Royce Gracie Has a Karate Background Supposedly

[XtremeTrainer]

Royce Gracie is best known for his background in Jiu Jitsu but I heard he also has a Karate background. Supposedly he has a black belt in some style of Karate and he also trains in Muai Thai. Anybody know anything about this?

[Wado Heretic]

Royce has stated in some interviews that he has "dabbled" in Boxing and Kick-Boxing, but this is the first time I have heard of a claim he has committed enough time into another art to earn a black-belt; never-mind one in Karate.

I would be surprised because Royce is one the last Jiu Jitsu purists, in that he continues to argue that Jiu Jitsu is enough of a weapon to be successful in Vale Tudo. He does balance this by at least acknowledging some knowledge of your foes weapons is useful, hence his dabbling, but he seems largely convinced in the "completeness" of his family's discipline.

Edit: Unless it is honorary. After all, Bas Rutten holds an honorary Godan in Kyokushin from Jon Bluming. Though, Rutten did earn a Nidan rank the old fashioned way too. I would not be surprised if Royce was given an honorary rank from some one.

[tallgeese]

Yeah. First I’ve heard of it.

[OneKickWonder]

By all means correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it the Gracies, or at least their disciples, that invented the ultimate defence against the multiple attacker question.

'No style prepares you for multiple attackers so we'll pretend nobody will kick us in the head while we're busy wrestling their friend on the ground'. Or words to that effect.

As to the original question though, is this just some club or organisation doing a bit of name dropping to boost their popularity?

[JR 137]

I thought I read in Black Belt Magazine back in the day, that Royce Gracie had a black belt in I believe Shotokan. It wasn’t written by a Gracie nor a big name BJJer that I remember, so obviously there’s some credibility issues.

Wherever I read it, it was stated that he studied the style to be able to better pick it apart rather than gain proficiency and/or techniques from it.

For some reason or another, I remember sitting in the library of the community college I attended and reading it in a magazine. It was written as “he did this to...” instead of “I did this to...” The library had a subscription to Black Belt Magazine, and it was around ‘95.

Take that as you will. I feel like I just said a lot without saying anything at all

[sensei8]

There's this...

Read the very first question in this interview...

http://fightingmaster.com/legends/royce/interview.htm

[bushido_man96]

I had never heard that he did, but judging by the link, it sounds like it could be true. I knew that he trained in some kickboxing in order to prepare somewhat for the standup aspect of his fights.