PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Laurent Tsadyleba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roger Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Roger Gracie has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Tsadyleba
vs
Gracie

179 cm
20
173 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
178 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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 Tokyo, Laurent Tsadyleba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Roger Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Hirohito Nitta and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tsadyleba gets a takedown into half guard.
Gracie looks gassed!
Gracie is trying to control but can't.
Tsadyleba is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tsadyleba's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tsadyleba's back!

Gracie patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Gracie doesn't have the hooks in and Tsadyleba manages to turn into his guard.

Tsadyleba drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Tsadyleba jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Tsadyleba trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tsadyleba defends well.
Tsadyleba wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to improve his position but instead Tsadyleba has moved into half guard.
Tsadyleba is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ground and pound from Tsadyleba.
Tsadyleba trying to pass the guard but Gracie defending well.
Tsadyleba seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie is staying active underneath Tsadyleba, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Tsadyleba. That's going to slow Gracie down.
Tsadyleba throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tsadyleba misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Tsadyleba feints and as Gracie raises his hands in defense, Tsadyleba changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tsadyleba has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

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

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Tsadyleba from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsadyleba preventing the sweep.
Tsadyleba sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gracie's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tsadyleba tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Gracie.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Tsadyleba scores with a couple of nice shots.
Tsadyleba thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tsadyleba pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Tsadyleba drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.
Gracie prevents a takedown attempt there.
Tsadyleba is trying to drag Gracie to the mat but Gracie just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Tsadyleba stops a takedown attempt from Gracie.

Tsadyleba jumps guard and drags Gracie to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Tsadyleba looking to control.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tsadyleba swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tsadyleba keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Laurent Tsadyleba dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tsadyleba moves into the clinch.
Gracie letting Tsadyleba take a breather here.
Gracie is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tsadyleba is defending well for now.
Gracie avoids the elbow strike from Tsadyleba, against the cage.

Tsadyleba breaks the clinch.
Tsadyleba tries to land a front kick but Gracie steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Tsadyleba shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Tsadyleba advances to full mount.

Gracie defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Tsadyleba.
Tsadyleba postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gracie looks a forlorn figure.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie tries to lock up and control but Tsadyleba gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gracie in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Gracie wants to control but Tsadyleba is having none of it.
Gracie regains half guard.
Gracie trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Tsadyleba manages to pass to mount!
Tsadyleba with the ground and pound from mount.
Gracie is trying to reverse the position but instead Tsadyleba has taken his back - oops!
Tsadyleba gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.

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.
Tsadyleba biding his time, controlling Gracie.
Tsadyleba keeps control of the position as Gracie tries to break free.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Tsadyleba controlling the positon.
Gracie tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Gracie tries to improve his position but instead Tsadyleba has taken his back!
Tsadyleba is landing with strikes from the back.
Gracie tries to break free.
Tsadyleba is trying to stick to Gracie's back but Gracie is turning into Tsadyleba. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Tsadyleba's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie advances to half guard.

Gracie seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Tsadyleba is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Roger Gracie!