PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jamal Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Newton Knuckles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jamal Gracie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Knuckles

180 cm
21
185 lbs
4 - 4 - 1

177 cm
20
185 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 4 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Jamal Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Newton Knuckles!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie connects with a high kick.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Knuckles connects with a single shot there.
Knuckles scores with a leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gracie leaning his opponent against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Gracie for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Gracie using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Knuckles trying to stall but Gracie improves his position.
Gracie tries for a takedown. No joy.

Gracie has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Knuckles regains guard immediately.

Knuckles had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Gracie is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Knuckles Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Gracie's back instead.
Knuckles trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie can't escape the position.
Knuckles is trying to stick to Gracie's back but Gracie is turning into Knuckles. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Knuckles's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Gracie.
Knuckles is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Knuckles doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Knuckles swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Knuckles keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie lands with a slapping head kick.

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

Gracie closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie stops a takedown attempt from Knuckles.

Gracie manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Knuckles working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
Gracie 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 mount! Knuckles won't be happy about that!
Gracie unloads with some shots from mount but Knuckles bucks and avoids them well.
Knuckles has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Gracie goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Knuckles turns into him and now he's in Gracie's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Knuckles from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Knuckles tries to pass.
Knuckles looks gassed!

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gracie is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Knuckles tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Knuckles trying to control here.
Gracie is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Knuckles keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamal Gracie dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie fails with the takedown.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A head kick from Gracie lands but Knuckles takes it in his stride.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Knuckles sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamal Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Knuckles to the mat! Knuckles manages to get full guard.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Knuckles is keeping the position for now.
Knuckles wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Knuckles is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles 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 wants to control but Knuckles is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.
Knuckles working over Gracie with some ground and pound. Gracie looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Gracie tries to roll over but Knuckles keeps him under control.

Knuckles is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Knuckles is breathing heavily.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Knuckles passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Knuckles tries to stand but Gracie controls the position and pulls Knuckles into his guard.

Gracie has his foot on Knuckles's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Knuckles works his way back into a safe position though.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Knuckles!
Gracie trying to control but Knuckles is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working for a submission but Knuckles is keeping him at bay.
Gracie punching from mount but Knuckles doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Gracie lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Knuckles tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.
Gracie controlling the position easily from mount.
Knuckles blocking the ground and pound.

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.
Knuckles is in all sorts of trouble here.

Gracie with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Knuckles is looking to escape.

Gracie goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Knuckles turns into him and now he's in Gracie's guard.
Knuckles slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamal Gracie dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gracie rushes Knuckles and presses him up against the cage.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Knuckles fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Knuckles tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Knuckles tries to land a front kick but Gracie steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Newton Knuckles seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Knuckles fights it but they end up in guard.
Gracie trying to control but Knuckles is working from the bottom.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Knuckles is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Knuckles has escaped and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knuckles with a nice head shot there.
Knuckles stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Knuckles makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gracie looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Knuckles puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Gracie is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Knuckles jumps into side control!
Knuckles working the head with strikes.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gracie is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Knuckles wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.
Knuckles takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ground and pound from Knuckles.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Knuckles working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Gracie's thigh. Gracie counters though and makes it back to full guard.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Knuckles is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Gracie Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Knuckles's back instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles trying to control the position but Gracie manages to sink in the hooks.
Knuckles breaks Gracie's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Gracie has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Knuckles has passed into side control.
Gracie wants to control but Knuckles postures up.
Gracie is looking to reverse the position.
Jamal Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie wants to control but Knuckles postures up.

That's four 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.
Knuckles wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie closes the distance but Knuckles moves to the side
and Knuckles makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Knuckles with a lazy takedown attempt
and Gracie counters with a head kick. That will keep Knuckles thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Knuckles is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Knuckles is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Gracie is tapping! Great win for Knuckles!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Newton Knuckles!