Rickson Gracie’s Best Friend Will Be in Kron Gracie’s Corner at UFC 310

As revealed this week on the Brazilian podcast Mundo da Luta, Rickson Gracie, currently fighting Parkinson's disease, will not be present in son Kron Gracie’s corner for his return to the Octagon at UFC 310.

Gracie will square off against Bryce Mitchell in a featherweight pairing on the main card at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

“I'm very hopeful that he will have a good fight,” Rickson said. “I want him to win, but now I'm giving him space and we have a certain understanding. And now he has space to decide his life in the best way. I pray for him, but now I’m going to stay at home and watch.”

However, Sherdog has learned that Helio Gracie’s grandson will have a strong team around him when he enters the Ocagon. In addition to training partner Nate Diaz, Kron will have the support of Sergio Zveiter, Rickson's best friend — the only one present for all of his fights.

“Rickson is like a brother to me. I was present in all his fights since he was 17 years old — in all his jiu-jitsu fights and then in vale tudo,” Zveiter said. “In the two against King Zulú, in both editions of Japan Opens, even the famous challenge at the Luta-Livre headquarters in 1988, I was with him. I was also together with Kron in his three fights in the UFC. I took the black belt from the hands of master Helio Gracie, and I know that he wants me to go and I will be there.”

Considered a legend in the world of law in Brazil, Zveiter has been a federal deputy twice and has been a lawyer for Rede Globo, the largest telecommunications company in Latin America, for over 20 years. And despite his busy schedule in the final days of 2024, Zveiter didn't think twice when he received the call from “nephew Kron” informing him of the fight.

“Nothing for me is more important than this,” he said. “I saw Kron being born; he's like a son to me. I go on [Dec. 5], arrive practically on the day of the fight and return on [Dec. 8]. Nate will be the main cornerman, but Kron wanted me to be there. I did with Rickson what I’m doing with Kron now.”