Renzo Gracie - Nice Guy or Total Fraud?

[Tribute]

I've always been entertained listening to Renzo's interviews, in particular those with Ariel. Up to know I've always found his enthusiasm and apparent lust for life quite infectious.

However while listening to his interview on Ariel's show this week it occurred to me that he's the one that's constantly telling us what a wonderful guy he is. From all his charity work, giving $20 to a homeless man, giving up his time for people, beings a hero to his local community, giving you the shirt off his back if you say you like it etc etc.

In my experience people that do good things tend to do them to help others and don't publicise and pat themselves on the back for it (unless they are wanting to publicise a particular cause). It's lovely when others praise you for doing these types of things, but it seems rather hollow to me when you're the one praising yourself.

As I continued listening it struck me that this is the basis of most of the interviews of his that I've heard, 'I gave away this, I helped this person, I'm a nice guy', and it reeks of crap to me.

And I've not even mentioned his close friendship with Ali Abdelaziz.

 

[Goodfella86]

I think Renzo is a very nice guy who is capable of being a dirty son of a bitch when he feels he's been disrespected.

 

[Mmaprovost]

I've met him and thought he was legit nice

 

[ClosetVitorFan]

He's mostly a nice guy I imagine unless you somehow cross him

 

[Bobby Boulders]

It's a pretty well known fact that the majority of his peers have admiration for him. He's been one of the most beloved personalities within the sport for decades now.

Does he fly off the handle sometimes? Of course. He's a passionate individual, and most passionate people do and say things in the heat of the moment that they may regret later. But those moments do not define him.

He simply acknowledges the good things he does bc that is what humans do. I've heard him acknowledge shitty things he's done too. IMO, he's seemingly a good individual.

 

[LongDongSilver]

it's all about Renzo ... Don't ever forget that

 

[chitoortiz]

He's done some very douchy things in his time.

Spitting on opponents, cheap shots, kicking people in the face when they're not expecting it.

 

[Goon Dog]

You can find tons of info on incidents where Renzo was ...less than respectful. And that' s putting it mildly. I've never met him but a friend trained under him through purple belt before moving to Cali. He loves RG but admits he's seen him be a total douche bag to people before.

 

[Verace]

He is bipolar.

He is both a nice guy and a motherfucker at the same time. Quite a thing

 

[Sir Punchalot]

Never met him myself, but I've known quite a few of the people around him and can't say I ever heard a lot of bad things said about him. Always got the impression that he's a good guy to be around, but when it comes to this kind of stuff with Brazilians, "context" is usually the key word...

 

[ImNotSurpisedDonks!]

I've met him and thought he was legit nice

A lot of the crappiest people are nice in person at first tho.

As for Renzo, I don't know him so won't pass judgement, but the Gracie's are probably the dirtiest and scummiest family in martial arts. They are, to my knowledge, the first people that took the whole respect and self defense aspect out of martial arts and used it to become bullies who ran in gangs and did some terrible stuff. I know the culture in Brazil is rough, but they took an almost sacred self defense mechanism and used it as a weapon. It is good to see how far the UFC has come from the early days tho, with respectful guys like GSP that will pick you up after you are strangled, opposed to spit on you like Renzo. It's also telling that these tough guy or bitches like Ronda and Royce only made it so far, and largely, this sport is represented by humble martial artists at the top, like Fedor, GSP, DC and Stipe.

 

[ImNotSurpisedDonks!]

He is bipolar.

He is both a nice guy and a motherfucker at the same time. Quite a thing

There's a lot of those in MMA too - i.e. Bisping.

 

[quantiqus]

The Gracies are obsessed with themselves.
It's nothing unusual.

 

[leatherf4ce]

After getting his shit broken by Saku and not tapping, smiling and congratulating Saku before the doctors help him, dude's a boss.

 

[Ken Fresno]

I've always been entertained listening to Renzo's interviews, in particular those with Ariel. Up to know I've always found his enthusiasm and apparent lust for life quite infectious.

However while listening to his interview on Ariel's show this week it occurred to me that he's the one that's constantly telling us what a wonderful guy he is. From all his charity work, giving $20 to a homeless man, giving up his time for people, beings a hero to his local community, giving you the shirt off his back if you say you like it etc etc.

In my experience people that do good things tend to do them to help others and don't publicise and pat themselves on the back for it (unless they are wanting to publicise a particular cause). It's lovely when others praise you for doing these types of things, but it seems rather hollow to me when you're the one praising yourself.

As I continued listening it struck me that this is the basis of most of the interviews of his that I've heard, 'I gave away this, I helped this person, I'm a nice guy', and it reeks of crap to me.

And I've not even mentioned his close friendship with Ali Abdelaziz.

Typical Gracie fake humility imo. From where I sit, they're all assholes of varying degrees. I wouldn't even mind the cheap shots, excuses, marketing gimmicks, and all their other bullshit if it wasn't packaged with all the horse shit about discipline, honor, and the children.

 

[ralphus1]

Not commenting on RG specifically, but it's my observation that every Gracie seems obsessed with exploiting the family name.

I won't even get into how badly they disrespect a guy like Eddie Bravo, whose only crime is evolving BJJ by inventing techniques not thought of by the Gracies first.

 

[listrahtes]

Every Gracie has a huge chip on his shoulder (Maybe Roger is the exemption, seems so). Renzo is no different. For a time he walked through NY to just look for any kind of trouble and beat down harmless civilians. He behaved like criminal scum and that was well after his career ended. No chance that he just "changed" to being the good guy. Maybe if he benefits financially (with his students) or socially.

In the context of Gracie family he is a nice guy but well they have / had their fare share of lunatics.

 

[MescalineDreams]

I think Renzo is a very nice guy who is capable of being a dirty son of a bitch when he feels he's been disrespected.

this seems to line up with what little I know of him as well

 

[Munnings242]

He is bipolar.

He is both a nice guy and a motherfucker at the same time. Quite a thing

Or it can just be a masquerade and that's truly who he is that's the real question also bipolar people tend to not hide the ugly side of them it just shows subconsciously

 

[Kinniku]

He is nice guy only when he is in front of a camera.