Legendary fighter Renzo Gracie appeared on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour in March, and talked tapping out. The discussion was prompted by the differing experiences in recent title fights. When Holly Holm lost her belt to Miesha Tate’s rear naked choke, she went out. When UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor lost to Nate Diaz, he tapped to the choke.
In one of the most indelible moments in MMA history, when Gracie got caught in a keylock by Kazushi Sakuraba at PRIDE FC 10 in 2000, he didn’t tap. Then the arm broke. And he still didn’t tap. That, Gracie explains, was a compliment to Saku.
“Definitely, it’s a compliment to your opponent if you don’t tap,” said Gracie, as transcribed by Danny Segura for MMA Fighting. “This shows he fought a much greater fighter. We always thought that way, you know.”
“The first time I was actually caught was by Sakuraba in the arm lock and I was extremely glad when I left because I made sure that my mind was stronger than my ligaments and my body. That was a victory of my mind over my body and I was sure I was a samurai that day. My whole life I wondered if I would or not, so what Sakuraba gave me was something I will cherish by the rest of my life.”
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“McGregor could have not tapped, definitely. But it’s up to him. He’s definitely a great fighter and I love the way he fights.”
“He fought very well. Nate is just a bigger frame and was able to put up with the punishment and when he had a chance to finish the fight, he did it extremely well. Like even when he took McGregor’s back and he was sinking in the choke, you see McGregor defending, he did a perfect punch on the side of the head to release his jaw, the hand was right in, and the choke was on. It was a brilliant fight for Nate and I’m glad that it happened to Nate. It couldn’t have happened to a better guy. Him and his brother are unbelievable human beings.”
Renzo said he wouldn’t direct a fighter to not tap, describing it as a personal choice. And an unwritten rule.
“You choose how you want people to be remember you,” said Renzo.
