After UFC release, Roger Gracie moving stateside, could stay at middleweight

Decorated submission grappler Roger Gracie (6-2) plans to move from the U.K. to the U.S. to train full-time at Blackhouse MMA in Southern California.

Gracie’s manager, Ed Soares, who also runs the Blackhouse gym, said the switch will help the fighter better prepare for his bouts.

“I think he just needs more time to prepare for fights,” Soares today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “In his last few fights, he hasn’t been able to get a full training camp here.”

Blackhouse MMA is located in Gardena, Calif., and also hosts top fighters Lyoto Machida, Glover Teixeira, Pedro Rizzo, and ex-champ Anderson Silva, who trains there when not in his native Brazil.

Following a loss earlier this month to Tim Kennedy at UFC 162, Gracie’s Zuffa contract, which was carried over from the now-defunct Strikeforce, was not renewed.

Soares said the fighter has yet to receive any contract offers, but the manager doesn’t seem to be in any rush.

“We’re going to look around and see what other options are out there,” he said.

Gracie could remain at middleweight, where he’s competed since 2012, or take fights at light heavyweight, the manager added.

“He’s going to try to stay at middleweight if he can, because he feels that he has a lot of advantages,” said Soares.

At 6-foot-4, the submission ace towers over most of his opposition, though his biggest advantage has been exercised on the ground, where he’s earned five submission victories.

Gracie won the 2005 Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling World Championships in the 99kg (218 pounds) and absolute divisions and boasts a laundry list of other grappling accolades.

Prior to crossing over to the UFC, Gracie flourished in Strikeforce, where he went 4-1.

“He hasn’t expressed (when he’d like to fight next),” Soares said. “I’m sure he’d like to fight by the end of the year.