PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Richmond Belvedere (ranked 2023 p4p, 2188 weight class) and Renoa Gracie (ranked 124 p4p, 134 weight class). Renoa Gracie has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Richmond Belvedere's chin.

Belvedere
vs
Gracie

168 cm
22
142
2 - 0 - 0

166 cm
23
145
1 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Richmond Belvedere!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Renoa Gracie!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Belvedere.
Belvedere looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Belvedere pushes him away.
Nice straight punches there by Belvedere. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Belvedere.
Belvedere works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
Belvedere circles away from the clinch attempt
and Belvedere counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Belvedere.
Gracie slips a straight right by Belvedere.
Gracie steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Belvedere.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belvedere misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
Richmond Belvedere seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie clobbers Belvedere with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Belvedere moves out of range of the strikes.
Belvedere ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Gracie with the counter takedown but Belvedere avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belvedere misses with a body shot.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Belvedere paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but can't.
A lull in the action here as Gracie stalls from top position.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Belvedere is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Belvedere is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belvedere prevents Gracie from moving into mount.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Gracie laying and praying for a moment but Belvedere takes advantage and regains half guard.
Belvedere is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Ryōzanpaku Dojo, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Belvedere makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Belvedere.

Belvedere throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gracie escapes and throws Belvedere's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belvedere is looking for a sweep.
Gracie working away.
Gracie taking a break here but Belvedere is having none of it and regains half guard.
Gracie works his foot free and advances to mount.
Belvedere is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie lands a big elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie goes for an armbar but Belvedere turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Belvedere.
Belvedere trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Belvedere controlling him for the moment.
Belvedere throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Belvedere showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Belvedere trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Richmond Belvedere will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Belvedere.
Belvedere lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but Belvedere has him pressed against the cage.
Gracie softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gracie scores with a shot to the side of Belvedere's head.
Belvedere lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Gracie or not.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Belvedere smiles and moves away.
Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch
and Belvedere counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Belvedere's corner calls for a 1-2. Belvedere obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Left hook, right uppercut from Belvedere.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A swing and a miss from Belvedere.
Gracie wants to counter the offense by Belvedere and move into the clinch position.
Belvedere throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gracie sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Belvedere pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie moves into the clinch.
Gracie jumps guard but Belvedere stands there with Gracie around his waist. Gracie gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Richmond Belvedere has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renoa Gracie.
Gracie throws a head punch that misses.
A bit of stalling here from Gracie.
Gracie is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Belvedere is keeping busy.
Belvedere misses with a punch on the inside.
Gracie displaying some good clinch control by pressing Belvedere up against the cage.
Belvedere swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gracie taking a breather.
A head punch on the inside from Gracie fails to land.
Gracie content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Renoa Gracie.
Belvedere misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Belvedere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Belvedere's waist but Belvedere gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Belvedere misses with a wild combination.
Belvedere takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Belvedere pushes him off.
Belvedere fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gracie looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Belvedere is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Belvedere thuds a left hand into Gracie's body.
Belvedere misses with a looping right.
Belvedere fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Belvedere.
Gracie is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Belvedere uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gracie has time to react.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Belvedere manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
It looked like Belvedere wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Belvedere jabs at Gracie's body.
Belvedere connects with a looping right hand.
Belvedere jabs Gracie right on the nose. Gracie blinks but takes it well.
Gracie avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Gracie, as that shot connected.
Richmond Belvedere is winning the standup battle so far.
Belvedere throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie wants to counter the offense by Belvedere and move into the clinch position.
Belvedere misses with an uppercut.
Belvedere is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Belvedere circles away.
Richmond Belvedere is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Belvedere.
Gracie uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Belvedere has time to react.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to clinch but Belvedere is having none of it.
It looked like Belvedere wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Nice uppercut lands for Belvedere. That snapped Gracie's head back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Belvedere. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie slips under a jab from Belvedere.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Belvedere works Gracie's body with a nice hook.
Belvedere loads up on a big right hand but Gracie slips the punch.
Belvedere connects with the punch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gracie stalling the fight.

Gracie gets control of Belvedere's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gracie will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Belvedere working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Belvedere wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Richmond Belvedere dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Belvedere scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Gracie looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Belvedere!
Gracie lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Belvedere is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Gracie off and has taken his back!
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Belvedere.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Belvedere scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Gracie is looking for a way out.
Gracie covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Belvedere has Gracie flattened out and is raining down punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Belvedere. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Gracie is trapped and Belvedere is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Belvedere.

Belvedere looking for the choke from the back.
Gracie has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.
Belvedere is hanging on to Gracie's back as he tries to escape.
Gracie rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Gracie is pressing down on Belvedere's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Belvedere trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Renoa Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belvedere stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Belvedere preventing the sweep.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Belvedere doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Belvedere manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Belvedere with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belvedere postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Belvedere from controlling successfully.
Gracie is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Belvedere is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Gracie works his way into full mount!
Gracie unloads with some shots from mount but Belvedere bucks and avoids them well.
Richmond Belvedere is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Gracie there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Renoa Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Belvedere slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gracie is keen to just control but Belvedere is a slippery customer.
Belvedere manages to get to full guard.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie pushes down on Belvedere's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Belvedere controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Richmond Belvedere.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Belvedere, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richmond Belvedere!
Richmond Belvedere seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.