It's not every day that one of the most recognizable faces in the world of mixed martial arts visits the North Shore, but that's exactly the treat students at the North Shore Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Salem enjoyed at a special seminar last week.
Royce Gracie, a member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Fame and a world renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, joined academy owner Danny Morera and 36 of his students for a seminar at the Salem school last Thursday.
The opportunity to learn from one of the most accomplished and recognizable names in their sport was both unique and valuable.
"Everybody's still on a high. It was unbelievable," said Morera, 37, who moved his academy to Salem in 2006. "Most of the guys are still just in awe.
"To be able to get close up, you can see why he is so good. Everything he taught, everyone remembers. People are already asking when he might come back."
Gracie, now 45, makes his home in California. He put Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu on the map in the United States when he won the UFC's first tournament back in 1993 and went on to defeat many larger opponents by using deft submission techniques.
After learning his craft from his father at a young age, Gracie popularized the "ground game" of MMA, essentially the grappling and submission aspects that separate the sport from boxing and kickboxing.
Though he last appeared in the UFC in 2006, Gracie remains one of the most famous fighters on the planet.
"He is such a humble guy, a guy that loves to talk to people," Morera said. "He wanted to go out after the seminar, so we went to Tavern in the Square and people were just star struck, but he stopped and took pictures and signed autographs for everyone.
"People just couldn't believe that someone that big was so humble."
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is just one part of the fight game, and Morera's Academy is one of the only schools in the area that focuses solely on jiujitsu. It is also unique in that it traces its teaching lineage to the Gracie family, a valuable credential that made Royce's appearance possible.
"I've known Royce for a long time now. He's very busy, but we were able to work out a time when he could come," said Morera, who began studying at the Boston Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in 1997 under professor Roberto Maia. He opened a North Shore school in Danvers in 2005 before relocating to Colonial Office Park in Salem.
The majority of Morera's students are not professional or amateur fighters, rather just fans and athletes looking to work out and learn a new craft.
"I'd say for 90 percent of the people it's a hobby; people looking to expel some energy that are sick of the gym," Morera said. "We do have a small percent of people that are looking to fight and compete, but mostly it's regular people looking to stay in shape."
