PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chuck Liddell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Liddell
vs
Gracie

188 cm
24
220 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

195 cm
25
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Chuck Liddell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matthew Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Liddell clinches with his opponent.
Gracie misses with a punch on the inside.

Gracie is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Liddell can't fight it off and eventually Gracie manages to take the fight to the floor. Liddell looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Liddell has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Gracie off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Liddell defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Liddell's guard.
Gracie sitting in guard here, content to control.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Liddell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie wanted to stand there but Liddell had control of the position.
Gracie prevents Liddell from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Gracie's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Matthew Gracie has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Liddell saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt

and Gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Liddell!
Gracie looks gassed!
Gracie throws some wild stikes that Liddell manages to avoid easily.
Gracie lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Liddell hang on?
Gracie controlling the position easily from mount.
Liddell keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gracie won't let Liddell get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a head shot.
Liddell taking shots to the head.
Gracie controlling the position easily from mount.
The referee warns Liddell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Gracie moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Liddell has worked his arm free - good work by Liddell!

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Liddell, who protects the arm well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liddell is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Liddell knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Liddell is defending well.
Liddell is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Gracie has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Gracie remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's four 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 scores with a couple of short elbows.
Liddell wants to control but Gracie postures up.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Liddell is defending well.
Gracie in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Liddell is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Gracie dominated that 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.

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Liddell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Liddell keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Matthew Gracie.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Liddell but Liddell pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Liddell rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Liddell's guard.
Gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gracie stays in close to Liddell's body and controls the position.
Liddell has momentary wrist control but Gracie slips an elbow through the middle.
Gracie connects with a couple of short punches.
Gracie scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gracie's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gracie won't allow Liddell to sweep him here.
Liddell can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Still in half guard, Gracie seems content to control.
Liddell tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Liddell tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Gracie has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

Gracie has hold of Liddell's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Liddell manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Liddell is surviving well by controlling Gracie's body position as best he can.
Gracie controlling his opponent.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Liddell to control.
Gracie is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Liddell is in real trouble.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liddell is in bad spot here.
Liddell covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Gracie controls the action.
Liddell wants to get back to his feet.

Gracie patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Liddell.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gracie has his arm under Liddell's chin here. Game over son! Gracie squeezes tightly and Liddell is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Matthew Gracie!