The man who made a name for himself winning the first couple UFC Championships now helps local law enforcement officers learn difficult moves that can help them on the job.
Royce Gracie is an expert in jiujitsu. He stunned the world by using jiujitsu to beat opponents much bigger than him in the UFC cage fights in the 90s.
He helps popularize the physical martial art of jiujitsu.
Recently he came to Midwest Martial Arts Academy in Overland Park to teach several seminars to law enforcement, jiujitsu enthusiasts and even children.
"He is a legend, the guy that started it all," said Tyson Kilbey, one of the many law enforcement officers that trains with Gracie. "He's pretty much the guy considered one of the most influential figures in modern MMA history."
"When you say his name, it's like whoa," said Dave Johnson, the studio owner. "So there is a lot of people that come to the seminars just because he is here."
Jiujitsu is a very physical form of martial art, using a lot of grappling techniques and submission holds.
"You don't have to be big, you don't have to be strong, and you don't have to be fast," said Gracie, who took time to talk with 41 Action News during one of his seminars. "We don't rely on punching and striking and beating up the person. It's all about control and submission, subdue your opponent without having to hurt them."
The law enforcement officers said the moves they learn from Gracie help them if they are attacked by a violent person.
"A lot of people are very uncomfortable with close-in fighting," said Kilbey. "But we learn to be confident in those situations and know that we can handle and win those scenarios."
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Richard Sharp can be reached at richard.sharp@kshb.com.
