Rickson Gracie vs. Sakuraba In K-1 HERO's promotion!

Jras0001 · 06-03-2006, 01:13 AM

I just ran across this while messing around on the internet tonight. I hope this is not just a rumor and this fight happens. This will be a great fight and would love to see it. Many people say that Rickson is the most talented and dangerous of the Gracie family when it comes to competition and m.m.a. matches. He has stated that he prefers to fight without the gi as well and has proven he is a force. I only wonder how much of his conditioning and edge he has maintained over the past few years. Im not sure how old he is but he is getting up there to still be competing. Also, taking on the Gracie nemisis Sakuraba ... I so hope this fight happens.

Here is the link if you guys want to read it for yourselves. It doesnt say much but here it is....

http://www.mmanews.com/article/150167265.php

SmashingMachine · 06-03-2006, 10:09 AM

Sakuraba's got a phenominal record against the Gracies. He's already beaten Ryan, Royler, Renzo, and Royce. Royler and Renzo he submitted and tko'ed Royce. I think he'd clean up on Rickson too. I don't think his opponent's list is too overly impressive; especially compared to Royce or Renzo.

Doublelegtakedown · 06-03-2006, 01:34 PM

so is it going to beat mma match? or kickboxing?

PINOYPRIDE · 06-03-2006, 06:15 PM

I am looking forward to see this fight but I don't think Rickson will win due to his age.

SeikanJudanski · 06-03-2006, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmashingMachine

Sakuraba's got a phenominal record against the Gracies. He's already beaten Ryan, Royler, Renzo, and Royce. Royler and Renzo he submitted and tko'ed Royce. I think he'd clean up on Rickson too. I don't think his opponent's list is too overly impressive; especially compared to Royce or Renzo.

Sakuraba´s two wins against Royler and Royce are shady. The referee couldn´t wait to call those two fights off. Royler didn´t tap, and Royce wasn´t TKO, the referee called the fight off, because the thought Royce was unconscious, but he wasn´t. Watch the fights again, they robbed Royler and Royce against Sakuraba, but I am sure there are enough people who will say that it wasn´t a robbery. Neverthless Sakuraba is a legend in his own right, and nobody can say the contrary.

Renzo has beaten nobody. He has a win over Maurice Smith and Oleg Taktarov, both good fighters, but his record is not that impressive, although Renzo is a very good fighter, I am just saying his record is not that impressive. As far as Rickson´s record goes, Rickson has wins over Rei Zulu (twice), has won Vale Tudo Japan in a very impressive manner (twice) and he also beat Pancrase legend Funaki. Royce probably has the better looking record, but he is also not undefeated. Also if you take into consideration that Rickson is known to be the best Gracie from the bunch, I think Sakuraba will be in alot of trouble, with only the age factor being a handicap for Rickson.

Anyway, I don´t think this fight will happen.. that would be too good to be true.

subgenius · 06-03-2006, 08:19 PM

If it happens, my money is on Sakuraba. I just like that guy. I always perk up and pay close attention when I see him on PRIDE's TV show on FSN. That fight with Renzo was awesome. I swear it looked like Renzo had a broken elbow from that vicious kimura. And, they called that a technical submission. I think that Gracies all agreed a long time ago to NEVER tap out or quit a match like that... Maybe after Royce's team was forced to throw in the towel for him after the Kimo fight. I don't know, but Royce and Renzo do not seem to ever want to tap.

Also, Renzo seems to get the short end of the stick from judges. All of his losses (outside of Sakuraba) seem to be decision losses. From what I can see, Renzo is 10-6-1 (1 NC) He is 1-6 in the past six years. Four of those losses are to a decision.

angryjonny · 06-03-2006, 09:51 PM

Seikan, are you serious about Sakuraba's wins over Royler and Royce. It was either wait until Royler's arm snapped then call the fight or call it now and prevent his arm from being broken. Nothing in the world was going to get Royler out of that kimura unless Sakuraba dropped dead at that very moment. It was so deep and you could see the pain on his face. Of course they are going to argue it because he didn't tap but that doesn't mean it was a shady call. And didn't they throw in the towel at the end of round 6 against Royce?

This would be an awesome fight and would be the final chapter in the Sakuraba vs. the Gracies. But...I don't think it will happen. But I do think it will be fun to talk about for a while.

SeikanJudanski · 06-03-2006, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angryjonny

Seikan, are you serious about Sakuraba's wins over Royler and Royce. It was either wait until Royler's arm snapped then call the fight or call it now and prevent his arm from being broken. Nothing in the world was going to get Royler out of that kimura unless Sakuraba dropped dead at that very moment. It was so deep and you could see the pain on his face. Of course they are going to argue it because he didn't tap but that doesn't mean it was a shady call. And didn't they throw in the towel at the end of round 6 against Royce?

