Why did Royce Gracie Take This Fight???

**Taurus** · 05-31-2006, 10:34 AM

Of course, i'm referring to the fight betwen Royce Gracie and Matt Hughes. I've been pondering this question for a while, thinking that somehwere along the line i would find the answer...but nothin. Simply put, i dont get it.

Did Royce do it for the money? For his legacy? Or simply because he's a fighter at heart and is always looking to chanllenge himself?

I know almost everyone here was rooting for Royce, but we all new deep down inside that he would get beat one way or another. Royce fought one of the pound for pound best fighters currently fighting in the UFC...and not only that... Matt Hughes is in his prime. I just dont know what Royce was thinking, he had a perfect unbeaten record.

Can anyone answer this?

**Duck of Death** · 05-31-2006, 10:41 AM

.....all I know is he has some of the biggest stones I have ever seen....for him not to tap out as his arm was being broken in half by Hughes took some guts to be sure!

**Lavinco** · 05-31-2006, 10:43 AM

did they fight already?

Damnit! I must have missed it!

Does anyone have the video?

**zimmy** · 05-31-2006, 11:05 AM

i dunno...maybe the money? I swear it looked so bad though

...makes me depressed thinking about it

**Hunter** · 05-31-2006, 11:19 AM

he took it cause he got paid 1.3 million for it he couldn't submit Tokoro who is a B level flyweight. Royce did so much for this sport in America but he is just out classed by todays athletic crossed trained mma fighter.

**rar1015** · 05-31-2006, 11:46 AM

Royce is a good fighter but i dont think he's as good as everyone thinks. Ive seend some of his fights but he isnt the greatest if ya ask me.

**J.S.N.** · 05-31-2006, 11:59 AM

yup he got payed supposedly over a million dollars for 4 minutes worth of work.

**kihop** · 05-31-2006, 12:04 PM

I think even Royce had doubts in himself. Even Renzo said he didn't know who would win the match in an interview 2 weeks ago. The people who truely thought that Royce would win were people who are not educated in mma (Paris Hilton, Wayans brothers and the guy from The Fast and the Furious.)

He did it to get paid.

**rar1015** · 05-31-2006, 12:15 PM

Must be nice to work for five minutes and get that much money.

**Lavinco** · 05-31-2006, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by rar1015

Must be nice to work for five minutes and get that much money.

c'mon man!

Give him some credit.

that's like saying that Ronnie Coleman only works five minutes a year on stage then is crowned Mr. Olympia.

Don't you think he worked hard to get to where he is?

**zimmy** · 05-31-2006, 01:36 PM

fact of the matter is... Royce has a very laid back attitude. But you can't be like that now. I was hoping he'd come out aggressive but he didn't. The gracie family has some good aggresive fighters...just so happens not to be his style. I got a feeling he didn't think he was going to win in the beginning when he said "even if he taps me, my family made jiu jitsu so i still win"

never heard a winner doubt himself pre-fight.

**FRANK WHITE** · 05-31-2006, 01:51 PM

Probably for the money! He was great in his day.

***Alex*** · 05-31-2006, 02:35 PM

Matt Huges is the greatest!

**J.S.N.** · 05-31-2006, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Lavinco

c'mon man!

Give him some credit.

that's like saying that Ronnie Coleman only works five minutes a year on stage then is crowned Mr. Olympia.

Don't you think he worked hard to get to where he is?

royce makes a really good leaving teaching, doing seminars, endorsements shit like that day in day out. but this is something that he got hella paid for just making a couple appearences, talking a few minutes worth of smack (and some bruises lol). otherwise i doubt he changed muhc in his training.

**rar1015** · 05-31-2006, 03:01 PM

Didnt royce say that he wants a rematch with hughes?

Box This* · 05-31-2006, 03:37 PM

royce gracie took it because he loves the sport

**KAEW44** · 05-31-2006, 04:48 PM

1-UFC thought that this match would be the draw of a lifetime and even exceed Tito vs Shamrock hence making record money.....Turned out to be wrong cause it was all time low attendance.

2-Royce accepted because UFC and K1 became good business partners hence Royce coming to UFC would be extra money without violating his contract with K1.

3-If Royce won he would go down in history as the guy who's style still worked years ahead in the evolution of the sport.

4-He had a equal chance of pulling a flash sub like BJ Penn did.

5-Royce was used to fighting much bigger guys so he thought no way Matt Hughes would be too powerful, but he didnt think of the fact that Hughes is not only freakishly strong but also skilled, something the other guys royce faugth werent.

6-$1.3 Million!!! For one days work! Even if he loses he will still keep his hardcore fans cause many BJJ guys are hypnotized into thinking that Gracie Jui Jitsu is the real religeon in this planet.

**Taurus** · 05-31-2006, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by KAEW44

1-UFC thought that this match would be the draw of a lifetime and even exceed Tito vs Shamrock hence making record money.....Turned out to be wrong cause it was all time low attendance.

2-Royce accepted because UFC and K1 became good business partners hence Royce coming to UFC would be extra money without violating his contract with K1.

3-If Royce won he would go down in history as the guy who's style still worked years ahead in the evolution of the sport.

4-He had a equal chance of pulling a flash sub like BJ Penn did.

5-Royce was used to fighting much bigger guys so he thought no way Matt Hughes would be too powerful, but he didnt think of the fact that Hughes is not only freakishly strong but also skilled, something the other guys royce faugth werent.

6-$1.3 Million!!! For one days work! Even if he loses he will still keep his hardcore fans cause many BJJ guys are hypnotized into thinking that Gracie Jui Jitsu is the real religeon in this planet.

I think point number 6 hits the nail right on the head. There is no way in hell Royce thought he could win this fight. He may have thought he could sneak a submission in there because of his experience, but even Royce must have known that his chances of that were pretty slim. $1.3 million is alot of money. But the main point is i'm sure he knew his legacy was secure regardless, his fans would remain loyal... and everyone knew he was the underdog, so even if he lost it wouldnt have dented his rep too much. Royce's, (and the Gracie family as a whole for that matter) place in history is set. So, for Royce, this was a no loss situation really.

Even though it was quite depressing seeing him lose in the way that he did... but i'm sure everyone attributes that to his age, the age and skill of his opponent... and a ton of other factors. Nobody can say that Hughes is the better fighter overall...because to determine that, they would both have to fight at their primes. So i guess Royce also won...but in a totally different way!

**USfighterFC** · 05-31-2006, 07:53 PM

Because he bit off more than he can chew. His entire career is basically just that. Everyone always thinks Royce was at a disadvantage because he is not a striker, remotely muscular, and appears so fragile. He most likely wanted to do it again against people said was pound for pound the best fighter. Relive those glory days