Helio Gracie refined Brazilan Jiu-Jitsu, and his son Rorion brought it to the world, via co-founding the UFC. Grandsons Ryron and Rener run the Gracie Academy, teaching a number of top fighters, and reach further via their Gracie Breakdowns and controversial online distance learning Gracie University.
Grandson Ralek Gracie is a self styled G in a Gi. He has received intense criticism over the past several months around the Metamoris professional grappling promotion. Metamoris put on a great show. As the saying goes, it is easy to make a small fortune in the combat sports business, if you start with a large one.
Metamoris owes significant money to a past event competitors and staff. Further, there have been reports of unauthorized credit card renewals. The event also came under fire for trying to sign competitors to exclusive contracts, and aggressive scheduling on the same weekend and the Eddie Bravo Invitational.
Never the less, Metamoris has another event scheduled for July 17.
Ralek appeared recently on the Inside BJJ Podcast, and offered an explanation for what happened. Ralek said Metamoris 1 and 2 cost $1,000,000 and the main investor pulled out thereafter.
Metamoris 3 headlined by Eddie Bravo vs. Royler Gracie reportedly broke even, but the debt accumulated thereafter. Ralek stated repeatedly that he lacked business experience, and made mistakes.
Metamoris reportedly owes $200,000.
Ralek was asked if his family could help him out to cover the debts.
“I’m not associated with the Gracie Academy,” said Ralek, as transcribed by BJJEE.com. “I’m on my own.”
And Ralek was asked if he was going to pay everyone back.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I’m going to start fighting in MMA to pay these guys back. That’s how I’m serious I am about this. My dad, his level of integrity, people don’t even know about. My dad told me that I needed to call everybody that I owe. Where am I going to run? There is only forward.”
Ralek, 30, holds a 3-0 record in MMA, most recently a win over a diminished KazushiSakuraba in 2010. Gracie did not say if he had called everyone he owes money to.
