With Rafael Quintanilha and Rafael WerneckADCC’s three time champion Royler Gracie did not participate at the 2005 World Submission Wrestling Championships edition due to the upcoming up to 70kg Hero’s Grand Prix, the first round of which is scheduled for July 7th in Japan. But it doesn’t mean that the Gracie Humaita black belt did not cheer for his friends who were competing at the Pyramid, in Long Beach during May’s last weekend. We caught up with Royler in Rio de Janeiro and asked about his impression about ADCC 2005. ‘Leozinho Vieira (who won the ADCC title for the second time, after defeating Rickson Gracie’s pupil Rani Yarhya) really is leading the way, and Rani did a pretty good job as well. He is a great athlete and has a lot to show in the future’ analyzed Royler, refering to the category that he’s won three times. Asked about Roger Gracie performance, Royler described his cousin as an exemplar competitor. ‘He is calm; he is smooth and he always keeps his temper. He is the man of the moment! For a while I was the man, but now it seems that Roger took my place! I wish him to keep it for several years and than another Gracie comes to replace him’ ends Royler. Royler Gracie will debut at Hero’s Grand Prix against Koji Yoshida. The Gracie’s last MMA appearance was in November of 2005, when he defeated Kazuyuki Miyata at Rumble on the Rock’s 6th edition.
