Gregor Gracie at IFC in Recife, Brazil / Photo: Junior Samurai/GRACIEMAG.com
Gregor Gracie was riding a four-fight winning streak in MMA. But that roll came to an end last Saturday, June 23, when the Jiu-Jitsu fighter trained by his cousin Renzo was overcome by hometown boy Adam Kayoom via unanimous decision at the fourth installment of One FC, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. GRACIEMAG.com had a quick chat with the black belt, who explained the setback.
HOW DID YOUR BATTLE AT ONE FC GO?
It was a war but I’m not happy with my performance. I trained a lot but know I messed up on some things. I was really bummed out by the result, but it just motivates me to train even more and be even better in my next fight. I feel I basically lacked experience, but that comes with the territory; it’s best that it happened now. I’m still learning a lot in this sport, and I still have a lot of fights ahead of me.
WAS THERE SOME CRUCIAL MOMENT IN THE FIGHT THAT DETERMINED THE OUTCOME?
The way I see it, the turnaround came in the first round. I was on his back hitting him, and the ref stopped the fight three times. I feel I could have finished him there so I didn’t save any energy; I used it all up trying to end the fight. Seeing as I didn’t and the fight didn’t end, I wasn’t the same after that; I wore out and couldn’t recover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPlQ6BBgBRs
HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH THE PROMOTERS ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS? WILL YOU BE GETTING ANOTHER FIGHT?
The production was awesome. One FC is growing by leaps and bounds and just keeps getting better and better. The day after the fight, I sat down with the promoters to talk. I asked them to fight in the next event, which will be in August in Manila, in the Philippines. I don’t have an opponent yet, but I’m already back at training and hope to have a good fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5CiTWOyV_M
One FC 4
Kuala Lumpur, Malásia
23 de junho de 2012
Renato Babalu Sobral submitted Tatsuya Mizuno via armbar in R1
Zorobabel Moreira defeated Roger Huerta via KO in R2
Leandro Brodinho defeated Masakazu Imanari via unanimous decision
Adam Shahir Kayoom defeated Gregor Gracie via unanimous decision
Eric Kelly defeated Bae Young Kwon via unanimous decision
Arnaud Lepont submitted Brian Choi via rear-naked choke in R3
Mitch Chilson submitted A.J. Vaa via rear-naked choke in R1
Marcos Escobar submitted Rodrigo Praxedes via arm-triangle in R3
Peter Davis defeated Kim Hock Quek via KO in R1