PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Abel Zero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jamal Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abel Zero had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Zero
vs
Gracie

180 cm
22
195 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Blaze Ronin Street Gear

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Abel Zero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Jamal Gracie!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Steve Smith and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Zero dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gracie. That did some damage!
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Zero goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Jamal Gracie has been cut.
Gracie looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Abel Zero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jamal Gracie.
Zero misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zero throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zero finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Zero is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zero wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Zero defending against the ground and pound.
Zero sneaks out the side door and pushes Gracie away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Zero scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Zero misses with a wild body shot.
Zero lands a nice looking body kick.
Gracie looks gassed!
Some wild striking there from Zero.
Zero connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Gracie momentarily.
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Zero fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A good leg kick by Zero.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a left and a right that both miss
and Zero counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Gracie is rocked!
Zero throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Gracie is still on wobbly legs! Can Zero finish him?Zero connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Gracie seems to have recovered his senses.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Zero counters with a good low kick that Gracie was not able to check.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Zero swivels and escapes.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Zero counters with a leg kick.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
Zero misses with a series of wild punches.
Zero throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Zero.
Abel Zero is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie cracks the inside of Zero's front leg.
Zero lands with a thumping leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Zero.
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Zero counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Zero, right into the meat.
Gracie takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Zero fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Zero checks a leg kick.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Zero shows good takedown defense.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
A bone on bone clash there as Gracie blocks the leg kick.

Zero fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gracie, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie tightens his grip and picks Zero up, before dumping him to the ground. Zero manages to land in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gracie accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie trying to move into half guard but instead Zero has managed to sweep!
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Zero to get to half guard.
Zero takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gracie wants to control but Zero is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracie tries to roll over but Zero keeps him under control.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Zero pulls his head out easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zero slows the pace down in half guard.
Gracie trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abel Zero dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jamal Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Zero throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.

Gracie shoots in and bounces Zero off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zero works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Zero pulls Gracie in to control the position.
Gracie preventing the sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zero swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Zero keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gracie looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A low kick from Zero misses

so Gracie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Zero can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracie controls the pace.
Zero has a closed guard, preventing Gracie from standing up.
Gracie prevents Zero from getting back to his feet.

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

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Gracie scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Zero looks like he's trying to stand up.
Zero is trying to get back to full guard.
Zero keeping control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zero makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Zero.
Gracie with a nice head shot there.
Zero tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Zero keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie prevents Zero from getting back to his feet.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Zero keeps moving.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zero works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Zero keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Zero as he avoids it easily.
Abel Zero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jamal Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Zero.
Abel Zero is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gracie's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Zero scores with a jab to the head.
Gracie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Zero.
Zero rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A right-left combo lands from Zero.
Zero falls off balance throwing a combination

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zero's guard.
Zero keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Zero pulls Gracie in close to prevent any damage.

Gracie drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Zero dives on top into guard.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zero wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Zero avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Zero stands up from guard. Let's bang!
A nice leg kick lands there from Zero.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Zero misses with a right hand

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Gracie is pressing down on Zero's thigh, looking to free his foot. Zero is holding on for now.
Jamal Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamal Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jamal Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Gracie with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Gracie blocks a jab.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Zero makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Gracie really felt that one!
Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Zero, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Zero against the cage but Zero circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Zero goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Zero throws a left and a right that both miss

and Gracie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Zero's guard now.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Zero keeps moving.
Gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
Gracie cracks Zero with a solid left hand.
Zero has Gracie pulled in close to control his posture.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zero manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zero won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Zero postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gracie is on top in guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Zero keeps moving.
Gracie thows a big elbow that misses.
Gracie pushes down on Zero's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Zero is working away.
Zero wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.

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.
Zero is positioning himself well to prevent Gracie advancing to mount.
Zero pushes Gracie off looking to stand but Gracie dives back in and keeps control.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Zero defends it.
Zero manages to get to full guard.
Gracie postures up in Zero's guard and throws a big left but Zero blocks it.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Zero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zero wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Zero is retaining full guard.
Zero is trying to keep Gracie in close.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Zero counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Abel Zero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jamal Gracie.
Gracie looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Zero as he avoids it easily.
Zero stuffs the takedown.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zero throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie tries to move into range but Zero moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

Zero gets a clinch.

Zero breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Zero tries a head kick but it misses.
Gracie looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Zero throws a leg kick but Gracie moved away.
Zero throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Zero swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Abel Zero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Zero is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Zero circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good shot there by Zero.
Zero throws a lazy uppercut

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Zero fights it but they end up in guard.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gracie tries to stand but Zero is controlling from the bottom.
Zero manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Zero fails to move to back control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie working to try and regain half guard.
Gracie is trying to reverse the position but instead Zero has taken his back - oops!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jamal Gracie.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

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