Schuckman: Gracie shows being kind and respectful is just as important as fierce and ferocious

By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor | July 27, 2024
Royce Gracie, center, shares a laugh with the students at the Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy of Missouri during a clinic Saturday in Palmyra, Mo. | Matt Schuckman photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — The chatter and commotion steadily increased as a group of jiu-jitsu students and their parents gathered Saturday morning, just a few feet from the mats where a self-defense class was being taught and Royce Gracie happened to be sizing it up. The kids waiting to take the mat themselves were sizing him…

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Photo gallery: UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie conducts clinic at jiu-jitsu academy

By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor | July 27, 2024
UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie, center, offers instruction to two students during a clinic Saturday morning at the Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy of Missouri in Palmyra, Mo. | Matt Schuckman photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — Royce Gracie, a member of the United Fighting Championship’s inaugural class of Hall of Famers, spent Saturday conducting a two-part clinic for jiu-jitsu students at the Royce Gracie Jiu-jitsu Academy of Missouri. Gracie spent an hour showcasing tips and techniques for a group of 18 kids, then spent two hours with a…

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Schuckman: Gracie’s stamp of approval gives Kerkhoff leg up in starting jiu-jitsu school

By Matt Schuckman, Sports Editor | October 1, 2023
Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman, right, sits with UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie near the downtown square in Palmyra, Mo., to discuss jiu-jitsu and Gracie's world renowned career. | Matt Schuckman photo

PALMYRA, Mo. — Royce Gracie’s engaging personality and genuine love for his students, his family and his craft made for an entertaining 15 minutes sitting on the tailgate of my pickup discussing his mixed martial arts career. If only technology had been as accommodating. Gracie, world renowned for his jiu-jitsu career and a Ultimate Fighting…

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