Renzo Gracie pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault for his part in a nightclub brawl. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Renowned MMA trainer and fighter Renzo Gracie took a no-jail plea deal on Thursday for his role in the beating of a bouncer outside a New York nightclub last year, according to a report from the New York Post.
Renzo Gracie, along with the other men, were arrested following an altercation outside the exclusive Manhattan club 1-Oak last May. A witness at the scene told Sherdog.com that at one point Gracie mounted the doorman during a brawl that eventually spilled into the street.
Renzo Gracie was initially charged with felony gang assault, but those charges were reduced to misdemeanor assault, according to a previous report from Fox Sports.
The bouncer, identified as Craig Molesphini, told the Post that Renzo Gracie and the rest of his group attacked him on May 17 of last year because he had refused entry to two of their friends the previous week.
“All of the seven men were fighting, doing MMA moves on the guards, some of whom were injured,” Molesphini told the Post. “In my entire 14-year career, I have never seen anything like this.”
A native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Renzo Gracie compiled a 13-7-1 record as a professional mixed martial artist, competing in organizations such as Rings, Pride, International Fight League and K-1. He made his one and only Octagon appearance on April 10, 2010, when he lost to Matt Hughes via TKO in the third round at UFC 112 in his last pro fight.
The 35-year-old Igor Gracie owns a 5-4 career MMA record and last competed at WSOF 2 in March 2013, while the 28-year-old Gregor Gracie is 7-4 and last fought at WSOF 5 in September 2013.