ST. LOUIS – Following his professional mixed-martial-arts debut in 2006, Roger Gracie hasn't exactly kept a frantic fight schedule.

In more than three years, he's fought just three times, and a full two years lapsed between his two most recent fights.

However, following an impressive victory over former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman at Saturday's "Strikeforce St. Louis: Heavy Artillery" event in St. Louis, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion has vowed to make MMA a top priority.

Gracie, who's part of MMA's most famous clan, edged Randleman on the ground, as expected. But the 6-foot-4 fighter also used his height and reach advantage effectively and often beat his opponent to the punch.

In a featured Showtime-televised bout, he scored a second-round submission victory (via rear-naked choke) over Randleman. And now with three straight submission victories to his name, the 28-year-old Brazilian is ready to make MMA a more serious endeavor.

"The more you fight, the more people start looking into you," Gracie said after the event. "I've been very active for many years fighting in jiu jitsu and grappling, and now I'm more into MMA.

"I'm pretty sure I'll be fighting (again) soon. I don't really know exactly when but hopefully the second part of the year. I'll be fighting more often now."

Gracie is still a work in progress, though his striking is much more polished than many of the hardcore grapplers who move into MMA. His head and foot work allowed him to avoid Randleman's heavy hands, and he found his own success in the striking department, especially as the fight wore on.

That's why Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker was so impressed. Yeah, Randleman has struggled as of late with eight losses in his past 10 fights. He hasn't defeated a notable opponent since his upset of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at a PRIDE event more than six years ago.

But the 14-year pro and two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion remains plenty dangerous, especially against a fighter such as Gracie, who's still learning the nuances of the fight game.

"When you look at Kevin Randleman, he knows all the tricks in the book, and he knows how to escape," Coker said. "He's a very strong fighter and has good hands. He's a dangerous opponent who can throw big bombs, but [Gracie] had a very good game plan and took him down and submitted him. I thought he did a very good job."

Although Coker sometimes has struggled to keep his divisions loaded with talent, Strikeforce has put together the best group of heavyweights outside the UFC. Champion Alistair Overeem easily stopped Brett Rogers in Saturday's main event, and Antonio Silva looked sharp in a win over former UFC title-holder Andrei Arlovski in the night's co-headliner. Additionally, a No. 1 contender could be determined next month when famed heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko finally meets veteran Fabricio Werdum.

And though Gracie notched a signature career win, Coker isn't ready to throw him in with the sharks just yet.

"He fought a guy with a lot of experience, but we need to sit down with his camp and evaluate where they want to go (from here)," Coker said.