PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Celso Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Soldier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Jiu Jitsu - Apaga mas não bate. Celso Gracie looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Gracie
vs
Soldier

193 cm
23
160 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Celso Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike Soldier!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soldier shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Gracie sprawls well. Gracie wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Soldier gets slowly back to his feet.
Soldier fails with a takedown attempt.
Soldier is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Soldier lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Soldier stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Soldier wants it to stay on the feet.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Soldier is looking to stand up but Gracie isn't so interested in that idea.
Soldier looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Soldier is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Soldier manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Soldier's guard.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

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.

Soldier 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Soldier saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Soldier moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.

Soldier instigates a clinch.

Soldier lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Soldier works his way into full mount!

Soldier working for a submission but Gracie is keeping him at bay.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Soldier is looking to advance position but Gracie won't allow it.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four 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.

Soldier is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Soldier seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt.
Gracie works his way to full guard. Good work.

Soldier got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Soldier has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Soldier defends well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Celso Gracie will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Soldier wants to clinch.
Soldier fails with the takedown

so Gracie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Soldier is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Soldier manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Soldier's guard.

Soldier is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gracie is aware though and is defending well.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Soldier throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Soldier wants to stand and escape but Gracie is having none of it.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Gracie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Soldier looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie is trying to get an arm triangle but Soldier is defending well.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Soldier is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Gracie is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Soldier has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Soldier is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gracie is controlling him well.
Soldier tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Soldier wants to get back to his feet but Gracie drags him back down.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Soldier, who protects the arm well.
Soldier is looking for a sweep.

Gracie is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Soldier looks calm but he's in trouble here. Gracie gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Soldier is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Gracie lets go of the hold and Soldier can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Celso Gracie!