PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Maggio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maggio has chosen Speak Softly Love as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Gracie
vs
Maggio

183 cm
26
185 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

175 cm
25
183 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vitor Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tony Maggio!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie throws the left hand but Maggio avoids the punch easily.
A leg kick checked by Gracie.
Maggio plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Maggio tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Gracie scores a takedown into full mount!
Gracie is trying to take his opponent's back.
Gracie prevents Maggio from getting the reversal.
Maggio is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Gracie wants to finish this one by submission but Maggio is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Gracie.

Gracie moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Maggio has worked his arm free - good work by Maggio!
Maggio is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maggio 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.
Maggio manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gracie's best efforts.
Gracie is keen to just control but Maggio is a slippery customer.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Maggio defends it.
Gracie stops Maggio from getting back to his feet.

Maggio is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
Maggio is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Maggio sees it coming and defends easily.
Maggio is trying to get back to full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Maggio can do anything to dispel that myth.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Maggio wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Maggio wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Maggio is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Maggio sees it coming and defends easily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Gracie misses with a wild combination.
Tony Maggio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Maggio pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Maggio.
Gracie scores with a nice right hand.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Maggio avoids them all with ease.
Gracie swings for the body but Maggio moves out of range.
Maggio looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Maggio. Gracie shrugs it off though.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Maggio sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Maggio thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Gracie if he has to take too many more of those.
Maggio fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tony Maggio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maggio throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Vitor Gracie has been cut.
Maggio throws a left and a right that both miss

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maggio is looking for a sweep.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Maggio knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Maggio is looking for a sweep.
Maggio is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maggio manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tony Maggio will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vitor Gracie's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Maggio.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Maggio moves out of range.
Maggio pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Maggio lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gracie's sensitive parts.
A slapping leg kick lands for Maggio.
Gracie throws a shot from downtown. Maggio moves away and avoids it.
Maggio is looking to clinch.
Crunch! Maggio slams his shin into Gracie's torso.
Maggio throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Some wild striking there from Maggio.
Gracie misses with a wild combination.
Maggio is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Maggio has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie avoiding damage as Maggio throws knees to the body.

Gracie manages to pull guard.
Maggio looking to pass the guard.

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.

Maggio decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gracie.

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 thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maggio is trying to get back to his feet.
Gracie working the ground and pound but Maggio is defending the strikes.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Maggio, who protects the arm well.
Maggio is pushing Gracie's head away, looking to escape. Gracie manages to hold on to the position though.
Maggio is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four 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.
Maggio looking for a sweep but Gracie has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Maggio is wriggling around trying to escape.

Gracie goes for an armbar but Maggio turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Maggio.
Gracie trying to control the position.

Maggio got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Maggio has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tony Maggio will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Vitor Gracie's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Maggio moves out of range of the strikes.
Maggio looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Maggio misses with a body kick.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Good standup being displayed there by Gracie as he connects with a hook.
Vitor Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Maggio is looking to land body kicks.
Maggio ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Gracie moves out of range as Maggio throws a body kick.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Maggio defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maggio misses with a combination
and Gracie counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie cracks Maggio with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Maggio tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Maggio.
A head kick from Maggio lands but Gracie takes it in his stride.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Maggio which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maggio tries a head kick but it misses.
Maggio will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Maggio throws a combination that misses

and Gracie counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Maggio is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gracie is controlling him.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Maggio looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Maggio really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Maggio has his feet on Gracie's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands a nice shot to the body.
Maggio throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Maggio fails to land with a series of punches.
Maggio pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Gracie lands with a shot to the body.
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gracie throws a good cross that connects.
Gracie with a jab.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Maggio.
Maggio avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Maggio swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maggio tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Maggio shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Maggio tries to clinch up.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie stuns Maggio with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Maggio throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Vitor Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie moves into range and connects with a jab.
Maggio is looking to clinch.
Maggio fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maggio is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Maggio tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maggio.
Gracie looks to land a combination. Maggio sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maggio dodges the punch combination from Gracie.
Gracie takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Maggio on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Maggio throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Gracie moves out of range as Maggio throws a body kick.
Tony Maggio is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maggio misses with a two punch combination.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt
and Gracie counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gracie moves out of range of the body kick from Maggio.
Maggio misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vitor Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Maggio 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Tony Maggio!