Kron Gracie was booked to make his mixed martial arts (MMA) return as part of the Victory Fighting League (VFL) pay-per-view (PPV) event on Dec. 12 at Terminal 5 in New York City. Unfortunately, New York State Athletic Commission (NSAC) rejected Gracie’s application for a license to compete, putting an end to his featherweight main event against Tom Picciano.
“Regrettably, Kron will not compete on Friday, as he did not receive medical clearance from the New York State Athletic Commission,” VFL CEO
Dan Anderson said in today’s release (via MMA Fighting). “We appreciate your patience and support during this period. We anticipate resolving this matter promptly and having Kron reappear to fight in the new year.”
Gracie, 37, has not competed since losing to Bryce Mitchell under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner back in late 2024. Following a stellar run for RIZIN in Japan, the Brazilian was just 1-3 inside the Octagon and responsible for one of the worst fights of 2023, thanks to his stinker at UFC 288.
“I’m cleared to fight with all my doctors,” Gracie (5-3) wrote in his Instagram stories. “NYSAC has been very difficult in many ways! I am very ready and able to fight! I appreciate all my fans and friends who came out, I trained for five months and spent a lot of money on this camp, this sucks.”
A reason for Gracie’s denial has yet to be revealed.
