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[Dan Severin, HUGE wrestler, 6’4”, 260, almost killed Royce around UFC-6. Royce never came back. ]

Says here that Gracie won:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Severn#Mixed_martial_arts_record

And Gracie continued fighting for a decade:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royce_Gracie#Mixed_martial_arts_record

While there was a 100 lb weight difference, Severin (36) was 8 years older than Gracie (28). Maybe if Severin were the same age, he would have beaten Gracie, given the weight advantage.

I forgot Royce won that. Dan was kicking his a$$. Lasted over 15 mins, PPV ended before fight was over. Yeah, UFC-4. Dan threw Royce over his head twice in a suplex, almost broke Royce’s back. Stunned him bad. You could tell Royce had never been hurt like that. But Royce did submit him, off camera if you were watching the Pay Per View. We all thought Dan won, but didn’t see the last minute, because PPV stopped. It is really worth watching, if you can find it. Dan threw him around like a ragdoll.

When I said Royce never came back, I meant to the UFC Tournament championship fights, where you start with 8 and keep fighting up to the finals. Brutal. 3 fights in a night to get to the finals.

Royce did fight in 5, but not the tournament. Didn’t actually compete up to the finals. Just a single fight at the very end, a staged “Superfight” between him and Shamrock. That was a draw, and not that good, IMO. Royce didn’t look the same, to me. Not invincible.

Dan Severn won the actual UFC-5 Tournament. Royce didn’t compete in another UFC Tournament fight until UFC-60, when he lost his first match. I honestly believe that match with Severn shook Royce to his core. He continued to fight, but nowhere near the same level guys as UFC. Disappeared for 5 years after UFC-5.

Fun fact: The Gracies helped start UFC. There’s like 8(?) brothers, all dynamite. Their dad taught them. They used to run ads in Black Belt Magazine, “You think your Martial Art School is the best? We challenge anyone in a no rules match. Each put up $50,000, winner takes all.” Nobody took them up. So they started UFC.