PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darin Blood (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Hydraulix 13.5 - D.A.V.E. the Drummer & Alex Calver. 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.

Gracie
vs
Blood

183 cm
25
195 lbs
21 - 15 - 1

183 cm
23
184 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 21 - 15 - 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 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Darin Blood!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Chris Downing and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice uppercut lands for Blood. That snapped Gracie's head back.
Blood throws a head kick that Gracie semi-blocks.
Blood throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Blood avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Blood throws a right hand that misses
and Gracie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nice sprawl there from Blood as Gracie shoots in.
A telegraphed right hand from Gracie misses the target.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Blood counters with a right hand to the body.
Gracie connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Blood's hands.
Blood throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Blood circles away.
Gracie will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Blood missing with a left hand there. Gracie was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Blood moves away.
Blood tries to land a front kick but Gracie steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Blood looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie trying to control the action but Blood is working from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Gracie connects with a nice short shot to Blood's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Gracie has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

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.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie slips a jab from Blood.
Blood misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Blood.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Blood throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gracie tries to clinch up but Blood circles away and keeps his distance.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Blood circles away.
Blood walks into a straight right hand from Gracie.
Blood walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gracie misses with a few strikes there.
Blood throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Gracie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Blood.

Blood has taken the fight to the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Blood.

Blood decides to pull guard.
Blood is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blood avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracie is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

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

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Gracie working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Blood looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.

Blood has an active guard here but Gracie has managed to pass into half guard.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Blood sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Aaron Gracie will probably get the nod.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Blood tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Gracie gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gracie can't get the takedown.
Knees to the body from Blood.
Gracie is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Blood landing knees to the body.
Gracie lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Blood digs a right hand underneath Gracie's ribcage. Gracie let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Gracie swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Blood unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gracie lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Gracie turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Gracie manages to end up in side control.
Blood is trying to get back to half guard.
Blood is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie tries for a kimura but Blood is defending well.
Blood sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Blood trying to control from the bottom.
Gracie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Blood looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Blood is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Blood is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Blood tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Blood wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Gracie lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blood is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Blood controlling the position well.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gracie lands a nice short elbow.
Blood wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Gracie uses his free foot to push down on Blood's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Blood.
Blood is working to get back to half guard.

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.
Gracie working Blood over with strikes here.
Blood is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.
Blood tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Blood is looking to escape.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Blood tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie missing with a left hand there. Blood was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Blood scores with a leg kick.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Blood.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Blood.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.

Gracie has Blood up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie throws a head punch that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blood misses with a knee strike.
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Blood walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Blood staying out of range there.
Gracie misses with an uppercut.
Blood throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blood misses with a combination

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Blood didn't expect that.
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Blood looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
Blood is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Gracie moves into full guard.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Blood!
Gracie fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling his opponent.
Blood keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Blood tries to lock up and control but Gracie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands a heavy elbow.
Blood is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Blood is looking to escape.
Blood can't escape the position.
Gracie looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gracie working the ground and pound effectively.
Blood is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Blood is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Gracie connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Blood is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Blood keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gracie looking to control and managing it successfully.
Blood is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.
Gracie tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight for Aaron Gracie!
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight for Aaron Gracie!
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight for Aaron Gracie!

Aaron Gracie wins by unanimous decision!