PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Santos has chosen Ransom as his entrance music. Royce Gracie has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Gracie
vs
Santos

210 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

185 cm
24
205 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcus Santos!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Russell Pearce and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Santos displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Santos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Santos throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.

Santos gets caught flat footed, as Gracie shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Santos wants to stand but Gracie is controlling the position.
Santos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gracie is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Santos wants to stand but Gracie is controlling the position.
Gracie postures up in Santos's guard and throws a big left but Santos blocks it.

Santos is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gracie is aware though and is defending well.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Santos is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's two 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Royce Gracie wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Gracie throws a left and a right that both miss
letting Santos counter with a right hand.

Royce Gracie's cut is getting worse.
Santos doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gracie holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Santos looks gassed!
Gracie has Santos pressed against the cage, preventing Santos from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gracie controlling the action here for a moment.
Gracie really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Gracie manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Santos won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
Santos trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Santos is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Santos prevents Gracie from getting back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gracie has closed the distance and engaged Santos in a clinch.
Santos wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Gracie manages to pull guard.
Gracie wants to stand up but Santos is controlling him.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Santos tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Santos preventing the sweep.
Santos wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie lands a decent shot there.
Santos being controlled here momentarily.
Santos trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Marcus Santos wasn't active enough on the ground.

Gracie moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Royce Gracie's cut.
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.

A combination from Gracie does no damage.
Santos tries to score with a low kick but Gracie moves his leg out of the way.
An inside leg kick lands from Gracie.
Gracie swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Santos.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Gracie lands a nice leg kick that just misses Santos's sensitive parts.

Gracie forces Santos back against the cage and clinches.

Gracie pulls guard successfully.
Gracie is pulling down on Santos's head. It's preventing any offense from Santos, at least for the moment.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Santos controlling him for the moment.
Santos is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie tries to clinch but Santos is having none of it.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Santos tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Santos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Santos.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Gracie has managed to clinch.
Gracie taking a breather.

Gracie pulls guard successfully.
Santos must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Santos trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Gracie controlling the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Santos trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Marcus Santos.
Santos stuffs the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to clinch.
Gracie misses with a double jab.
Gracie shoots in but Santos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos scores with a kick to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Santos. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Santos tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Santos manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Santos counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's four 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.
Gracie cracks a nice hook into Santos's ribs.
A head kick by Santos misses

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie trying to control but Santos is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Gracie dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Royce Gracie's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Gracie looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Santos swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Santos tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.

Gracie goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Santos is on top in guard.
Gracie has Santos pulled in close to control his posture.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Royce Gracie wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Santos counters with a body kick.
Santos will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Santos throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gracie scores with a three punch combo!
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Santos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santos is not content to let Gracie control the position.

Gracie stands up and beckons Santos to his feet.
Santos avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Santos.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Gracie putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Santos in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Santos avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Santos is looking to break free of the clinch but Gracie has double underhooks.

Santos manages to break the clinch.
Santos misses with a double jab
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Royce Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Santos will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Santos tries for a takedown but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Gracie moves into the clinch.
Santos can't break the clinch.

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

Gracie breaks from the clinch.
Santos is looking to clinch.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Santos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Santos sprawls well. Santos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gracie.
Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Santos, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Santos against the cage but Santos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gracie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Santos circles away quickly and effectively.
Marcus Santos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Royce Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

And that's the end of the fight!
Royce 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

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