Royce Gracie is one of the most successful and influential mixed martial arts fighters of all time. His success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship popularized Gracie jiu-jitsu and gave birth to an entire style of hand-to-hand fighting that is still taught around the world today. Not only that, Gracie is a steadfast supporter of our right to keep and bear arms, and he shares why he backs the National Rifle Association of America in this video.
“The best way to describe NRA is that NRA is the front line of resistance,” he said. “They’re here to educate people, from young age to adults, men and women, about how to use a gun, how to to be aware of the dangers of the gun, how to be aware of what guns can do and how to teach about guns. NRA is the front line of resistance against the government trying to take our Second Amendment rights away.”
Gracie has seen firsthand what can happen when essential rights are taken away by the government after experiencing it in his home country of Brazil.
“What happened in Brazil is coming to America. Little by little, they take away the gun rights, making it impossible for you to buy a gun and very expensive,” Gracie said. “[It’s] impossible for you to carry. You’re not allowed to carry in Brazil. And that’s coming to America. I can see the changes.”
Gracie also said that people losing their rights has a hand in creating a weak society.
“I believe that everyone should learn how to defend themselves, including hand to hand combat and how to shoot a gun,” Gracie said. “In my house, all my kids can learn from a young age. Even if they don’t become professional fighters or jujitsu instructors, they have to learn how to defend themselves in hand to hand combat situations. They also learn how to deal with their gun, how to check and make sure it’s clear. It’s an education process. It’s not pointing in anybody’s direction. Always check the gun like it was loaded, even if it’s unloaded.”
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