PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Mojo - Peeping Tom. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Gracie
vs
Smith

183 cm
18
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

184 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Elite Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aaron Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Smith!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Wesley Smith and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie has managed to clinch.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gracie tries to roll over but Smith keeps him under control.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Smith jumps into side control!
Gracie is looking for a sweep.
Smith working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Gracie is trying to improve his position.

Smith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith advances nicely into full mount.
Smith scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gracie?
Gracie is working to get back to half guard.
Gracie looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Smith not allowing Gracie to control his hands.
Smith keeps control of the position as Gracie tries to break free.
Smith lands shots from the back.
Gracie is trying to break free.
Smith doesn't have the hooks in and Gracie manages to turn into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Smith trying to control the position.
Smith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gracie kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a solid leg kick but Gracie takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Smith.
Smith looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gracie is fending him off so far but Smith persists. Nope, Gracie circles away and we're back to standing.

Gracie instigates a clinch.
Smith avoiding damage as Gracie throws knees to the body.
Gracie wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the cage.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smith has a takedown stuffed.
Aaron Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Smith.
Gracie tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.

Smith scores a takedown into full mount!
Gracie manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
Gracie is pressing down on Smith's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Smith won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Smith postures up.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith stands and throws Gracie's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Smith stands up and we're back to a striking position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Smith dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie stuffs the takedown.
Smith looks for a takedown but Gracie sprawls well.
Smith shoots in and drives through. Gracie sprawls well.
Aaron Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Smith.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Smith throws Gracie to one side and escapes!
A bone on bone clash there as Gracie blocks the leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Smith with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Smith's guard now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.

Smith looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
Smith is looking to stand up but Gracie isn't so interested in that idea.
Gracie slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Smith is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Smith is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
Smith tries to improve position but can't.
Thomas Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith wants to control but Gracie postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gracie tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but Smith denies him.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Smith sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.
Smith distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Smith passes into side control.
Gracie is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Gracie is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Smith's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Gracie slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gracie trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Smith!

Gracie working for a guillotine from mount but Smith is in no mood to give up.

Gracie is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Smith has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Smith is now in Gracie's guard. A big mistake from Gracie there, giving up the dominant position!

Smith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie working for a triangle but Smith defends it easily.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Smith is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Gracie Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Smith's back instead.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Smith.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Gracie dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Smith keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smith tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Smith manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Gracie slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Smith passes to side control.
Gracie is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Smith off and has taken his back!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Gracie looking for the RNC.
Smith manages to reverse the position and now he's in Gracie's guard. Nice work there by Smith.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gracie wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Gracie is tying to control. Smith wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Smith won't allow it.
Smith moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Smith wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Smith keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gracie trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie advances to mount.
Gracie looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gracie has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Gracie!