Hisaki Kato will be competing on the first Bellator MMA card of 2017, Bellator 170, where he will be fighting Ralek Gracie. Although Kato is taking on a member of the famed Gracie Family, he doesn’t see anything special about that distinction
“I don’t really care about (his name),” Kato told MMA Junkie. “He’s a Gracie and comes from the Gracie family, so I will be careful on the ground and trying to keep the fight standing. But it gives me no particular feeling because he’s from the Gracie family.”
Ralek has only competed three times as a professional MMA fighter, which means there isn’t a lot of film to study, something Kato isn’t too worried about.
“There is no video of him; there is nothing to analyze,” Kato said. “I’m just taking the first impression that he’s going to be very good on the ground and very complete on the ground and willing to put the fight to the ground. It will be an amazing striker vs. grappler and jiu-jitsu fighter. I will try to keep the distance and try to move a lot and be light on me feet and keep punching him.”
Bellator 170 takes place on Saturday, January 21 from The Forum in Inglewood, California with Chael Sonnen and Tito Ortiz headlining. Fightful.com will have full, live coverage of the show.