This would be an awesome fight and would be the final chapter in the Sakuraba vs. the Gracies. But...I don't think it will happen. But I do think it will be fun to talk about for a while.

I´m sorry, you are very correct, they did throw the towel in the fight against Sakuraba, I was thinking about Royce against Yoshida. The ref broke up the fight, because he thought Royce was choked out, Royce filed a complaint afterwards, it was decided a draw afterwards. I can´t believe I confused those two fights.

As far as the Royler fight, he didn´t tap. You might say he wouldn´t have gotten out of the Kimura, but there is no way to say for sure now is there? Look at how Hughes had Royce´s arm at UFC 60. Hughes said he heard it pop twice, but Royce didn´t tap and kept fighting. I am not saying the arm would or wouldn´t have snapped, I simply said he didn´t tap, and they waved it off. Remember how pissed of Rickson was arguing with the judges, and Royler screaming up that it was stopped too soon?

Anyway, nobody is disputing Sakuraba.. the man is a legend.

7thphoenix · 06-04-2006, 12:03 AM

This would be interesting, whilst Sakuraba easily beat Royler and Renzo both of which are much lighter than the 86-90 kg Sakuraba. I think he had difficulty fighting Roylce in their 2nd fight. Indeed it went 6 rounds before Sakuraba TKO-d Royce due to a leg injury.

Rickson is in his late forties I believe although his actual age has always been kept secret, guesses are that he is around 49 nearing 50.

Age could be a factor, however, if Rickson manages to get in a good physical shape this fight should be a bruiser as Rickson is much more powerful and aggressiive than any other gracie and a hrad man to submit.

Sakuraba has great submission skills however against fighters his own size he has shown difficulty in putting these fighters down.

I belive endurance will be the key here, sakuraba will damage Rickson, however Rickson will also damage sakuraba. Both are equal in Size , Sakuraba having the advantage in kicking ability, Rickson being a better pressure fighter that is difficult to beat if he gets to clinching distance.

I wanna see this fight, I only wished it had happened 5 years agao when both fighters were younger (or at least Rickson).

I'd have to give this one to Rickson, cause although in the ring he has fought guys with okay ability, he has beaten many big names in actual in dojo no rules matches. He has had time to rest his body.

Sakuraba has suffered some terrible KO's since the time he fought Royce Gracie and his speed as well as his confidence have not been at the same level since losing
3 times by K.O.

SeikanJudanski · 06-04-2006, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thphoenix

This would be interesting, whilst Sakuraba easily beat Royler and Renzo both of which are much lighter than the 86-90 kg Sakuraba. I think he had difficulty fighting Roylce in their 2nd fight. Indeed it went 6 rounds before Sakuraba TKO-d Royce due to a leg injury.

Rickson is in his late forties I believe although his actual age has always been kept secret, guesses are that he is around 49 nearing 50.

Age could be a factor, however, if Rickson manages to get in a good physical shape this fight should be a bruiser as Rickson is much more powerful and aggressiive than any other gracie and a hrad man to submit.

Sakuraba has great submission skills however against fighters his own size he has shown difficulty in putting these fighters down.

I belive endurance will be the key here, sakuraba will damage Rickson, however Rickson will also damage sakuraba. Both are equal in Size , Sakuraba having the advantage in kicking ability, Rickson being a better pressure fighter that is difficult to beat if he gets to clinching distance.

I wanna see this fight, I only wished it had happened 5 years agao when both fighters were younger (or at least Rickson).

I'd have to give this one to Rickson, cause although in the ring he has fought guys with okay ability, he has beaten many big names in actual in dojo no rules matches. He has had time to rest his body.

Sakuraba has suffered some terrible KO's since the time he fought Royce Gracie and his speed as well as his confidence have not been at the same level since losing
3 times by K.O.

Yeah, I would loved to have seen Rickson fight Sakuraba after the 2000 GP, or even after Sak beat Royler. Rickson was still in phenomenal shape in 2000, choking Funaki out, in an impressive 1st round. A fighter like Rickson is most probably still in very good shape, it´s just hard to guess if he is able to overcome that hurdle. Sak is only 38.. Rickson is 48. I don´t know if his age is a secret, as far as I know he was born on the 20th of November 1958.

If Rickson´s age doesn´t conflict with his performance, it´s Rickson by submission.

