1. Royce Gracie vs. Sakuraba 2
After winning the UFC’s first ever Ultimate Japan tournament in December of 1997, Sakuraba became a huge star in his home country, and the pride of Japanese MMA. He would later begin competing for Pride, and would earn the nickname “the Gracie Killer” for defeating 4 different members of the Gracie family.
The second member of the Gracie family that Sakuraba defeated was Royce, the man who dominated the early days of the UFC. Royce’s corner was forced to throw in the towel and admit defeat to Sakuraba in the Pride Grand Prix 2000. After that win Sakuraba would then defeat Renzo and Ryan Gracie later that year.
In 2007, after Royce had returned to the UFC with a loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 60, Royce was scheduled to face Sakuraba in a rematch for a Dynamite!! USA show. Gracie won a decision that night, and had seemingly scored a big victory for his family. Unfortunately for the Gracie’s, Royce flunked the post-fight drug test for anabolic steroids. While the results of this fight have never been officially overturned, it is a huge asterisks on one of the more important fights in MMA history.
