This is some extremely rare footage of a legendary Sparring Match that took place between the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu artists of all times, Rickson Gracie & Movie superstar martial artists, Chuck Norris.
Rickson Gracie born November 21, 1958) is a Brazilian 9th degree red belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.
In November 2014 he became an inductee of the Legends of MMA Hall of Fame, alongside Big John McCarthy, Pat Miletich, and Fedor Emelianenko. Rickson Gracie, son of Helio Gracie, received his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at age 18.
Rickson also famously fought luta livre exponent Hugo Duarte on the Rio de Janeiro beach. Duarte only wanted to fight in an event, but Gracie slapped him in front of his students and challenged him again, so Hugo stepped down and faced Rickson on the sand. Gracie won after making him surrender to punches to the face.
Shortly after, maintaining that Gracie students had kicked him and thrown sand to his eyes during the fight, Duarte came to Rickson’s gym and demanded a rematch. Gracie won again, causing a riot which forced neighbours to call the police. Shortly after, Royler Gracie challenged Eugenio Tadeu, another luta livre practitioner, and the two fought to a 50 minute draw. The rivalry between Brazilian jiu-jitsu and luta livre continued without Rickson, as he left Brazil for the United States after the fight.
In 1994, Rickson was contacted by Erik Paulson to compete in Satoru Sayama’s event Vale Tudo Japan. Gracie traveled to Japan and participated in the tournament, firstly facing Daido-juku stylist Yoshinori Nishi. Gracie took him down and Nishi answered with a lockdown from half guard, but the Brazilian was able to pass his guard and catch him with a rear naked choke when Nishi turned his back. He later faced much larger wing chun practitioner Dave Levicki, but he was an even easier prey once taken down, and Rickson won by TKO after a flurry of punches.
Gracie then fought American kickboxer Bud Smith at the finals, winning by the same method in even less time and getting the tournament’s victory. The same year, pro wrestler Yoji Anjo came to Rickson’s dojo to challenge him, after failed negotiations about Gracie wrestling for Union of Wrestling Force International. Gracie was the faster in the fight and performed abundant ground and pound on Anjo, who did not surrender, so Gracie choked him unconscious.
A year later, Gracie was invited again to the next Vale Tudo Japan. In the first round he faced pro wrestler Yoshihisa Yamamoto from Fighting Network Rings, who unlike Rickson’s previous opponents managed to keep him away from the mat by using the ropes and even tried a guillotine choke. However, Gracie eventually took him down and choked him.
He squared against another pro wrestler in the form of Koichiro Kimura, swiftly defeating him, then met shoot wrestler Yuki Nakai at the finals. Nakai, who was almost blind from an earlier match against Gerard Gordeau, put up strong resistance to Rickson, but the Brazilian master managed to take his back and choke him for another tournament win.