Van,

I couldn't agree more. I don't know the Gracie history in detail because...well, I didn't have cable back then, lol, but I think the Gracies (ie, Royce) was dominating when the game was in its infancy. ie, he was a big fish in a small pond. If if we took the Royce from back then, transported him forward in time to today, there's NO WAY IN HELL he could take on the guys of today, ESPECIALLY the heavyweights.

as to part two, I'd guess that you don't throw your star to the slaughter... ie, we'll keep his perfect record in tack. It was the same as Dana saying how stupid pride was to throw Wandy at DH when there was everything for Wandy to lose. ie, they were perhaps protecting him from failure.