Richard Bresler will always be in Gracie jiu jitsu history as Rorion Gracie's first student in the United States. Bresler's book takes the reader from the very early
days of Rorion Gracie teaching Gracie jiu jitsu self-defense in various garages in the Los Angeles area, through the first early challenge matches, to the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Bresler's book offers a candid, sugar coat free account of how Gracie worked to introduce jiu jitsu to a population that needed convincing that the Brazilian iteration of Japanese jiu jitsu was a martial force to be reckoned with. Gracie was eager to meet that challenge.
Bresler tells the story of Gracie jiu jitsu through the lens of how he met Rorion Gracie at a time when his life was at a low. He was caught up in an unhealthy lifestyle, abusing drugs and spiraling downward. He reveals details of how challenge matches were the powerful tool Gracie used to prove the efficacy of jiu jitsu and make believers out of doubters who had faith in other fighting styles- including professionals and celebrity fighters.
After taking the reader through the early Gracie garage days, Bresler tells stories never told by anyone else before this book. He reminds us how Rorion first introduced Gracie jiu jitsu to the world through Mel Gibson's iconic triangle choke used on Gary Busey in Lethal Weapon, even 5-6 years before UCF 1.
Bresler details the building up to UFC 1, and how Rorion's younger brother, Royce Gracie, showcased jiu jitsu's distance management, clinching and ground domination changed martial arts on this planet forever. Bresler shares details of the logistics of how promoting jiu jitsu took place before and after the UFC launched jiu jitsu to the world stage.
Worth Defending is a MUST read for anyone interested in how Gracie jiu jitsu landed in the U.S. and how it grew into what it is today. Bresler's story-telling involves an attention-keeping blend of Gracie action stories while keeping the book true to its purpose of telling his own story of how Rorion Gracie's influence and unconditional positive regard for him helped encourage him to eventually live a healthier life free of drug addiction.
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