PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Cristian Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cray Cray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Cray Cray enters the ring!

Gracie
vs
Cray

195 cm
22
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cristian Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Cray Cray!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Cray sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Gracie prevents Cray from improving his position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Gracie trying to control the action but Cray is working from the bottom.
Gracie passes to full mount!
Cray really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gracie dominating with strikes here.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Cray tries to buck Gracie off but he can't manage it.

Gracie looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cray is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.

Gracie goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Cray turns into him and now he's in Gracie's guard.
Gracie looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Cray puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Cray is looking to stall here but Gracie recovers full guard.
Cray trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

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.
Cray is looking to advance position but Gracie has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Cray tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Gracie is looking to work his way around to Cray's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Cray tries to lock up and control but Gracie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cray is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.
Cray is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cray working to try and regain half guard.
Cray bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Cray is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cray looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Cray is proving a slippery customer.
Cray looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Cray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie content to stall in guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cray is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cristian Gracie dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Cray with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Cray.
Cray managing to control the position.
Cray is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cray is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cray 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.
Cray is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.

Cray scores a takedown into full mount!
Gracie blocking the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to improve his position but Cray isn't that keen on the idea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cray throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Poor strikes thrown by Cray there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Cray controlling the position easily from mount.
Gracie can't escape the position.
Cray throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cray throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Cray looking to ground and pound but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Cray tries to control but Gracie wriggling away.
Gracie wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Cray has the hooks in. Gracie is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
A lull in the action here.
Gracie is trying to escape under a series of strikes and manages to escape from Cray 's hooks.

Cray has control of Gracie's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Gracie regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gracie wants to hold on but Cray pushes him away.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Cray maintains control.
Cray is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Gracie can't escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cray content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Cristian Gracie will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Cray with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Cray won't be happy with that.
Gracie laying and praying for a moment but Cray takes advantage and regains half guard.
Gracie is thwarting Cray's attempts to control the position.
Gracie wants to advance to full mount but Cray doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Cray controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Cray keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie postures up in Cray's guard and throws a big left but Cray blocks it.
Cray is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gracie is controlling him.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cray is keeping the position for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cray tries to land a front kick but Gracie steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Cray shoots in and bounces Gracie off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Cray stops Gracie from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cray has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gracie is proving hard to escape from.
Cray looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Cray looking to control.
Cristian Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cray is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cray not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gracie working away.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Cray sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.

Cray stands and steps away. Gracie gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Cray moves into the clinch.
Cray tries to pull guard but Gracie holds him up against the ropes and eventually Cray drops back down to his feet.
Cray fails to pull guard.
Cristian Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cray Cray.
Cray gets underhooks to prevent Gracie's takedown attempt.
Cray tries to pull guard but Gracie holds him up against the ropes and eventually Cray drops back down to his feet.

Cray pulls guard effortlessly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cray looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cray manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Gracie is squirming around, avoiding Cray's attempts to control the action.
Cristian Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gracie is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Cray Cray.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

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