The Ultimate Fighting Championship celebrates its 29th anniversary. One name that remains head and shoulders above other fighters to build the sport of MMA was Royce Gracie. The Hall of Fame UFC athlete defied all the odds to win the inaugural tournament after conquering three opponents who were bigger than him.
The jiujitsu legend dedicated a post to acknowledge the big day and had a few words for his father as well.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Gracie Family is known as one of the most important pillars to build the sport of MMA into what it is today. And the fighter, to hold the torch from the Gracie family in the inaugural UFC, had a special person to thank to for his accomplishment back in 1993.
Royce Gracie thanked his father on the 29th anniversary of the UFC
The winner of the inaugural UFC tournament remembered the historic day and his father.
View this post on Instagram
Royce Gracie wrote, “1st UFC; 3 fights in one night, No time limit, No weight division, No gloves, No rules.”
“I’m a product of my father’s work,” with a gi emoji at the end, the BJJ legend hailed his father’s greatness.
Royce Gracie changed the MMA landscape
Going through a grueling tournament-style format, facing three men in 1 night, and fighting & beating bigger opponents, Royce Gracie did it all. As Gracie dominated his opponent with his BJJ skills, his counterpart, a wrestler Ken Shamrock, stood across from him.
Read More – UFC Commentator Joe Rogan Reveals the Most Important Skill in MMA
When the final fight of the night concluded in Denver, Colorado, the world got to know about a jiujitsu master who defeated all the martial arts styles.
Getty
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – MARCH 20: UFC President Dana White speaks to the media during the UFC 189 World Media Tour Launch press conference at Maracanazinho on March 20, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
From November 12, 1993, to the current UFC, under President Dana White, it has changed a lot. Yet, the contribution of the Gracies has been the same in the hearts of MMA fans and pros after 3 decades, and it will remain the same for decades more to come.
WATCH THIS STORY – Dana White Reveals Big Names Set to Attend UFC 281: Mike Tyson, Jared Leto, Miles Teller, and More
What do you make of this story? Share your first experience with the UFC in the comments below.
