PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Graves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Decan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Graves comes to the cage accompanied by I Want War by Pastor Troy. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Graves
vs
Decan

185 cm
28
170 lbs
12 - 7 - 1

185 cm
22
180 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 1, fighting out of New York, James Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mark Decan!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Anthony Taglia and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graves moves out of range of the body kick from Decan.
Graves takes a swing at Decan's ribcage but misses.
Graves tries to clinch but Decan moves out of range.
Graves misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Graves thows a body shot but no joy.
Decan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Decan throws a series of punches but Graves moves out of range.
Decan throws a shot from downtown. Graves moves away and avoids it.
Graves swings for the body but Decan moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Graves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Decan misses with a double jab.
Graves ducks under a wild hook from Decan.
Decan swinging wildly here.
Decan misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Decan.
Graves throws a front kick aimed at Decan's knee but Decan avoids it well.
Decan throws a right and a left that both miss.

Graves has closed the distance and engaged Decan in a clinch.
Graves missing with knees to the body.
Graves missing with knees to the body.
Graves changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Decan fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Graves stuffs the takedown.
Graves throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Some bone on bone action there as Graves checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
A slow jab from Graves misses its intended target.
Decan fails to land with a series of punches.
Decan throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Decan stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Graves swings for the body but Decan moves out of range.
Decan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Graves is looking to wear down Decan with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Graves misses with a body shot.
A combination from Decan does no damage.
Decan avoids the body shot from Graves.
Graves misses with a takedown attempt - Decan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Graves swings for the body but Decan moves out of range.
Graves misses the shot to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Decan scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A head kick misses from Graves.
Graves feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Decan's calf.
Graves leaves Decan with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Decan's head.
Graves tries to clinch there but Decan circles away.
Graves looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Graves slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Decan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Graves misses with a hook to the body
and Decan counters with a one-two to the body.

It looks like James Graves has been cut.
Graves blocks a head kick by Decan.

Decan moves into range and clinches up with Graves.
Graves wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Graves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Decan is working for takedown but Graves is calmly controlling the position for now.
Graves stops a takedown attempt from Decan.
Graves misses with a punch to the body.
Decan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Graves gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves works on Decan's body with a couple of short punches.
Graves lands a body shot in the clinch.
Decan is trying to drag Graves to the mat but Graves just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Decan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Graves prevents it.
Decan looks gassed!
Graves tries to throw a body punch but Decan avoids it by throwing Graves back against the cage.
Graves misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Decan.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Decan can't get the takedown.
Graves tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Decan avoids it.
Decan wants a takedown.
Graves tries a body shot but Decan blocks it.
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 James Graves will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on James Graves's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Graves takes a swing at Decan's ribcage but misses.
Decan misses with a hook. Graves ducked under it nicely.
Graves throws a body punch but Decan moves out of range.
James Graves is winning the standup battle so far.
Graves swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Graves scores with a jab to the body.
Graves throws a hook to the side of Decan's head but Decan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Graves changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Decan tries to avoid it but Graves manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Decan to the ground. Decan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Graves tries to close the distance and clinch up but Decan swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Graves wants to clinch up but Decan keeps it at a distance.
Graves tries a head kick but it misses.
Graves lands a nice hook to Decan's body. Decan takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Graves lands a head shot.
Graves tries to clinch there but Decan circles away.
Graves misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves misses the shot to the body.
Graves throws a looping overhand right but Decan ducks down to avoid it.
Graves fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Decan manages to avoid it.
Graves fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Decan looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Decan drives through and clinches with Graves against the cage.
Graves tries a body shot but Decan blocks it.
A short body shot lands from Graves as the two fighters clinch.
Graves goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Decan blocks a body shot from Graves.
Graves is trying to drag Decan to the mat but Decan just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Graves tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Decan's elbow.
Graves trying to land knees to the body.
Graves tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Decan prevents a body shot from Graves.
Graves gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Decan.
Graves tries to work over Decan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Graves is pressed up against the cage. Decan has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Graves down to the mat. Graves avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Decan stuffs the takedown attempt from Graves. Graves gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Graves. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fighters circling - Graves throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Graves tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Decan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Graves tries a head kick but it misses.
Decan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Decan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Graves displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Decan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Graves scores a takedown into full mount!
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Graves looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Decan is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Decan is breathing heavily.
Graves with the ground and pound from mount.
Decan wants to get back to his feet.
Graves putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Graves lands with some strikes.
The referee warns Decan that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Decan is in a horrible position here. Graves smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Decan is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Graves fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Graves lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Decan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Decan tries to buck Graves off but he can't manage it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graves landing shots from mount.
You get the feeling that Decan really doesn't like being in this position too much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Graves dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on James Graves's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Graves throws a sloppy head kick and Decan moves out of range easily.
Sloppy strikes from Decan. Those never looked like landing.
James Graves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Graves misses with a looping left.
Graves is looking to clinch but Decan is avoiding it.
Graves throws a head kick but Decan moves out of range.
Graves takes a swing at Decan's ribcage but misses.
Decan avoids the body shot from Graves.
Graves ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Decan moves away.
Mark Decan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Decan slips a straight right by Graves.
The fight stays on the outside here - Graves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Decan tries a head kick but it misses.
Graves fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Graves misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Decan slips a jab from Graves.
Decan slips a jab and a cross from Graves.
Graves tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Graves tries a head kick but it misses.
Graves misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Decan displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Graves tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Decan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Decan lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Graves misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Graves swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Decan tries to bum rush Graves with a series of wild strikes but Graves uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Graves tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Decan lands with a right hand.
Graves swings widly with a right hand
and Decan counters with a head kick. That will keep Graves thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Graves tries a head kick but it misses.
Graves tries to clinch there but Decan circles away.
Decan swats away the attempt to clinch by Graves.
Decan moves out of range of the body kick from Graves.
Graves fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Decan manages to avoid it.
Graves slaps away a takedown attempt from Decan, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Decan blocks a head kick by Graves.

Graves drives through and clinches with Decan against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Decan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Decan is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Graves can't fight it off and eventually Decan manages to take the fight to the floor. Graves looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Decan wanted to stand there but Graves had control of the position.
Graves has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Graves is trying to keep Decan in close.
Decan tries to stand but Graves is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Graves is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Decan is aware though and is defending well.
Mark Decan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Graves working for a triangle but Decan defends it easily.

Decan gets to his feet - Graves follows without any prompting.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Decan moves out of range of the body kick from Graves.
Graves shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Decan as he jumps to the side.
Decan shoots in looking for a takedown but Graves manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Decan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Decan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Graves explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Graves showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Graves 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Graves!