Despite the natural differences of opinion in our sport, all without exception agree that it was through the UFC and Royce Gracie that Jiu-Jitsu conquered its place in the world.
Despite the numerous schools of Jiu-Jitsu, different teachers, all agree that it was the ADCC that revitalized the submission grappling style of hand-to-hand combat.
Despite all the hopes of all practitioners that Jiu-Jitsu may one day become the Brazilian national sport, everyone agrees that Brazil’s greatest representative in MMA these days is the striker Anderson Silva.
With all these unanimous assumptions, where could it be that all this converges, represented in a single image?
GRACIEMAG witnessed the evening of the last 28th, at the headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Combat Club, in the United Arab Emirates, how the history of MMA can pass by our eyes in a split second.
In a brief effort to promote UFC 112, during an Emirates Team training session, Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort, Renzo Gracie, BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar put in an appearance.
Shortly thereafter came Royce Gracie, who was in Dubai to hold a seminar.
For a few instants the past, present and promising future of MMA were gathered together in one venue.
Here in Abu Dhabi, it is said that there are things only the Emirates can d. But uniting different points in time was a first.
Anderson and Royce embrace for the lenses of Mohamad Jehad.