Interesting read 
I knew most of the BJJ-MMA related stuff. I didn't know anything about the spiritualism BS or fleecing of Oscar Santa Maria. Sounds to me like the Helio side has the right of it. Helio was the martial artist and Carlos was the snake oil salesman.
Great article! Thanks OP - VU!
Sounds like he's pretty biased towards Rorion's side. Talks shit about Renzo for losing fights (when he was consistently fighting high level opponents) but lightly brushes over Royce losing to Sakuraba under Gracie rules and then testing positive in the rematch. Or the whole online blue belt situation. 
Great read. Thx for posting. I did notice they captioned a pic of Renzo's dad as Renzo.
.
rbl - Sounds like he's pretty biased towards Rorion's side. Talks shit about Renzo for losing fights (when he was consistently fighting high level opponents) but lightly brushes over Royce losing to Sakuraba under Gracie rules and then testing positive in the rematch. Or the whole online blue belt situation.
I thought Renzo really got the shaft in this article. The author calls him "a once-prominent MMA fighter whose career wound down with a series of embarrassing defeats". Never mind (as someone else mentioned) that he won 3 of his last 4 fights, with the wins all against former UFC champs. Next, he tells us poor Roger is stuck having to train with Renzo, who was "not always inspiring" and "more of a showman than a champion". Maybe he should have checked with some of the BJJ and MMA champions and top-level competitors Renzo has trained, and gotten their opinions on what it's like to train with him. Then the author says Roger told him Renzo "was physically and mentally unprepared for at least 80 percent of his bouts", because he went to bed at 4 or 5 in the morning. If you're going to paint anyone in that light (let alone a great trainer and fighter), IMO it should be based on more than one person's comments. Just my 2c.
Plus he says Renzo never won a championship. Didn't he win the World Combat Championships tournament?
One line about Carlson. Nothing about Ralph. Fuck that article. Dude talks about BJJ and MMA and mentions Carlson once.
And the shots at Renzo were unneeded. That author sucked.
Steve4192 -The author repeated the "poor little Helio learned by watching" bullshit so he was drinking Rorion kool aid as well.
I knew most of the BJJ-MMA related stuff. I didn't know anything about the spiritualism BS or fleecing of Oscar Santa Maria. Sounds to me like the Helio side has the right of it. Helio was the martial artist and Carlos was the snake oil salesman.
A couple other viewpoints on Renzo. Maybe he should've talked to these guys too:
"I realized...Renzo is the best coach ever. The vision that he has when he's watching you in the ring - it's something unbelievable." - Daniel Gracie
"Renzo is phenomenal...you better be pretty quick before you get your arm snapped off. He fights anybody they put in front of him. He doesn't turn fights down, he doesn't pick his opponents...he's a man. What an honor to be able to get in there and go after it with him." Pat Miletich
.
I'm surprised by the Royce/Rorian's kids beef. I thought Royce and Rorian were tight.?.
What I've read of this is pretty disappointing. I didn't see anything new, just an assembly of Rorion's side of the story and some bits from Reila's book about her father (Carlos). Some interviews, sure, but nothing ground-breaking. The author isn't questioning the "creation myth of BJJ" at all, and keeps making sweeping generalizations. I get the feeling he doesn't take the subject matter very seriously.
Renzo and Carlson are probably the most relevant members of the family to today's MMA climate, so it's sad to see them not get their due.
I wrote a response to the article today at http://mmanuts.com/news/grantlands-gracie-family-history-misses-the-mark/
I think it missed the mark badly. A lot of errors, a lot of myths passed along as fact, and a lot of important folks left out.
TKD LOL -Dougie -Ya God forbid someone speak the truth
Shut your mouth trash talk Renzo!
hackett -
I wrote a response to the article today at http://mmanuts.com/news/grantlands-gracie-family-history-misses-the-mark/
I think it missed the mark badly. A lot of errors, a lot of myths passed along as fact, and a lot of important folks left out.
Excellent points. I don't know how anyone with knowledge of BJJ in MMA today can read the Grantland piece and not think the writer was lazy.
MickColins -hackett -
I wrote a response to the article today at http://mmanuts.com/news/grantlands-gracie-family-history-misses-the-mark/
I think it missed the mark badly. A lot of errors, a lot of myths passed along as fact, and a lot of important folks left out.
Excellent points. I don't know how anyone with knowledge of BJJ in MMA today can read the Grantland piece and not think the writer was lazy.
Thanks Mick!
Who is grantland and why should I care?