Royce Gracie vs GSP?

[Anthony342]

Royce unfortunately would not last the round. He dominated in the 90's because fighters had no idea what he was doing and didn't have any defense to any submissions. GSP would take him down and choke him unconscious or break his arm. Royce wouldn't tap out. The Gracie's failure to add dimensions to their fighting has made them obsolete for MMA combat. They were so positive that all you needed was Jiu-Jitsu but didn't take account of what would occur when everyone learned and applied that to combat to complement wrestling and striking.

True at one time. Royce did have some muay thai training too, from what I've heard and Renzo used some striking in his younger days, so it's not like they all ONLY relied on BJJ. It's just, in the early days of MMA, it was usually all they needed in most of their fights, so they didn't often use much else. That being said, GSP probably wins, because he wouldn't let Royce pull guard or would quickly escape to his feet or pass the guard and neutralize Royce's BJJ with his grappling, probably win a unanimous decision, maybe a technical decision or TKO. I'd be rooting for Royce though.

[Anthony342]

Speaking of the Gracies, I heard Kyra Gracie might start competing in MMA next year. I'm guessing Strikeforce, maybe Bellator? Apparently, she's training in boxing to complement her BJJ. She should do okay, depending on her opponent and if she can get the fight to the ground. If not, hard to tell if a few months or even a year or two of boxing training could be enough to prepare her for a fight that stays on the feet. I hear Ralek and Roger Gracie are 3-0 so far in MMA, not sure about the quality of their opponents yet though, I haven't seen those fights yet.

[Clegg]

Speaking of the Gracies, I heard Kyra Gracie might start competing in MMA next year. I'm guessing Strikeforce, maybe Bellator? Apparently, she's training in boxing to complement her BJJ. She should do okay, depending on her opponent and if she can get the fight to the ground. If not, hard to tell if a few months or even a year or two of boxing training could be enough to prepare her for a fight that stays on the feet. I hear Ralek and Roger Gracie are 3-0 so far in MMA, not sure about the quality of their opponents yet though, I haven't seen those fights yet.

I've not seen Ralek, but I watched Roger's last fight, which was against Kevin Randleman.

It's was OK, but Randleman is obviously a long way past his best, plus as a wrestler he was at a bit of a disadvantage because what are you going to do against the best grappler on the planet? Keep it standing where you're not that good? Take him down where he will surely submit you? But still, a good win for Roger I'd say and he's still inexperienced so he shouldn't rush things.

One thing I did think is that he didn't look quite as smooth as I was expecting. Even though he's been successful in gi and no-gi, I guess ground-fighting without any shirt or anything on is an added thing to adapt to. I thought once it hit the ground it'd be over very quickly, but that wasn't the case although he did get the sub in the end.

True at one time. Royce did have some muay thai training too, from what I've heard and Renzo used some striking in his younger days, so it's not like they all ONLY relied on BJJ. It's just, in the early days of MMA, it was usually all they needed in most of their fights, so they didn't often use much else. That being said, GSP probably wins, because he wouldn't let Royce pull guard or would quickly escape to his feet or pass the guard and neutralize Royce's BJJ with his grappling, probably win a unanimous decision, maybe a technical decision or TKO. I'd be rooting for Royce though.

Yeah, people talk as if the Gracie's stand-up skills were on the same level as the average guy on the street when it's clear that they were at least semi-competent standing, even though they obviously weren't great in that area. Even Rickson, who apparently only believes in training BJJ, competed in judo and sambo, so he must have done some cross-training I would think.

Even if Royce pulled guard I think GSP would do OK. He did very well in BJ's guard. Royce is bigger but Penn is a BJJ expert in his own right.

[jakkups]

Royce in his prime was a BJJ fighter, no more, no less.

GSP is a world class MMA fighter.

Royce may not have officially lost a fight in his prime, but Ken Shamrock would've won their rematch if there had been judges. With Royce all you had to do was learn the riddle of the guard and he was there for the taking.

GSP is a far better fighter and athlete than anyone Royce faced in the UFC.

Royce had one way of winning a fight. GSP can win a fight any number of ways.

GSP destroys Royce via brutal KO.

[AKATheMack]

I knew GSP would be the favorite, but I figured people to give Royce a little bit more of a chance. The one dimensional argument is a little hollow to me seeing as how one dimensional wrestlers are doing very well in the UFC right now. Aside from wrestling if a one dimensional fighter is going to succeed in MMA BJJ would be the way to go. I dont imagine Royce would choose to stand with GSP so the fight more than likely ends up with Royce on his back which is a position neither fighter would be uncomfortable with. I'd pick GSP to win as well because he is better rounded, but I wouldnt count Royce out completely.

[T-97]

I think Royce did benefit a lot from people not knowing how to defend his take downs and subs, GSP has very good takedown defence and would be able to keep the fight standing a lot better than anyone else Gracie has fought. On the feet, it's a no brainer - GSP dominates. While it's obvious that Gracie has some ability in stand up fighting, it's no where near the level of GSPs.

If the fight ended up on the ground, as it likely would. GSP might take Gracie down to GnP him like Hughes did, or Gracie could overcome GSPs defence and get him to the ground, I think GSPs strength and ground ability would make it harder for Gracie to submit him than anyone else he ever fought in the UFC.

I think GSP takes it by stoppage, Gracie obviously has a chance on the ground, but GSP has a very good ground game on his own.

[jakkups]

I knew GSP would be the favorite, but I figured people to give Royce a little bit more of a chance. The one dimensional argument is a little hollow to me seeing as how one dimensional wrestlers are doing very well in the UFC right now. Aside from wrestling if a one dimensional fighter is going to succeed in MMA BJJ would be the way to go. I dont imagine Royce would choose to stand with GSP so the fight more than likely ends up with Royce on his back which is a position neither fighter would be uncomfortable with. I'd pick GSP to win as well because he is better rounded, but I wouldnt count Royce out completely.

Those wrestlers aren't one dimensional fighters as much as they employ the same one dimensional gameplan and offence because it's what they feel most comfortable with. They have other skills but choose not to use them because they already have an advantage where their opponent's don't and can exploit that. It's a rather tedious thing to watch but it doesn't mean that they're one dimensional in their overall skillset.

That's how I would always look at all those guys from the early UFCs. Royce had the advantage of being a blackbelt at a martial art, which was pretty much unknown outside of Brazil and some places in the USA, that knowone else had trained for let alone heard of. So naturally he was going to win once he got the fight to the ground because guys either didn't know how to defend a takedown, or, in the case of the wrestlers, would always go for the takedown not knowing that Royce knew how to fight off of his back. And if you look at his record in those UFCs there isn't a single fighter who was well-rounded like the fighters today nor are they even close to being as conditioned an athlete as most of the fighters today. Royce even in his prime wouldn't be able to handle the pace of the fighters today no matter where the fight went relying on his one dimensional style. It's just not realistic.

I respect Royce, but he got out of the sport in 96 just when fighters were starting to learn the ins and outs of BJJ. So in reality he got out before some real competition could test out how effecient his BJJ really was, as well as how good a fighter he was when it was a level playing field.

[Mesogenous]

GSP would just woop his ass