After nearly four years in the octagon, Crohn Gracie disappointed his fans with the worst performance of his career at UFC 288.
Gracie was unable to get opponent Charles Jordan to the plate and on his feet, and his production was almost non-existent in a unanimous decision defeat. This offer drew criticism from UFC president Dana White in the aftermath.
“He came off really limited tonight, fighting like he left a time capsule from 1995,” White said in the post-fight press conference at UFC 288.
A week after the fight, Kron issued a statement blaming “bad advice” and a desire to appease the jiu-jitsu community for the defeat.
“In a life of fighting,” Rickson’s son Gracie wrote, “it was always a fight to the death.” “I understand the situation and would like to limit myself, even if it is said that I didn’t throw any punches because of bad advice and I tried to please the jiu-jitsu community two days before I fought. First fight in my life I didn’t throw a punch, back to my old ways.”
The statement was viewed by the jiu-jitsu community as an indictment of Demian Maia, who had arrived two days prior to the event to trap Gracie. Maya, who is currently working as a commentator for the UFC in Brazil and runs his own academy in Sao Paulo, recently discussed this topic in an interview with Face . According to Maya, he was in the corner at Rickson Gracie’s behest.
“A friend of mine, Dentino, who is also a Rexon student, called me two months before the fight asking me to help Krohn. I told him that if Krohn wanted to come to Brazil, I would do everything I could to help him,” Maia said.
However, Maya did what he could to help by studying Jordan’s fights and sending Kron tips. One week before the match, Dentinho called him again, telling him to be in Kron’s corner.
‘ I asked Rickson, thanking me for all my help, but he’d appreciate it if I could go [to UFC 288]Maya said. “As everyone in the jiu-jitsu community knows, Rickson is my idol and I can’t refuse this request. Dentinho then sent me the ticket. And I got there on Thursday, two days before the fight. Of course, since I didn’t follow Crohn’s camp, there was no So much to do. It was more like positive moral support.”
As for Kron’s statement, Maya took the diplomatic route.
He said “I prefer not to comment. Like I said, I went two days ago [UFC 288] For moral support at the request of my idol. I have so much gratitude for the Gracie family for all they have done for our sport, and I prefer not to comment.”