PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Umberto Eco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rolex Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie has chosen Amon Amart as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Eco
vs
Gracie

182 cm
22
195 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

180 cm
24
191 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Umberto Eco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rolex Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Leandro Rodrigues and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Eco moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Eco connects with a high kick.
Eco misses with a takedown attempt - Gracie sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Gracie gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gracie looking to control.
Eco knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Eco controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Eco gets to his feet - Gracie follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Eco shoots for a takedown but Gracie saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Eco moves into the clinch.
Gracie goes for a takedown in the clinch but Eco prevents it.
Gracie prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Umberto Eco. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Eco is pressed up against the cage. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Eco down to the mat. Eco avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Eco is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Eco wants to clinch.
Umberto Eco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Eco throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Eco is looking to clinch.

Eco closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie blocking some punches.

Eco breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Eco is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Eco circles away and we're back to standing.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Eco counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Gracie is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Eco throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Eco 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.
Eco trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Eco stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Eco.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Eco is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eco looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Eco is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.

Eco pushes Gracie off and gets back to his feet.
Eco tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Eco tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Umberto Eco dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A head kick misses from Eco.
Eco tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.

Gracie gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Eco to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Eco trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gracie's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eco throws a strike but Gracie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Eco looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Eco looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Gracie puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Eco makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Eco.

Gracie gets to his feet. Eco looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Eco pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A solid body kick from Eco.
Eco throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Eco manages to avoid it.
Eco throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Eco sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Eco lands a high kick!
Eco is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Eco is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eco shoots and misses

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Eco didn't expect that.
Eco keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie thows a big elbow that misses.
Eco keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Eco looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Eco is working hard here to advance position.

Rolex Gracie has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Eco tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eco waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Eco pivots, looking for a leg kick but Gracie is out of range and Eco settles back down.
Eco shoots and misses

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Eco didn't expect that.
Eco preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rolex Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Eco is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Eco keeps moving.
Gracie pushes down on Eco's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rolex Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Eco tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Eco wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Eco tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Eco wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Eco tries to clinch up

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Eco's guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Eco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie won't allow Eco to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control but Eco is working from the bottom.
Gracie is fighting to break Eco's control of his arms but Eco is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Gracie advances to half guard.
Eco on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Eco tries to get out of the position.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Eco defending well though.
Gracie not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Eco is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Eco manages to get to full guard.
Gracie stops Eco from standing up.

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.
Eco looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Eco looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Gracie puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Eco is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
Gracie is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control but Eco is keeping him busy.
Eco blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gracie.
Eco is holding on to half guard well.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Eco is having none of it.

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

Eco shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gracie's guard.
Eco wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Eco is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Eco wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side

and Gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Eco!
Gracie trying to control but Eco is having none of it.
Eco is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie content just to control the position here.
Gracie punching from mount but Eco doing a good job of avoiding damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rolex Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

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