Ralek Gracie: Metamoris Is A ‘Perfect Fit’ For Chael Sonnen

Metamoris President Ralek Gracie spoke to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour about Chael Sonnen’s upcoming grappling match against Andre Galvo at Metamoris 4 in August which takes place in Los Angeles California.

“I think Chael, given everything that was happening with the UFC, I thought it would be an interesting way for him to keep himself active and keep himself interested in something that brings him to his roots in a lot of ways,” Gracie said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “It really was kind of a perfect fit for him be able to say ‘you know what, I’m having trouble with the commission in the MMA industry, (so) it would be a great opportunity for me to do something at Metamoris and have a chance to do something.’

“From a professional standpoint, he hasn’t competed in anything grappling or wrestling-oriented, or at least we haven’t seen it in a while. I think that for him to be able to do something like that just kinds of grounds everything for him. For us to facilitate it for him it’s even cooler. I think that the timing and everything the way that it’s working just couldn’t be better.”

Metamoris has been gaining more and more media attention, most recently with their Eddie Bravo vs. Royler Gracie 2 rematch that took place back in March, and even just finding out that today that UFC President Dana White saying he wants to show the events on UFC Fight Pass.

“We figured doing something with someone like Chael vs. Andre Galvao. That’s such a huge stylistic kind of battle there,” he continued. “There’s so much to Chael, obviously the way he approaches his matches and the controversy he brings with his whole style. I think that, aside from that, the way he kind of comes through and very suddenly may pull something off, he may come in and really surprise people. That kind of energy I really appreciate. It could be a really cool thing.”

People have been voicing their opinions as to what Metamoris will do given Chael Sonnen’s failed drug test earlier this month, however Ralek doesn’t believe that would give Sonnen an advantage.

“I don’t really know what the situation is with the commission. I’m not the most educated person when it comes to PED,” Gracie said. “I have a long way to go as far as figuring all that.”

“And from what I know, he was allowed to take testosterone replacement therapy for a certain time and then he wasn’t. That’s what I heard,” he continued. “And when I’m thinking this, man, that’s irrelevant. Chael can go and roll with half of the black belts I know and get them in serious trouble.”

One of the more interesting points that is worth mentioning is that Metamoris 4 will have a ‘secret match’ where neither fighter knows who their opponent is going into the event.

“The two guys in the secret match won’t even know who their opponent is,” he said. “They’re out there. People know who they are. I was talking to a guy and he was like ‘man, I don’t know, that’s weird. Training for somebody I don’t know.’ And I said ‘that’s the point.’”