PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Stipe Junakovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Junakovic
vs
Gracie

185 cm
18
240 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

225 cm
18
275 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Stipe Junakovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Royce Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Paulsen Ambrosius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Junakovic looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Junakovic wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Junakovic could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Junakovic accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Junakovic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
Junakovic might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Gracie manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Junakovic feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Gracie is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Junakovic has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Gracie clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Gracie controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Junakovic is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Gracie knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Gracie for a finish.

Junakovic is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Gracie is defending well though. Junakovic let's go of the attempt for now.
Junakovic is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie is trying to shake Junakovic off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Junakovic won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Junakovic sprawls well.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Junakovic gets a takedown into half guard.
Gracie is trying to stand up here but Junakovic is controlling him well.
Junakovic not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gracie is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gracie is looking to escape.

Junakovic is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Gracie pushes Junakovic off looking to stand but Junakovic dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Junakovic is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Gracie is looking to escape.

Junakovic is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gracie has managed to free his arm - good work.
Junakovic trying to mount his opponent but Gracie defends it.
Junakovic knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.

Gracie kicks Junakovic off and gets back to his feet.

Junakovic shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gracie manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Junakovic has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Gracie has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Junakovic off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stipe Junakovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Junakovic shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Junakovic saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Gracie gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Junakovic to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Junakovic wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Gracie is looking to stand up but Junakovic isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Junakovic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie wants to stand but Junakovic is controlling the position.

Junakovic is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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.

Junakovic is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gracie wants to stand but Junakovic is controlling the position.
Junakovic thows a big elbow that misses.

Junakovic thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie pushes Junakovic off and scrambles back to his feet.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Junakovic as he avoids it easily.

Junakovic feints and as Gracie raises his hands in defense, Junakovic changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stipe Junakovic dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Junakovic defends it nicely.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gracie enables Junakovic to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gracie manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Junakovic stops Gracie from standing up.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Junakovic tries to pass.

Junakovic drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Junakovic jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Gracie scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Junakovic shows good takedown defense.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Junakovic sprawls well.
Stipe Junakovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.

Junakovic shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Gracie is trying to stand back up but Junakovic is controlling him
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Junakovic here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Junakovic is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Gracie kicks off Junakovic and gets to his feet.

Gracie gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Junakovic accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Junakovic thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Gracie has a takedown stuffed.
Junakovic stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Junakovic wants it to stay on the feet.

Junakovic shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Junakovic prevents Gracie from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Junakovic drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Junakovic jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Gracie uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Junakovic gets the takedown into side control.

Junakovic thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Junakovic working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Junakovic landing a few strikes.
Gracie is pushing Junakovic's head away, looking to escape. Junakovic manages to hold on to the position though.
Junakovic tries to score with some ground and pound. Gracie controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Junakovic working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie defending against the ground and pound.
Gracie is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Junakovic is controlling him well.

That's four 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.

Junakovic tries for a kimura but Gracie is defending well.

Junakovic is trying to get an arm triangle but Gracie is defending well.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.

Junakovic tries for a kimura but Gracie is defending well.
Junakovic misses with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stipe Junakovic dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Gracie tries to sprawl but Junakovic drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Junakovic looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Gracie manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Gracie gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Junakovic missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Gracie has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Junakovic off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Junakovic is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Junakovic circles away and we're back to standing.

Junakovic shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

Junakovic looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Junakovic in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Gracie holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Junakovic tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Stipe Junakovic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie is trying to stand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Junakovic is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Gracie can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Junakovic won't let Gracie get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

Junakovic working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Gracie trying desperately to get to his feet.

Junakovic is working for a guillotine from mount but Gracie frees his head quite easily.

Junakovic working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Gracie is trying to stand up.
Junakovic lands a nice shot to the head.

Junakovic has control of Gracie's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Gracie regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Gracie is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Junakovic looking to secure an arm triangle but Gracie defends it well.
Gracie is trying to stand up.
Gracie is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Junakovic takes Gracie's back.
Gracie is trying to get back to his feet but Junakovic has full control of the position and if anything, Gracie has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Junakovic looking to break Gracie's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Gracie remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Junakovic will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Gracie holding both Junakovic 's hands and preventing any damage.

Junakovic is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Gracie has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Gracie showing good submission defense here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.

Gracie is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Junakovic gets his way!
Gracie is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Junakovic scores with strikes from the back.

Junakovic is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Gracie defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

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.

Junakovic tightening his grip on Gracie, looking for the choke.
Gracie is trying to stand back up.

Gracie is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.

Junakovic shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Junakovic showed some decent athleticism there.
Junakovic throwing shots but Gracie is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stipe Junakovic showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Junakovic has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stipe Junakovic!