Beyond the Octagon: Roger Gracie takes light-heavyweight title, UFC vets go 3-3

In 1995, Rickson Gracie faced Shinya Aoki mentor Yuki Nakai in the finals of the World Vale Tudo Japan tournament. After six and a half minutes, Gracie forced a half-blind Nakai to submit to a rear-naked choke. In the over twenty years since, no Gracie has captured as prominent an MMA title. That changed at ONE Championship’s latest event.

In the night’s co-main event, Roger Gracie returned from a year and a half away from MMA competition to face the undefeated Michal Pasternak for the title of inaugural light-heavyweight champion. Gracie ( 8-2, 0-1 UFC, 4-1 Strikeforce, 1-0 Sengoku) showed his typical composure as he held the center of the cage, biding his time as Pasternak (7-1-0) looked to land from outside. Gracie soon found his opportunity for a takedown as Pasternak, pressing forward in search of Gracie’s chin, ultimately landed in the clinch. A trip was soon in the offing. Gracie immediately passed to mount and, some two minutes after the opening bell, locked up the fight-ending arm-triangle choke.

Gracie is 2-0 since a lone appearance in the UFC, during which he dropped a decision to Tim Kennedy.

Watch Gracie vs. Pasternak here. Action starts at 1:00.

Also on the card, Jadamba Narantungalag (11-4, 2-0 Sengoku) returned to competition for the first time since losing his featherweight title, taking on fellow, former champion Kotetsu Boku (24-11-2, 0-1 Dream, 2-0 K-1 Hero’s).

It was a narrow first round, with plenty of knees traded in the clinch. Then, in the last 90 seconds of the round, the burlier Narantungalag took hold of a body lock and rag-dolled Boku to the mat. “No Face” did manage to work his way back to the feet but ate a few knees and hammer-fists in the process.

…

continue reading in source www.bloodyelbow.com