By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia 9/8/2022
Startling moment UFC star Renzo Gracie tackles and subdues a racist on the New York subway after man told him to 'speak English here'
• MMA legend Renzo Gracie subdues 'racist' on New York subway platform
• Gracie, who speaks Portuguese, says the man told him to speak English here
• Gracie says he forced the man to apologise to him before letting him go
Startling footage has emerged of a fight on a New York subway platform involving former UFC fighter and Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Renzo Gracie.
In the clip that's gone viral on social media, 55-year-old Gracie - wearing a black shirt - can be seen in a physical clash with another man wearing a white shirt.
Gracie gets tripped and lands hard on the ground, but quickly uses his grappling skills to get in a dominant position over his opponent.
https://videos.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/2022/09/08/3159827026891654746/640x360_MP4_3159827026891654746.mp4A woman tries to break up the fight, but a man wearing a Renzo Gracie T-shirt prevents her from getting involved.
The reason for the altercation is explained on a WhatsApp audio recording posted to Reddit, where Gracie details what happened.
The Brazilian claims he was returning from training and having a conversation with a friend in Portuguese when the aggressor told him to 'speak English here'.
Gracie says he told the man he was ridiculous and racist before the fight started.
After putting his assailant in a choke, Gracie claims he forced his assailant to apologise before letting him go.
Gracie, a 6th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, has competed in the UFC, PRIDE, K-1 and ONE Championships during a 23-fight MMA career.
He also works as a martial arts coach, owning the Renzo Gracie Academy in Manhattan, where he's trained the likes of UFC champions Georges St-Pierre, Chris Weidman and Matt Serra.
More:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/mma/article-11192181/Startling-moment-UFC-star-Renzo-Gracie-tackles-subdues-racist-New-York-subway.html