Mark Kerr on ADCC Gifting Him a Bonus
Mark Kerr was recently inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and is currently making the media rounds. While on the Jaxxon Podcast with Rampage Jackson, he shared a story from ADCC 2000.
At the event, Kerr faced Leo Vieira in the absolute division. If you remember a certain moment from their match, Kerr lifts Vieira up to slam him, but stops and puts him on the ground.
“He ends up climbing on top of me. So eventually my arm is in the air and his butt’s on my shoulder. There’s like an opportunity, like a split second when you watch it, for me to just spike him on his head. Like literally spike him on his head.”
However, one of Mark’s teammates shouted out to deter him from spiking Vieira.
“I look over in the corner and I see this going like: Don’t do it, don’t you do it, no, don’t do it.
And who was it? It was Rico Rodriguez. So Rico ends up going like: Don’t do it.
And so if you watch it, I just bring him back down to the ground.”- Mark Kerr.
ADCC Awards Kerr $10k
After deciding not to spike Leo Vieira on his head, the ADCC came to Mark Kerr with a gift. They awarded him $10k for “good sportsmanship.”
“After the tournament was over, it’s like: “And we’re going to give you $10,000 more dollars for your sportsmanship.’ And I’m like, because I didn’t spike him. I’m like: “Cool, I’ll take it.”
Mark then stated how that gift of $10k helped him change his life and perspective as a professional grappler.
“Honestly, that fight changed my life. For everything – for opportunity, mentally. Until that, I was a successful jiu-jitsu player; it was my second or third year as a black belt. But even as a young black belt, I was carrying a lot of uncertainty. I was feeling that I was not good enough in the sport.”- Mark Kerr.
Watch the entire podcast below.
Bobby is martial artist for almost 20 years with a BJJ black belt under Professor Sergio Miranda. He is also a karate black and former combat sports athlete, who loves all things grappling.