MMA Pioneer Royce Gracie Awarded Spot On SI ’50 Greatest Athletes of All Time’ List

Of all the famed Gracie family of fighters, one man stands above the rest as the one who truly put the revered name on the map. That name is Royce Gracie, the fighter who rose to the forefront of the very first Ultimate Fighting Championship tournaments by dominating much bigger opponents with then unknown Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Gracie took home the championship at UFC 1, 2, and 4. His wins over fellow Octagon legends Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn were two of the biggest bouts the young sport had ever seen. Gracie retired from MMA in 2006 with a stellar record of 14-2.

And today, he’s been fully recognized for his contributions to MMA’s rise to popularity. Gracie has been named to Sports Illustrated’s “50 Greatest Athletes of All Time” list, coming in at #44. The Octagon pioneer tweeted out his gratitude for the accomplishment:

Honored to make sports illustrated top 50 athletes of all time list @Reebok pic.twitter.com/nIlHF3Y3q4

— Royce Gracie (@realroyce) January 10, 2014

It’s a very deserving one, as Gracie no doubt paved the way for both MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s popularity. He proved that technical skill could beat sheer size and strength any day. While the UFC was initially a brutal showcase for his family’s martial arts dominance, it has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon thanks in large to the efforts of Royce Gracie.

Because MMA is just over twenty years old, this may be just the single biggest award given to a fighter by mainstream sports media. Our thanks go out to Gracie for laying the groundwork for the world’s greatest sport!