Clash of Titans: Next week in Rio de Janeiro will be a super fight as big as any in the history of jiu jitsu – the two greatest heavy weights of all time will meet for a rematch. Roger Gracie will once again take on Marcus Almeida at Gracie Pro, run by the great Kyra Gracie, who has done an incredible job getting the best people together in competition in the birthplace of the sport. Last time these two titans met it was in a twenty minute submission only context – officially it was a draw, since neither could submit the other within the allotted time, but it was clear that Mr Almeida got closest with a beautifully executed juji gatame armlock that Mr Gracie, a veritable master of defense, had to use all his skills to extract himself from. However, Mr Gracie was recovering from a severe staph infection at the time, which clearly sapped his strength i the closing stages of the match – this time, both athletes appear to be one hundred percent healthy. It will be played as a standard IBJJF ten minute match – an excellent format for the match – both athletes excel in both submissions and positional attacks, so they will get a positive result that won't leave any doubts at the conclusion. Mr Gracie will be cornered by my sensei, Renzo Gracie, who has a been a mentor for Roger throughout his professional career and who has assisted him to most of his greatest wins. Both men can legitimately claim to be the best of all time – to see a match were they get a chance to solidify that claim is a great day for not only the athletes, but the sport itself. Of course, I am biased in favor of Roger Gracie, he often comes to NYC to train with his cousins and sensei Renzo. I consider him the pinnacle of classical jiu jitsu- positional control through to submission and in addition, one of the great role models of the sport. However, there is no denying the achievements and skills of Mr Almeida, who has built up an incredible array of wins that absolutely rival the record of Mr Gracie, and all done at a young age. In addition, he will bring a weight, strength and overall athletic advantage to the match that will test Mr Gracie's world renown skills to the limit! What a match!!
