Renzo Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba will rematch in ONE Championship nearly 18 years after their classic bout in Pride FC.

Gracie, who was a guest speaker at the ONE Elite Retreat in Boracay, Philippines, stunned everyone in attendance when he announced that he has recently signed to ONE Championship.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, confirmed the statement by declaring that Gracie will compete against Kazushi Sakuraba in his debut with the organization.

“Renzo Gracie will make his debut in ONE Championship. He’s going to fight Sakuraba.”

Gracie proved to be one of the highlights for the athletes in attendance at the ONE Elite Retreat. In particular, the veteran mentioned that he believes ONE Championship will be the leading mixed martial arts organization in the world ‘because they are doing the right thing.’

Gracie also spoke of his extensive history with the UFC before stating: “The UFC got lost along the way. They don’t have a soul.”

It remains to be seen when and where Renzo Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba will occur.

There are no further details regarding the announcement.