PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bryan Gracie (ranked 1161 p4p, 1409 weight class) and African King (ranked 164 p4p, 204 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Limp Bizkit - Rollin'. Bryan Gracie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
King

195 cm
36
195
13 - 9 - 0

180 cm
29
199
11 - 15 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Decent elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bryan Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 15 - 0, fighting out of London, African King!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

King looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Gracie!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

King thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
King moves into full mount!
King throws some wild stikes that Gracie manages to avoid easily.
King throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Gracie because King loaded up on that one.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
King keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

King escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! King is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and King manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into King's guard.
King looking for a sweep. Not yet King, not yet.
Gracie trying to control but King is working from the bottom.

King throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
King pulls Gracie in close to prevent any damage.
King is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gracie passes King's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
King is trying to get back to full guard.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but King is defending well.
King wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

King looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
King is pressing down on Gracie's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie postures up.
We've been hearing good reports from Gracie's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Gracie trying to control but King is working from the bottom.
Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
King trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

King shoots in and bounces Gracie off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but King defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
King slips nicely into half guard.
King passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Gracie!
Gracie is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
King can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gracie is looking to escape.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

African King dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gracie tries to sprawl but King drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Gracie manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
King looking to pass the guard.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. King gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but King pushes his legs off easily.
King has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
King tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

King avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
King not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but King can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
King looking to pass the guard.
King slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gracie keeping full guard, as King tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing King from controlling successfully.
King slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
King working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie tries to buck King off but King is having none of it.
African King has got the better of the ground game so far.

King looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
King wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

King looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

King tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no King has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gracie is trying to control King's posture but King avoids it.
Gracie tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie is not content to let King control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gracie tries to improve position but can't.
King wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Gracie manages to work his way to half guard, despite King's best efforts.
King is trying to control the action in half guard but Gracie is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

King is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Gracie is just riding it out for now. King eventually gives up the hold.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

King is working for a kimura but Gracie is defending it quite comfortably.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

African King showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gracie moves out of range as King strikes.
Gracie half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
A head kick misses from King.
Gracie feinted with a counter takedown.
King cracks Gracie with a good jab.
Gracie loads up on a big right hand but King slips the punch.

King shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Gracie is trying to defend but King finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
King controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

King is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gracie has managed to free his arm - good work.

Gracie is defending against the submission attempts here by King.
Gracie is not content to let King control the position.
Gracie is pressing down on King's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
King must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gracie is on top in guard.

Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from King.

Gracie drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and King dives on top into guard.

King engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
King pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Gracie is staying active underneath King, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. King doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. King manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
King trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. King doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. King manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Bryan Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
African King is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. King gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
King sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gracie's guard.
King content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

King is looking for a kimura but Gracie is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for King to get the leverage.

King wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
King is pressing down on Gracie's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gracie is holding on for now.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but King pulls his head out easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Gracie is not content to let King control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
African King comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well King has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... African King!
A less than humble African King misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.