PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rogerio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and The Greek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, "The Last of the Mohicans-FORT BATTLE" Entrance Theme for the Gracie Family. The Greek has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Greek

185 cm
23
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
23
185 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rogerio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, The Greek!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Greek.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Greek is pushing Gracie up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Greek lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Gracie has Greek pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Gracie pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Greek tumbling to the mat - Gracie dives into Greek's guard.

Gracie drops back, looking for a kneebar! Greek looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Greek looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Greek!
The strikes coming from Greek are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Greek throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Gracie tries to improve position but can't.
Greek sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Gracie is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Greek working away.
Greek lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Gracie down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gracie manages to get to full guard.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Greek is one step ahead there.
Greek trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Greek manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracie passes Greek's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Greek is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Greek is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Greek holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Greek 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.
Greek tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Gracie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Greek knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Greek is defending it quite comfortably.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Greek tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Greek scores with a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Greek is one step ahead there.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Greek is proving a slippery customer.
Greek distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gracie holds on and takes a little breather.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Greek is proving a slippery customer.
Greek in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Greek stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Gracie controls Greek momentarily but Greek frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Greek works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Greek taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Gracie's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Still in the clinch, Greek scores with a nice short uppercut.
Greek working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Greek working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Greek throws a head punch that misses.
Greek lands a body punch.
Greek working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Greek fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Greek is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

The Greek dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Greek goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Greek is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Greek tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie defending well as Greek loads up on a big left hand.
Gracie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Greek throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Greek.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Greek is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Greek circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
A big right from Greek misses.
Greek shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Greek misses with a looping right.
Gracie slips a jab from Greek.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Greek throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Gracie shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Greek is trying to defend but Gracie finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Gracie passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Greek!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Greek has worked his arm free - good work by Greek!
Greek tries to bench press Gracie off him but Gracie keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Gracie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Greek can do anything to dispel that myth.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Greek can't do much from the bottom here.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Greek, who protects the arm well.
Greek is looking to reverse the position.
Greek wants to control but Gracie postures up.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

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.
Greek tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Greek is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Greek controls the position for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Greek gets back to half guard.
Gracie frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Greek is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gracie seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Greek is holding on tight.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Greek tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Greek has given up his back here. Will Gracie look for the submission or keep pounding away?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogerio Gracie dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Greek lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The Greek seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Greek fails in his attempt to clinch.
Greek is looking to clinch.
Greek looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Greek throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Gracie shoots in but Greek avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Greek wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Greek misses with a wild body shot.
Greek might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Greek scoring well with a low kick there.
Greek wants to clinch.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Greek.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Greek misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
Greek tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Greek.
Greek tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Greek takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Greek throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Greek works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Greek throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Gracie sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Greek misses with the combination.
Greek takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Greek tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Greek to the ground. Greek escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Gracie scores a takedown into full mount!
Greek wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Greek is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Gracie locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Greek is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Rogerio Gracie!