Royce Gracie has high expectations for Neiman Gracie: 'He's going to be champion one day'
Royce Gracie is liking what he’s seen out of Neiman Gracie.
The UFC Hall of Famer and tournament winner of UFC 1 praised his family member Neiman for his most recent victory and the evolution he’s managed to show in his game. Neiman picked up the first knockout of his career, stopping Mark Lemminger in the first round of their contest at Bellator 266 earlier this month.
It was a big moment for Neiman and the Gracie family, as they’ve mostly been known for their grappling skills.
“Neiman is a very talented kid and he puts in time,” Royce told MMA Junkie and other reporters on the red carpet for the UFC Hall of Fame induction. “He trains a lot. He came back from a couple of injuries and had a couple of bad fights, but I think he got himself straight now. He’s got himself a good team, he moved to California from New York. It’s not that the old team is bad, the whole team is synchronized.”
The knockout of Lemminger sparked the conversation of Neiman potentially being the best fighter to come out of the Gracie family given his well-rounded skill set. Royce said Neiman is definitely making noise and has high expectations for his future.
“He’s up there, he’s up there,” Royce said. “He’s calm that’s what makes him very good. He’s not agressive, he’s not over anxious. He’s very calm and he keeps himself composed all the time. He’s up there. He’s going to be champion one day.”