In an event called "Gracie Proving Grounds," Rhalan Gracie will get a chance to prove his ground game.

Rhalan is the latest in a seemingly endless line of mixed martial arts stalwarts from the Gracie family.

He will take on Koa Ramos in the main event of the Gracie Proving Grounds card Saturday night at the Blaisdell Center Arena.

"I always hear that, 'Oh, you're a Gracie, you better represent the family,' " said Rhalan, 20. "But I look at it more as an opportunity. I'm being given an opportunity because of my family and I want to take advantage of it."

Saturday's event is the brainchild of Relson Gracie, who is Rhalan's father.

The card will feature many of Hawai'i's up-and-coming MMA fighters. Relson said the goal is to find Hawai'i competitors worthy of competing in larger events on the Mainland, hence the words Proving Grounds in the title.

"We have something called Gracie Fighting Championships, which is a big pay-per-view show," Relson said. "I'd like to see some Hawaiians get on that show because there are so many good schools here."

One of the top Hawai'i schools is the Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Kaka'ako. Relson is originally from Brazil, but moved to Hawai'i in 1988.

Relson is a jiu-jitsu legend in Brazil who once won 22 consecutive national championships.

Rhalan has been training with his father nearly every day for the past six years.

"My dad made it pretty easy on me in terms of pressure," Rhalan said. "He never forced me to do any of this. I chose to do this."

Rhalan's uncle — Relson's younger brother — is Royce Gracie, who is considered one of the all-time greats of MMA. Several other uncles and cousins of Rhalan have achieved champion status in the sport.

"The sport is really popular now and so a lot of people want to be the next MMA star," Rhalan said. "I feel like that's my road to take."

And despite the success of his uncles and cousins, Rhalan said there is only Gracie he tries to emulate.

"When I was a kid, everybody was watching Royce and everybody wanted to be like him," Rhalan said. "But once I started training with my dad and hearing stories about him, I wanted to be like my dad."

Although the Gracie family has its roots in Brazil, Rhalan can also be considered somewhat of a "local boy." He has lived in Hawai'i Kai for the past six years and is a graduate of Kaiser High.

Rhalan is 0-1 in professional MMA — he lost his debut on a controversial split decision last year. But during his amateur grappling career, he won 20 of 21 bouts by submission.

"He's ready for this," Relson said of his only son. "I don't need him to represent my name and that's not why he's doing this. He's doing this because he wants to and he's 100 percent ready."

But it's not going to be easy.

Ramos, who trains at the Eastsidaz Gym in Kane'ohe, won his pro debut by knockout in May.

"He's a tough stand-up guy, very aggressive," Rhalan said. "I have to try and get him to the ground and do what I do best — submit him."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.