PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bancroft Rothschild (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes into the arena with Hydraulix 13.5 - D.A.V.E. the Drummer & Alex Calver blaring out of the sound system. Rothschild has chosen The Light as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Rothschild

183 cm
24
195 lbs
19 - 12 - 1

188 cm
24
201 lbs
15 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aaron Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bancroft Rothschild!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie looks to land a combination but Rothschild avoids it well.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rothschild.
Rothschild throws a nice inside leg kick.
Gracie connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Rothschild momentarily.
Rothschild throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Bancroft Rothschild seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Rothschild sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Rothschild sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gracie showed some decent athleticism there.
Rothschild keeping hold of Gracie's head, controlling as best he can.
Rothschild is looking to escape.
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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Rothschild won't allow it.
Rothschild is trying to stand.
Gracie is looking to pass Rothschild's guard but actually Rothschild recovers to full guard.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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 in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rothschild swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Rothschild keeps moving.
Rothschild is pulling down on Gracie's head. It's preventing any offense from Gracie, at least for the moment.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Rothschild is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rothschild throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.
Rothschild throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and checks it nicely.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rothschild is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Rothschild scores with a leg kick.
Gracie has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rothschild.
Rothschild is looking to clinch.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rothschild is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Rothschild circles away and we're back to standing.
Rothschild connects with an inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Rothschild, right into the meat.
Gracie throws a good cross that connects.
Rothschild explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Rothschild is avoiding it.
Rothschild getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Rothschild cracks the inside of Gracie's front leg.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Rothschild.
Rothschild throws a leg kick but Gracie checks it.
Gracie slips a straight right by Rothschild.
Gracie keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Gracie pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Rothschild attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bancroft Rothschild dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rothschild fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Rothschild.
Rothschild throws a big shot that misses.
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Rothschild is looking to score with low kicks.
Rothschild throws a leg kick which misses Gracie's front leg but catches the back leg as Gracie tries to avoid it.
Gracie scores with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rothschild closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Rothschild.
Rothschild throws a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Gracie blocks a jab.
Gracie cracks Rothschild with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rothschild connects with an inside leg kick.
Rothschild lands a body shot.
Rothschild misses with a low kick.
Gracie rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rothschild moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rothschild lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Rothschild throws a leg kick that misses.
Rothschild swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Rothschild looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rothschild circles away quickly and effectively.
Gracie misses with a straight right.
Rothschild tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild walks into a straight right hand from Gracie.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rothschild.
Rothschild throws a low kick but it's checked well by Gracie.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Bancroft Rothschild is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rothschild attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rothschild throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rothschild throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Gracie jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rothschild sprawls well. Rothschild wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Rothschild throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie wants to clinch up but Rothschild keeps it at a distance.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Rothschild.
Gracie lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rothschild at a distance.

Rothschild tries to sprawl but Gracie drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Gracie is looking to stall here but Rothschild recovers full guard.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rothschild is keeping the position for now.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Rothschild keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Rothschild is retaining full guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Rothschild keeps moving.
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Rothschild is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Aaron Gracie has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gracie connects with a jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rothschild throws a half hearted mid kick.
Rothschild misses with a body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aaron Gracie will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A good leg kick by Rothschild.
Rothschild scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Gracie is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Rothschild wants to slow Gracie down by chopping away at his legs.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rothschild.
Nice shot lands for Gracie.
Jab by Gracie.
Gracie takes a swing at Rothschild's ribcage but misses.
Rothschild looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
Gracie chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rothschild can pounce on him.
Rothschild is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Rothschild throws a combination that misses

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Rothschild fights it but they end up in guard.
Rothschild is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Rothschild wriggles free and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Rothschild ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Rothschild.
Rothschild fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gracie checks it well.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into Rothschild's guard.
Rothschild is looking to stand up but Gracie isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rothschild trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Rothschild has control of Gracie's left arm, preventing Gracie from doing any damage.
Rothschild is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Bancroft Rothschild was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Rothschild.
Rothschild misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rothschild wants to land a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild throws a hook to the side of Gracie's head but Gracie sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gracie moves out of range of the body kick from Rothschild.
Rothschild misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Gracie counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rothschild keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Rothschild avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Rothschild is keeping the position.
Rothschild keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie is really struggling to control Rothschild but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rothschild wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Aaron Gracie.
Rothschild tried to score with a low kick but Gracie checks it.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rothschild as he avoids it easily.

Gracie shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Rothschild 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 trying to control the action in half guard but Rothschild is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight for Aaron Gracie!
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight for Aaron Gracie!
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Aaron Gracie!

Aaron Gracie wins by unanimous decision!