Today's Renzo . . .

Me, and many of the other guys I know that have been Renzo fans for the past decade-plus, feel like Renzo had a difficult time getting motivated for matches for a long time. He's financially set, got a nice family, and several successful academies (those that are directly his as well as his cut of his students' academies). Plus, between ADCC and MMA, he had been competing pretty regularly for a LONG ass time.

In his prior matches with Newton and Penn, I felt like Renzo could've won both if he gas tank was a little deeper (IMHO, he took the first round against Penn), which kinda went to his motivation to train. After submitting Miletich, getting a rematch with Newton, and getting to fight Frank (assuming Frank doesn't pull a "Harry Houdini"), I think we're gonna see a stretch of Renzo being motivated like he was back in 1998-2000 (The period where he won ADCC twice, did pretty well in the Rings tourney, and fought Sakaraba in one of my favorite matches).

I remember Renzo saying he'd like to fight Frank years ago, and I believe getting this match is gonna be a HUGE spark in his motivation. (He actually made the statement at the press announcement two days ago that he would've taken the fight for free. See the article at news.adcombat.com right now.) If Renzo v. Frank actually happens, look for Renzo to show up in better shape and more motivated than he's been in years. I'm flying to Mississippi for this fight.

TTT

Good post. I'm a very big fan of Renzo. Not to take anything away from the guys that beat Renzo, because they are great fighters. But I do feel like the main reason he lost a few of his fights was due to him not being in as good of shape as he could have been, and like you said, a lack of motivation. It's too bad though, underachieving like that. Not notch skills, tons of heart, but lack of wind and you can't blame anybody other than yourself for that. I hope he taps Frank.

Renzo is the man.

He is probably at that point in his life where he has nothing to prove to anyone anymore, and can just concentrate on fighting for the fun of it. I mean really, if he wins or loses any of those fights he will still be a legend. He is like a guy fighting with nothing to lose, except he has so much.

RENZO!!!

TTT for Renzo

Really like Renzo, he deserves all that and more

ttt

best gracie eva... and never asked for special rules

ttt for Renzo

Definitely my favorite Gracie.

"IMHO, he took the first round against Penn"

In the judges' opinion, too, if I remember right.

ttt for renzo, ambassador of the sport

Myself a student of a Renzo BB, I'm officially down with the RENZO!

I really like Renzo as much as anybody, but he better get quick with takedowns and submissions if he wants to win. I don't see him winning standing (I could be wrong), and if the rules have them getting stood up frequently I see this being a tough win. Frank is well rounded, tough standing and difficult to submit. JKB

How can anyone not like Renzo?

"In the judges' opinion, too, if I remember right."

I think that's true. I just didn't want this thread to turn into a debate over the first round of Renzo v. Penn, so I put that little "IMHO" qualifier in there.

After reading about Shamrock's contractual issues, it looks like the whole matchup might just turn out to be nothing more than a head fake. DAMN!!!!!!!!

ttt

The last 3 fights he lost were all due to gassing. All three he walked up took the guy down abd then gassed. Against Oyama he needed a push off the seat in between round 1 and 2. he was fucked.

He is highly motovated now, can't wait to see the next fight. Newton/Renzo 1 was an epic.