Black belt Ralek Gracie at the family academy in Torrance, California / Publicity photo

“Jiu-Jitsu, don’t leave home without it…”

Renzo Gracie, while commentating a would-be mugging on the streets of New York real time via Twitter

“I only reacted after one of the guys grabbed my arm and tried sticking a hand in the pocket where I keep my wallet. When I saw that they wanted to rob me barehanded, that’s when I knew I was going to fight. If they had knives or weapons in that situation, I’d have handed them my wallet and cell phone.”

Renzo Gracie

“Maybe that was the right decision for Jon Jones’ career. Would I have done the same? No.”

Tito Ortiz, a former fighter turned manager, on the light heavyweight champion’s choice that spelt the end of UFC 151

“Vitor has trained a bit of everything here at Blackzilians, and he’s got his striking, ground and pound, and Jiu-Jitsu flowing. Predicting the outcome of a fight is always difficult. I feel the first one to slip up will pay dearly.”

Bráulio Estima, on Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 152 on the coming 22nd 

“Bochecha’s a young black belt with a good game. He’s a heavy guy who moves like a lightweight. I certainly will not underestimate him.”

Roger Gracie, on the 20-minute match with no points or advantages at Metamoris Pro

“In the process of finding the best individual athlete you also find the most beauty in the art.”

Ralek Gracie, co-organizer of Metamoris Pro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3WaGYPPiZI

Renzo in GRACIEMAG archive photo

Having narrated an attempted mugging over Twitter after leaving a New York restaurant last night, Renzo Gracie explained to GRACIEMAG.com how exactly it went down, once the adrenaline had settled.

Firstly, the black belt made it clear that his actions were in legitimate self-defense: “I only reacted after one of the guys grabbed my arm and tried sticking a hand in the pocket where I keep my wallet. That’s when I threw a hook and a straight punch that dropped them to the ground.”

Renzo was also careful to make it clear that he reacted because he’s trained to do so and because he was sure his aggressors weren’t armed: “When I saw that they wanted to rob me barehanded, that’s when I knew I was going to fight. If they had knives or weapons in that situation, I’d have handed them my wallet and cell phone.”

After dropping the first aggressor to the ground, the Jiu-Jitsu professor chased after the second one, but couldn’t reach him: “So I went back to get my car and try and find him. I was lucky and saw him on a corner not far away. I stopped the car at a distance and ran up to catch him by surprise.”

Renzo says he jumped on the robber’s back, sunk hooks and squeezed out a rear-naked choke: “He went straight to sleep and I went on my way.”

GRACIEMAG.com shares Renzo’s warning that it is dangerous to react to a robbery and should only be done when trained in self-defense or in life-threatening cases or situations of extreme danger.

22nd street and 10th ave right now two guys following me, can’t help but have a big smile upon my face Im talking about a happy one ;-))))

Waiting for them… Are they really thinking I’m drunk??? They have to be kidding. Hahahaha

25th and 10ave they are getting closer lol

pic.twitter.com/bBJtLtVb by Renzo

I just stop to take a pic, they pretend they are looking at the window, can’t lie… My blood runs in a different speed, man I miss Brazil

JiuJitsu ;-))) never leave home without it pic.twitter.com/bBJtLtVb

Please hold there for just a couple minutes be right back

They are coming closer, asking for a cigaret lol can’t help but have a smile in my face. I don’t smoke. Pretend to wobble. They smile

Back as he runs, no chance to catch him… Even though I began to try to run after him, I realize How slow I was. F***k it :-///

This one asks me why did I do that, pretending to be stupid, one little kick to the ribs makes him whine and apologize, as I’m writing this.

I ask him if he was planing to rob me, he says no. All he wanted was a cigarette, lol I can’t help but have a big smile upon my face, and ..

The certainty that if it was an ordinary man he would be sad about his stolen goods. F*****g c**t cries like a bitch when the tide turns…

I can’t help but take a pic as his nose bleeds and he wines and asks why did I do that… Like he doesn’t know the reason…

pic.twitter.com/THjUYQkR by Renzo

My f*****g hands hurt, hurt like hell… pic.twitter.com/THjUYQkR

Drove around two blocks… The other fellow disappear, I’m heading home… Angry for not finding the second one. Guess no sleeping tonight

I knew it yessss

There is basic things like you don’t come back to where the problem was.. You just don’t, I knew he would, just going around the block would

Be enough… Dumb f%#^ I just gave him the old style Raccoon, it has been a while since the last time I did.. Choke him out 3 times…

And before he woke up I did hit each eye socket at least twice, tomorrow he will wake up like a raccoon, and every time he woke up I was…

Whispering at his ears.. That’s what death feels like it.. Don’t do that again. My f*****g hand hurts, :-/ a lot

Next time I will use only the elbows, damn I miss that feeling, sometimes I wonder if the easy life has been making me pic.twitter.com/aXBkOM7O

Soft.. All those years in Brazil, without knowing if I would make it home had to count for something, I can’t lie I could have jump in a cab

pic.twitter.com/aXBkOM7O by Renzo

But I could not help, I could spot them from a mile away, walking was my option, thank you mayor Giuliani, nobody carries a gun in our…

Beautiful state, my lucky day, their bad day… My hand hurts and @FrankieEdgar is here at 9:30am for some training, shoot damn little guy

Could not take a second pic guys sorry, believe I try, as I reach for my iPhone he almost took off :-/ fast mofo

* * * * * * * *

The text above is a compilation of the snippets posted by Renzo Gracie in the wee hours of the morning this Friday, likely the first time an attempted mugging has been reported real time over Twitter. Direct from Manhattan, NY.
How you like that, Joseph Wambaugh?