As the UFC closes in on its 30th-anniversary event inside Madison Square Garden, the promotion’s first-ever champion, Royce Gracie, is sharing his pick for the greatest fighter in combat sports history.
Whether you’re relatively new to the sport of MMA or have been a die-hard fan since 1993, you likely know the name Royce Gracie. The submission grappling superstar introduced fight fans to ‘The Gentle Art’ of Brazilian jiu-jitsu by putting his skills on display and dispatching three larger opponents to win the inaugural UFC tournament. Gracie went on to win the UFC 2 and UFC 4 tournaments the following year.