Kron Gracie, son of renowned martial artist Rickson Gracie, returns to the UFC octagon after a 1,300-day absence for his fight against Charles Jourdain at UFC 288. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed Gracie’s training progress whilst his relocation to Montana allowed for the opening of his own gym as well as familiarising himself with life in the mountains alongside his dog.

Although Gracie has previously been known for his fighting capability, his inclination for infrequent social media posts and interviews reflect his concentrated energy on his training, rather than his media presence.

Gracie views his upcoming fight against Jourdain as a necessary start in more active participation within the organisation. Gracie acknowledges the valuable lessons he has learned from his previous fight with Cub Swanson, in which he experienced a three-round loss.

Through his fighting experience, Gracie has realised one cannot fight to the death, but rather should adjust to the set number of rounds, for instance, perhaps by increasing rounds to 15 or 25 minutes. Though difficult to implement, Gracie believes this adjustment would improve the sport by generating more opportunities for wins and finishes.