Here is a rare footage of Rickson Gracie in a vale tudo challenge fight at the Gracie Academy. In this instance, he was faced by a fellow grappler and according to Rorion Gracie narrating the fight, his opponent is a 6x National Russian Judo champion with boxing experience. What would appear to be a very dangerous fight for Rickson is actually a pushover. The Judoka proceeds to turtle and gets finished by Rickson with a rear naked choke.

This is one of the many fights that comprise Rickson’s much talked about “440-0” fight record.

Helio Gracie disputed Rickson’s claim to have had over 400 fights. According to Hélio, Rickson has only competed in fights that are commonly known and reported: the two against Rei Zulu and those that took place in Japan. Helio Gracie alleged that Rickson uses practice and amateur bouts to obtain a number over 400, and that if he counted his fights like Rickson does, he would have in excess of one million.

Rickson’s older brother, Relson was asked a few years ago by Tatame magazine what he thought about his brother Rickson’s controversial 400-0 fight record.

It’s not that I think it isn’t true. Rickson had these fights without a doubt. He had fights in gyms, challenges. We know he’s got some 13 fights in Japan Vale Tudo and two with Zulu. The Hugo Duarte one was a fight, but he has 400 street fights. He included the fights of Sambo, included training in the academy, championship, which they call a fight, but they are not fighting, they are training. Fights were 14 or 15 in Japan Vale Tudo, and a couple more in Brazil. He made two with Zulu and a 14 in Japan that were considered fights in the arena. The rest is all practice. It’s what my father said. I’m not saying that Rickson did not have the 400 fights, he had the 400, but in this kind of fight, my father had 5000. My father had a much larger market to prove. My father did more tests than Rickson did!

Ron Tripp, The only Man to Defeat Rickson Gracie in Official Competition