re: Royce Gracie vs Ken Shamrock tonight on spike

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The initial issue had to do with weight. Shamrock and Gracie would not be in the same weight class. When they fought in the early UFCs, weight classes didn't exist, so it didn't matter. But Texas has some leeway in their rules with regards to "weight variances." If a fighter comes in between 176 and 200 pounds, his opponent can be up to 15 pounds heavier. Texas Combative Sports Program director Greg Alvarez said Gracie is expected to weigh-in somewhere in the 180s and Shamrock should be within 15 pounds of that mark. Shamrock weighed in at 204.4 pounds against Slice.

"That's the first thing they asked me about was their weight," Alvarez said. "I told them what the weight variances were. That's what they're going to shoot for."

Gracie has never been a believer in weight classes anyway.

"A lot of fighters complain, 'Man he's five pounds heavier than me,'" Gracie said. "Really? It doesn't matter, man. The art of Gracie jiu-jitsu is to learn how to defend yourself in any situation, not to score points, not for tournament style. It's for a street-fight situation."

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I'll go with Gracie just b/c Shamrock couldn't hold a submission and let himself get KTFO by friggin Kimbo Slice's slow arse punches.