On May 5, 2000, the MMA world witnessed one of the most epic battles in the history of the sport. Royce Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba was a fight that pushed both men to their limits and beyond. The fight lasted over an hour and a half and ended only when Gracie couldn’t answer the bell for the seventh round and his corner had to throw in the towel. Now in less than one month’s time, Gracie will finally get a rematch with the man who has been a thorn in his family’s side for almost a decade.

This is one of the first fights in a while that is aimed specifically at the longtime fans of the sport. In this period of MMA where reality show stars rule and new fans are everywhere, this is welcomed trip back in time for many throughout the MMA community.

Also, this seems to be the right time for the fight as Gracie is coming off an embarrassing loss to Matt Hughes and Sakuraba is still trying to get back on track after recent health problems and the scandal involving Akiyama this past New Year.

Sakuraba has beaten every Gracie he has ever faced and now Royce has the responsibility to reclaim his family’s honor.

When asked about how important it would be for him to get a win over Sakuraba or if he feels the pressure of fighting in front of a huge crowd, Gracie told reporters during a conference call that he's preparing for this fight as just another fight.

“I fought in Japan with a crowd of 92,000 people, so the crowd does not really bother me. It does not matter if it is 1,000 or 90,000 people. I am only going to listen to my corner – my father, my brothers, my cousins. So it is select hearing. But pressure? I do not put myself under the pressure of having to come back from a loss. I understand losing, winning. If I lose, something went wrong so I go home and I figure out what happened. I know how to deal with pressure. I do not feel that I have to avenge my loss to Sakuraba. Every fight is different. Every approach is different. Every approach has its own strategy.”

Another thing to think about is whether or not the first fight will be any indication of how the rematch might go. Much has happened in seven years and both guys have had very different careers since then. Sakuraba has been in a ton of wars with the cream of the MMA crop and has taken a lot of punishment, while Gracie has only fought four times since that first fight and still seems to be in relatively good physical condition. On the other hand some might say that Sakuraba has evolved and gotten better while Gracie is still one-dimensional. It will be very interesting to see how different the fighters that show up June 2nd are from the fighters that entered the ring in 2000.

Sakuraba’s health has also been a concern leading up to this fight. Last year Sakuraba was forced off a K-1 Hero's card after he passed out during a training session. It was later discovered that Sakuraba was having problems with blood circulation in his brain.

Sakuraba has since fought twice in Japan with one fight ending in a no contest and the other in a first-round submission win.

There are concerns that Sakuraba might not be able to pass the necessary medical tests to be able to fight in the United States.

Gracie disagreed with thoughts that Sakuraba has declined in recent years: “I do not think he has gotten worse. He may be more experienced now. If he was worse, he would have been gone from the game a long time ago.”

Promoter Gary Shaw discussed this issue and whether or not there was a contingency plan if Sakuraba could not fight.

“We do not have a second opponent lined up. I think that is bad karma for me and the way I deal in business. Hopefully, everybody we have is in top shape and is medically cleared to fight. Obviously, everybody knows my reputation. I would never put anybody in that is not medically cleared or has any injury. As of right now, I am told that he is in excellent health and there is no problem and he will clear the medical. So the direct answer: there is no contingency plan at this moment.”

There will be no world titles on the line and rankings will not be affected by the outcome of this fight, but there is still a lot to be won or lost on June 2nd. For Sakuraba, it is his title as the “Gracie Hunter” that is at stake, and for Royce, it is the opportunity to rid his family of an obstacle that has been plaguing them for years.

The one thing that is for sure is that on June 2nd two grappling masters will meet once again and an old rivalry will be reignited.