10 Biggest Influences on Modern MMA | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Since it's difficult to pick out just one Gracie who helped influence modern MMA, I'll just give credit to the whole family. 

It's true that you can give a lot of credit to Royce Gracie for winning UFC 1 and showing the world they needed to know grappling—and therefore igniting a martial arts revolution. 

But by the same token, Royce was only there because of Rorion Gracie—who traveled to the US, struggled initially, but then set up a school and ended up founding the UFC along with Art Davie and Bob Meyrowitz.