NO HOLDS BARRED

On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman once again spoke with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA legend Renzo Gracie.

Although he is now 51 years old, Renzo Gracie is still fighting. His next competition will be an MMA fight against another veteran, Yuki Kondo of Japan. This will take place on the ONE: REIGN OF KINGS card put on by ONE Championship, on Friday, July 27, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Metro Manila, Philippines.

ONE: REIGN OF KINGS will be shown on many TV networks around the world, so check your local listings. It will also be shown for free on the ONE Super App.

We spoke with Renzo Gracie by phone this past Thursday.

Asked why he would still compete in a professional MMA fight at 51, he even questioned if this will be his final fight.

"I don't even know if it's the last fight. I'm going in there to have fun. I'm doing it because I love it. You know how much I love it.

"I was busy the past eight, nine years like crazy, blowing up my schools, working my business, which I became very successful. It was worth it every step," he said.

"But I have to do what I love. And I was waiting, and I kept training. I didn't stop. I'm feeling great. I can't wait to be back in the cage and test myself.

"And not only that, I'm waiting to acquire the knowledge of stepping in the ring at 51. I know it's going to be something different and very unique."

We also discussed: how this fight was made; how he matches up with Yuki Kondo; how different types of grappling such as catch wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu merged in MMA; how ONE Championship has grown and is featuring fights from several martial arts on their shows; how he has had to change his approach to this fight at age 51; what techniques to expect in this fight; plans to compete in a grappling superfight at ADCC 2019; why grappling is still necessary and mandatory for MMA and fighters cannot be one-dimensional; the success of the Muay Thai team at his academy; the opening of a new academy on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the fall; and much more.

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No Holds Barred is sponsored by:

The Catch Wrestling Alliance, resurrecting and promoting the sport of authentic catch-as-catch-can wrestling. The Catch Wrestling Alliance provides tournaments, seminars, and training as well as education about catch wrestling. Join the movement and keep real wrestling alive. For more information, go to CatchWrestlingAlliance.com.

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Labels: ADCC, BJJ, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Eddie Goldman, grappling, MMA, No Holds Barred, ONE Championship, Reign of Kings, Renzo Gracie, Yuki Kondo