Kron Gracie is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and member of the legendary Gracie family. He returned to the octagon after more than three years of absence but his comeback did not go as planned.
In the UFC 288 main card opener, Charles Jourdain expertly thwarted Gracie, winning by unanimous decision in a dominant display.
Gracie, who showed little of note throughout the three rounds to impress viewers, received backlash from fans who took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
Some called him out for not improving during his time away from the octagon, with one user suggesting that he had been “doing acid in the woods for the past 4 years.”
Other fans took a dig at Gracie’s belief in the flat-earth theory, with one user jokingly suggesting that “if he keeps butt scooting at his opponents eventually they will fall off and he will win.”
Gracie’s questionable approach to the bout and his refusal to go for a takedown was also memed by fans, with one user creating a meme of his coaches receiving texts about aliens creating BJJ at 4am after missing striking class.
Despite the criticism, Charles Jourdain took a cautious approach and kept himself from getting carried away despite openings. In the octagon interview, Jourdain explained that he prioritized a result and a roster spot in the UFC over an exciting bout.
Jourdain also praised Gracie’s boxing skills and mentioned that his lack of adaptation was his undoing in their bout. With this win, Jourdain’s record now stands at five wins, five losses, and one draw in eleven fights in the UFC.
Dana White also criticized Gracie at the presser saying:
“You know, I like Kron a lot. And he’s a good kid. He came in very limited tonight. Very limited. You know, it’s like coming out of a time capsule in 1995. You know what I mean? It’s a tough way to try to win a fight these days. Yeah, 30th anniversary. You’d never think you’d kind of see that.”