Who needs Marvel or DC Comics when you can just look at your own family for inspiration?

Just one look at his name might give you an idea as to why that was the case for welterweight Neiman Gracie. Set to meet Dave Marfone (5-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) at this Saturday’s Bellator 180, Gracie (5-0 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) says it was never family pressure, but instead admiration, that pushed him into becoming a fighter.

“I had my uncles and older cousins as heroes,” Gracie told MMAjunkie ahead of the Spike-televised main card bout. “Instead of Superman or Spider-Man – Renzo, Royce and Rickson were my heroes. I always wanted to fight and train. I never felt any pressure due to that. On the contrary: I was always very happy to be able to represent the family.”

Gracie has been succeeding at that. At 28, he’s not only beaten all of the five opponents in his combined WSOF and Bellator records, but caught all but one of them in submissions. Clearly, he takes after Brazilian jiu-jitsu’s royal family. But, as happy as he is to carry that flag, Gracie says he’s never set out to excel purely in a gi.

“My focus was always MMA,” Gracie said. “Of course I love jiu-jitsu, but my focus was always to be an MMA fighter. When I was still very young, before I even got my black belt, I was already training boxing and other martial arts.

“Then there was the opportunity for my debut. I’d already been training, and it was perfect. It’s what I always wanted.”

That, however, doesn’t mean Gracie is in any way looking to stray away from his jiu-jitsu. While managing to finish Marfone on the feet would certainly display another facet of his MMA game, the Brazilian welterweight has no doubts when it comes to his preferred ending.

“For me, the most important would be to win with a submission – to show my jiu-jitsu, which is my biggest weapon,” Gracie said. “I’d be happier submitting than knocking him out, to be honest.”

The Spike-televised Bellator 180, headlined by a title fight between light heavyweight champ Phil Davis and fellow UFC vet Ryan Bader, will serve as the lead-up for the pay-per-view Bellator NYC card. The dual-branded events take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

These are certain some special circumstances for Gracie. Not only has he received premium placement in one of the promotion’s biggest events to date, he gets to do that a mere two blocks from his training grounds at Renzo Gracie’s.

Gracie, who’s been living in the U.S. for a decade, certainly sees the advantages in fighting at home – sleeping in his own bed and cutting weight in familiar territory, for instance. But, on the flip side, there’s certainly some added pressure.

In any case, it all comes down to how you want to look at it.

“All my friends, family and students will be there,” Gracie said. “But there are two ways of looking at it. Either you put that pressure upon yourself, or you use it to propel you. You use it in your favor. I’m trying to use it in my favor.”

For more on Bellator NYC and Bellator 180, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.