VIDEO: MMA legend Royce Gracie teaches seminar in Prince Albert

He’s one of the best, if not the very best MMA fighter of all time. As one of 11 inductees in the UFC Hall of Fame, Gracie is the first-ever fighter to win a UFC title and holds several records including most UFC tournament wins (three) and most submission wins (11) among others. Gracie also helped popularize the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (or Gracie Jiu Jitsu) that his father Hélio and uncle Carlos created.

All of the students fell quiet and hung on to every word Gracie spoke. Some were silent to make sure they heard Gracie’s lesson, while others were still stunned that they were actually in the same room as one of the biggest MMA legends in history.

“It’s unimaginable that he’s real and that he’s here,” said fighter Jamie Lafonde, who took on a second job delivering pizzas to pay for the seminar. “This is just a profound experience for me. I can’t even fathom it all.

“It’s like… there’s… I’m at a loss for words right now, it’s that intense. It’s great, I’m so happy.”

How Gracie came to Prince Albert is actually pretty simple, he loves flying across the world and teaching people the art of Gracie Jiu Jitsu. So when Mitch McNicol, the manager at Prince Albert’s MMA shop Stellar Gear, contacted the Gracie camp, Gracie jumped on the opportunity.

“I travel about seven months of the year, so as long as I get invited, I don’t mind travelling,” said Gracie with a big smile. “They called my manager (Mike Kogan) and invited me to come over, and I said ‘sure.’ That easy.”

Prince Albert is happy to have him, if only for a brief moment.

Lucian Phillips is the head instructor of LDP Martial Arts Gym in Prince Albert, but he gladly took on the role of a student in Gracie’s seminar.

Phillips was used as Gracie’s primary demonstrating partner whenever Gracie taught the class a new technique.

Phillips said just to have somebody like Gracie come to the city and teach a few things means a lot to the MMA community.

“It’s a pretty big deal,” said Phillips. “He’s kind of the man synonymous with jiu jitsu, MMA and he’s a UFC hall of famer. It’s a big deal.”
Just shaking Gracie’s hand was a thrill for Lafonde, who was one of the few students courageous enough to do so before the lesson began.

“It was like lightning coursing through my whole body,” said Lafonde.

Gracie can have that effect on MMA fanatics like Lafonde because back in his fighting days, he accomplished the impossible on a regular basis. He won three fights in a single night to win UFC 1, and a record four fights in one night to win UFC 2—all against fighters bigger and stronger than himself.

In the twilight of his career in 2004, Gracie defeated an absolute monster in Japanese fighter Akebono, who was six feet, eight inches, 490 pounds. Despite being eight inches shorter and about 320 pounds lighter, Gracie needed just 2:13 to beat Akebono with a wrist lock in 2004.

“I’m an average size person, (five feet 10 inches), 170-180 (pounds) for the last 20 years fighting guys like Akebono six feet eight inches, 490 pounds,” said Gracie. “People like me because (they say) ‘I’m like him, the guy in the pajamas.’”

Before the seminar at Carlton, Gracie was introduced to Phillips’ gym, LDP Martial Arts for a press conference. He inspected every inch of the gym with a concerned look on his face, paying particular attention to all the photos in the main lobby and the skinny hallway on the way to the mat.

Gracie’s father Hélio created Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, also referred to as Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

“It’s just missing his picture on the wall, I noticed they didn’t have it,” said Gracie, chuckling. “It’s okay, I’ll send them one.”

“We’ll have that remedied,” bellowed Phillips from behind the media scrum.

If the impact Royce Gracie had on the Prince Albert mixed martial arts community Monday is any indication, his picture will be up on the wall, too.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea

by Jeff D'Andrea

VIDEO: MMA legend Royce Gracie teaches seminar in Prince Albert

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