In the build-up to his highly anticipated return to the Octagon at UFC 310, Kron Gracie has spoken candidly about his relationship with his father, the legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Rickson Gracie. Addressing Rickson’s public remarks about their dynamic, Kron offered a pointed response.
Rickson recently shared that he believed Kron needed space to carve out his own identity. “The last time we spoke, I felt that he needed space, he needed to be Kron Gracie, he didn’t want to be the son of Rickson Gracie anymore, and I accept that as growth in his life,” Rickson said, adding that he was rooting for Kron to succeed in the Octagon.
Rickson Gracie’s second book pointed a similar narrative mentioning Kron:
“I respected Kron enough to let him follow his own path in MMA. When
he decided to train with the Diaz brothers, I became more of an observer than
a coach. While I don’t think that there are any tougher fighters in MMA, I do
not share the Diaz brothers’ fighting sensibility because it is built around
toughness and a willingness to endure punishment in order to hand out
punishment. I always wanted to win quickly, decisively, and avoid getting
injured whenever possible”
When confronted with his father’s comments, Kron didn’t shy away from his feelings. “I think that’s a little bit of a lie,” he said plainly to MMAFighting. Despite his disagreement, Kron emphasized his respect for Rickson, saying, “I love my dad, and he’s a big foundation of my life and everything that I become.”
Kron revealed it had “been a minute” since their last conversation, describing the relationship as distant but underscored by mutual affection. “I love him, I miss him, and it is what it is,” he remarked. Kron also acknowledged his father’s ongoing battle with Parkinson’s disease, expressing a heartfelt wish for his well-being: “I wish him the best and I wish him in good health.”
This exchange illustrates the nuanced and evolving relationship between the two martial artists. Rickson’s health challenges and Kron’s focus on his MMA career add layers of complexity to their dynamic.
“Trying to Please Others”: Kron Reflects on UFC 288 Performance
Kron’s transparency extended to his reflections on his previous bout at UFC 288, where he suffered a loss to Charles Jourdain. He admitted that external pressures, particularly from his family and the jiu-jitsu community, influenced his approach, leading to a performance he deemed uncharacteristically poor.
“I feel like it was a really bad performance. I felt a lot of pressure from the jiu-jitsu community and a lot of people in my family, with everybody kind of saying, ‘You should just use jiu-jitsu, and I don’t need to box, and I don’t need to strike.’ It was the first time in my life where I kind of listened to people and tried to do something to please a bunch of people around me,” Kron said. According to him, he was under “strict orders to not punch,” a strategy that deviated from his instinctive, well-rounded style.
“… I was under strict orders to not punch, so that was a bad idea.”
“I came into that fight with just one tool… it was a stupid decision,” he conceded.
Reflecting on his success in Japan, where he combined striking and grappling effectively, Kron noted, “It’s MMA. Not that it only should be punching or only should be grappling.” He vowed to return to his roots against Bryce Mitchell, promising fans they’d see “definitely more” striking.
Controversial Card Placement and His Perspective
Kron also addressed criticism surrounding the UFC’s decision to position his fight with Bryce Mitchell on the UFC 310 main card, ahead of a matchup between Aljamain Sterling and Movsar Evloev.
“I think it’s funny because people always have something to say,” Kron remarked. He dismissed the critics as “probably the people who are not even paying for the pay-per-view… they’re streaming it for free.” He expressed confidence in the UFC’s decision-making: “Obviously, the UFC knows what they’re doing… I’m sure this is a business deal, and it is what it is.”
Bryce Mitchell
As he steps into the Octagon after a 19-month layoff, Kron views the bout against Bryce Mitchell as an opportunity to showcase his evolved skill set. “Bryce is a big name,” Kron said, highlighting their shared grappling prowess. “I’ve always had Bryce on my mind because I always thought he was a potential opponent.”
