PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sam Thomas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haxon Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Thomas
vs
Gracie

182 cm
19
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sam Thomas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Haxon Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Paulo Santos and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Thomas has a takedown stuffed.
Thomas has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Thomas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horrible takedown by Thomas or perhaps it was just good defense by Gracie which made him look bad.
Thomas fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Thomas fails with the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Thomas scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Thomas is breathing heavily.
Gracie gets full guard.
Thomas works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Thomas postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Gracie to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Thomas sprawls well initially but Gracie persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Gracie prevents Thomas from improving his position.
Gracie uses his free foot to push down on Thomas's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Thomas.
Gracie lands a nice shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie blocks Thomas's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Gracie scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Gracie dominating with strikes here.
Gracie dominating with strikes here.
Gracie landing shots from mount.

Thomas is rocked!

Gracie looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gracie with good strikes from the mount here!
Gracie lands a big shot there that rocks Thomas but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Thomas is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Thomas is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Thomas can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Thomas tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Thomas is working hard here to advance position.
Gracie lands a heavy elbow.
Gracie scoring with strikes but Thomas is staying in there.
Oh Thomas is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

It looks like Sam Thomas has been cut.
Gracie trying to control but Thomas is having none of it.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gracie won't let Thomas get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Thomas keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Thomas is in a horrible position here. Gracie smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Thomas can't escape the position.
Gracie working the ground and pound effectively.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Thomas is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thomas seems to have got his legs back now.
Thomas wants to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Gracie landing strikes from the mount.
Thomas regains half guard.
Thomas slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Thomas thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Thomas is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Thomas keeps moving.
Thomas with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Gracie can't handle though.
Gracie won't allow Thomas to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thomas throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Thomas is on top in guard.

Gracie is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Thomas has his hands clasped together but Gracie extends an breaks Thomas's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Gracie.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Haxon Gracie!