PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Robert Gracie (ranked 1688 p4p, 1200 weight class) and Dharya Bhate (ranked 122 p4p, 90 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Gracie
vs
Bhate

160 cm
22
135
6 - 1 - 0

178 cm
21
145
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Robert Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dharya Bhate!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Reed Andrews and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie clinches.
Gracie swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gracie tries to throw a body punch but Bhate avoids it by throwing Gracie back against the cage.
Gracie misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bhate fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Good body shot from Gracie.
Gracie lands a shoulder strike.
A right handed body shot lands from Gracie.
Gracie lands a hook that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
Bhate tries to pull guard but Gracie forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Bhate tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've been hearing reports that Gracie has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Robert Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dharya Bhate.
Bhate tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Bhate tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gracie smiles and moves away.

Bhate clinches with his opponent.
Gracie misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Bhate pulls guard effortlessly.

Bhate looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gracie has picked Bhate up and slammed him! Bhate can't keep hold of the triangle and Gracie manages to pass to side control!
Bhate felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bhate prevents Gracie from improving position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie works to advance to full mount. Bhate defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Bhate is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie controlling from the full mount.
Gracie moves to the back position.
Bhate rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bhate looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Bhate has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Gracie escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Gracie!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Bhate prevents Gracie from improving position.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
Gracie advances to full mount.
Gracie prevents Bhate from getting the reversal.
Bhate tries to improve his position but instead Gracie has taken his back!

Gracie looking for the choke from the back.
Gracie controls the position.

Gracie tightening his grip on Bhate, looking for the choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Bhate manages to reverse the position and now he's in Gracie's guard. Nice work there by Bhate.

Bhate drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gracie looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gracie looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gracie!

Bhate is trying to get back to half guard.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Bhate has escaped the position, nice work there.
Bhate tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bhate gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Bhate is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie wants to control the pace but Bhate is squirming around nicely.
Bhate is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Bhate has given up his back. Will we see Gracie going for some submissions?
Bhate is trying to break free.

Gracie is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Gracie is persistently looking for the submission but Bhate is defending it well.
Bhate tries to escape the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Gracie dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gracie connects with a crisp jab.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie scores with a body shot.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Bhate's head but Bhate sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Bhate clinches up against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Gracie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie lands a body punch.
Bhate blocking some punches.
Bhate is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gracie to keep the fight standing.
Bhate fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gracie softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gracie lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short right from Gracie.
Gracie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bhate can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Bhates head.
Bhate takes a shot to the head.
Gracie lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Bhate is trying to pull guard but Gracie turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Robert Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dharya Bhate.
A short body shot lands from Gracie as the two fighters clinch.
Gracie lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gracie lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
Gracie lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Bhate tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
Gracie lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Bhate is rocked!
Gracie pushes Bhate back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bhate is still on wobbly legs! Can Gracie finish him?
Gracie working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie lands a body punch.
Bhate tries to pull guard but Gracie won't allow it.
Gracie tries to throw a body punch but Bhate avoids it by throwing Gracie back against the cage.
Bhate seems to have recovered his senses.
A shot in the inside from Gracie.
Gracie struggles to land a body shot inside as Bhate controls his hands.
Gracie throws a head punch that misses.
Bhate jumps guard but Gracie stands there with Bhate around his waist. Bhate gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Gracie - that landed with a thud.
Bhate is breathing heavily.
Gracie lands a hook to the side of the head.
Robert Gracie has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Gracie tries a body shot but Bhate blocks it.
Bhate tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Gracie as the two fighters clinch.
Gracie scores with a shoulder strike.
Bhate tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gracie lands a hook that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
Gracie lands a shoulder strike.
Gracie presses Bhate against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Gracie misses with a hook to the ribs.
Gracie lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
Gracie softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Gracie lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Gracie lands with a light punch inside.
Gracie pushes Bhate back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Bhate takes a shot to the head.
Gracie lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
Gracie scores with a shot to the side of Bhate's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands a body shot.
A short right from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Bhate fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gracie lands a hook that snaps the head of Bhate backwards.
Gracie cracks Bhate with a nice body shot.
Gracie lands with a short shot to the head.
Gracie lands with a short shot to the head.
A short right from Gracie on the inside.
Good body shot from Gracie.
Nice body punch from Gracie - that landed with a thud.
Bhate jumps guard but Gracie stands there with Bhate around his waist. Bhate gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bhate tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gracie lands a shot to the body.
Bhate fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gracie pushes Bhate back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bhate's elbow.
Bhate takes a shot to the head.
Gracie lands with a light punch inside.
Bhate fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Bhate jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gracie walks away with a smile on his face. Bhate gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Bhate gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bhate tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gracie smiles and moves away.
Gracie throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Bhate is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Gracie has closed the distance and engaged Bhate in a clinch.
Gracie lands with a short shot to the head.
Gracie lands with a left to the head.
Gracie lands with a left to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bhate is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gracie to keep the fight standing.
Gracie lands with a left to the head.
Bhate is trying to pull guard but Gracie turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Gracie.
Gracie pushes Bhate back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Gracie dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gracie throws a monster overhand right that drops Bhate! Gracie follows up with more strikes from mount and the fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Robert Gracie!
A victorious Robert Gracie thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.