PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Julio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Souza is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Avenged Sevenfold - Unholy Confessions. Souza has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Julio Gracie looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Gracie
vs
Souza

180 cm
24
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Julio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Felipe Souza!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Souza sprawls well.
Gracie looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gracie content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Souza trying to control from the bottom.
Gracie frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looking to ground and pound but Souza is blocking nicely.
Gracie controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Souza has given up his back.
Souza rolls, trying to escape but Gracie keeps control of the position.
Gracie could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Souza wants to control his opponent's hands but Gracie gets his hands free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Souza up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gracie has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Gracie tightening his grip on Souza, looking for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working for a choke but Souza is defending well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julio Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gracie tries for a takedown but Souza sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Souza misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Souza gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gracie to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.
Souza trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gracie stands and throws Souza's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Gracie decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Souza tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.

Gracie fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Souza, pushing him back against the cage.
Souza wants a takedown but no success here.

Gracie breaks the clinch.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Gracie scores a takedown into full mount!
Gracie is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Souza can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.

Gracie is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Souza misses with a few strikes there.

Souza has Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Julio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Souza missing with knees to the body.
Souza letting Gracie take a breather here.
Gracie is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Souza pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Souza holds him up against the cage and eventually Gracie drops back down to his feet.
Souza tries to pull guard but Gracie won't allow it.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gracie is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Souza looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gracie has picked Souza up and slammed him! Souza can't keep hold of the triangle and Gracie manages to pass to side control!

Gracie decides to stand back up. Gracie steps back and let's Souza get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julio Gracie dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Souza throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Gracie trying to move into half guard but instead Souza has managed to sweep!
Gracie wants to stand but Souza is controlling the position.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Souza from controlling successfully.
Julio Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie controls Souza momentarily but Souza frees himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza throwing strikes but missing.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Souza manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.
Gracie stays in close to Souza's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Souza working for submissions but it's allowed Gracie to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Well, if Gracie is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Souza is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

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

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Souza is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie controlling the action here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Julio Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

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