 PM]

[Lacrymosa]

I once heard that Royce made a comment that Sakuraba should not have kicked to Royce's foot/ankle. The logic of this was that the technique was designed to cripple him.

Royce was certainly concerned about that one.....and rightfully so.....it cost him his "Gracie Undefeatable" reputation and arguably, the match.

But what the hell is Royce complaining about? Especially when you take into consideration that one of Royce's favorite moves in the guard involved thumping his opponent's kidney with his heel. If THAT isn't considered malicious intent, I don't know what you would call it.

Royce should really give credit where credit is due. Sakuraba clearly defeated Royce....on Royce's own terms.

[Eazy-E]

This interview is amazing. Royce's mind is to closed to reality!!! With this type of attitude its hard to see him adapting to today's NHB scene and beating any of the top fighters.

Mako - Cognitive Disonance - that sounds right on the money.

Royce's complete lack of humility and perspective are quite galling. He did so much for NHB in the early days, but his time seems to have passed and everyone knows it except him and maybe Hawk. Retire gracefully or wake up and smell the coffee!! The NHB game has evolved! You just cant sit back in the guard and hope to beat the top guys.

If I were Sak I would tell Royce to get back in the ring and earn a rematch first. Tell him that he needs to beat a few good fighters before I would waste my efforts with him again. And I have serious doubts that Royce could beat any of the top 10 middle weights now.

Tito, Goes, Henderson, Shammy, Vitor, Silva... these guys probably would put a serious beating on Royce. Try taking Royce level strikes and takedowns against Tito, Silva or Vitor. That even sounds painful to think about. He probably couldnt ever get Henderson on the ground if Henderson didnt want to go there.

Heck, even the top lightweights seems a tall order for Royce these days. Trigg would probably destroy him! Miletidge would certainly beat him by keeping the fight mostly standing. Matt Hughes could put a real beating on him, too.

Once again, Royce has done so much for NHB and BJJ in the past. If he would just please stop embarrasing himself we would all be better off!

E

[Hawk]

Everyone has their opinion and if those opinions are thought out then a certain respect although not necessarily agreement should go with it. Almost every post on here is thought out pretty well and brings up some interesting points. One thing, IMO the broken ankle was a fluke. I have never seen an ankle broken by kicking someone's legs as was happening in Royce-Sak. Since I have an extensive background
in Karate & Muay Thai, I've seen the same scenario many times in street fights and challenge fights, along with NHB.
Sak wasn't kicking Royce near as hard as Gordeaux was kicking the little guy in the second Vale Tudo (I forget his name) and I can name a number of others, Rickson-Funaki,
etc. As to Royce's armbar on JD, I've seen an arm popped many times from that position. The armbar Sak got Renzo with
is one he goes for a lot and if you end up in the position Renzo was in something has to give no matter how flexible you are. To compare those with Royce getting his ankle broke by a kick that deflected off his leg is like comparing apples & oranges. One thing I'd like to say is Royce comes across terrible in interviews for whatever reason. He's not that way in person and I've been around him enough to know. It never ceases to amaze me how different Royce comes across in an interview from the Royce I've known personaly for quite a few years now.
Hawk

[sabaki]

This is a typical Royce response. In my mind it's like it isn't even worth interviewing him because he'll just give similar type response. I'm not saying this isn't a good interview. It is a great interview. But to me it is typical Royce. The same attitude he projects in his other interviews and even the columns he wrote for BB magazine.

Agree or disagree with Royce's opinions they are pretty much aligned with the personality he has projected over the years. It isn't even worth getting all bent out of shape over.

My point is don't let his words surprise you or even upset you.