Jras0001 · 06-04-2006, 01:16 PM

In various interviews and what not, members of the Gracie family have often said that Rickson was by far the most athletic and talented of the family. Also, if you look at how he fights you'll notice that he has much better striking than the other Gracies and he is always in top physical shape. He looks like he is built better and has more physical strength than Royce, Royler, or Renzo. I think that if he were to come into this fight in superb shape and he has done his homework and knows what to expect from Sakuraba, Rickson has a good chance of winning this fight....if it ever materializes that is.

subgenius · 06-04-2006, 01:54 PM

Someone said that Rickson's age was a secret, but he was born in 1958 -- he is 48 years old.

Jras0001 · 06-05-2006, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

Someone said that Rickson's age was a secret, but he was born in 1958 -- he is 48 years old.

I have to admit that his age, being that old, will definitely play a part in the fight. How large of a part in the fight it plays is debateable. Id love to see Rickson give one more memorable performance to end his career with but Im just not sure at 48 yrs old how well he will perform.

Crashsti · 06-05-2006, 11:05 AM

it will be amazing in itself to see a guy in his late 40's compete with Sak. Dan Severn is almost 50 as well but he is beating up guys in KOTC. personally this fight has lost alot of its appeal due to Rickson's age but i will still look up the results when this fight happens.

Nimmy · 06-12-2006, 07:56 AM

i watched a documentary about the gracie family called "ultimate warriors", all the family agreed that rickson was the main man, i seen earlier that someone said that the ref stopped the royce vs sak match, no he didnt the gracies threw in the towel. The other matches were won by sak fair and square, even admitted by renzo in the documentary, he said he was beating sak up to 17 secs to go and he got caught. i would have liked to see sakuraba vs rickson back in the day but prime old question of age will show, can someone but me right if im wrong here but K1 is kickboxing with no grappling and a no holding rules? if so then i think the fight will be rubbish, put the fighters on the ground

Jras0001 · 06-13-2006, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimmy

i watched a documentary about the gracie family called "ultimate warriors", all the family agreed that rickson was the main man, i seen earlier that someone said that the ref stopped the royce vs sak match, no he didnt the gracies threw in the towel. The other matches were won by sak fair and square, even admitted by renzo in the documentary, he said he was beating sak up to 17 secs to go and he got caught. i would have liked to see sakuraba vs rickson back in the day but prime old question of age will show, can someone but me right if im wrong here but K1 is kickboxing with no grappling and a no holding rules? if so then i think the fight will be rubbish, put the fighters on the ground

Yes, K1 is kickboxing but the Hero's mma promotion is owned and affiliated with K1, thats why its called K1 Hero's. If the fight takes place in Hero's, then it will be the same mma fighting that Rickson and Sak have been competing in, not kickboxing.

Nimmy · 06-13-2006, 04:34 AM

excellent every k1 event that i have seen and to be honest im not that well informed of it have been kickboxing and not mma. i think that will make for a good match. i take sak

SeikanJudanski · 06-13-2006, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimmy

i seen earlier that someone said that the ref stopped the royce vs sak match, no he didnt the gracies threw in the towel. The other matches were won by sak fair and square, even admitted by renzo in the documentary,

I´m the one that said Royce didn´t throw the towel against Sak, but I mixed the fight up with Royce vs. Yoshida, but I clarified that a post later. As far as his other fights against the Gracie´s being fair and square, it is not quite true. Sak applied a Kimura on Royler in their fight, and Royler didn´t tap or make an attempt to tap. The fight got called off, Royler stood up and started protesting, and Rickson was screaming at the judges and Pride commission outside the ring. Although Sak can be truley be considered the Gracie hunter, due to his wins over the Gracies including Royce, his fight against Royler is not without controversy.

Nimmy · 06-13-2006, 11:38 AM

maybe i seen it wrong, in the documentary the gracies praised sak as a fantastic fighter and im sure sakuraba would give royler a rematch to prove. if you are right on that point i apologise. i didnt see your post that u replied to getting it wrong also.

7thphoenix · 06-19-2006, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimmy

maybe i seen it wrong, in the documentary the gracies praised sak as a fantastic fighter and im sure sakuraba would give royler a rematch to prove. if you are right on that point i apologise. i didnt see your post that u replied to getting it wrong also.

Yes, The Gracies have nothing against Sak.

To clear up the misunderstanding about the K!, I will clarify the differences in tournaments.

K1 has both their traditional kickboxing bouts as well as more recently MMA bouts.

They did this to compete for a lucrative share in the MMA money stakes.

Therefore the SAK vs Rickson fight will be MMA.

THe K1 tournament on the other hand is kickboxing only.

The two are different but run by K1 promotion company.