PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Gray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oliver Rubber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gray
vs
Rubber

185 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
175 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gabriel Gray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Oliver Rubber!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Alyssa Summers and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rubber drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Rubber drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gray manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Rubber has Gray in his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Rubber has his foot on Gray's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gray works his way back into a safe position though.
Rubber has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Gray has passed into side control.
Gray is working Rubber over with some ground and pound from side control.
Gray tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gray throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Rubber is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Rubber is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rubber sneaks back into half guard.
Rubber is trying to control but can't.
Rubber tries to get to full guard but Gray has control of the leg.
Rubber gets back to full guard.

Rubber looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rubber looks gassed!

Gray stands up from Rubber's guard - Gray perhaps looking for a knockout.

Gray moves into range and clinches up with Rubber.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray lands an elbow that stopped Rubber in his tracks for a moment.
Rubber tries for a takedown but Gray manages to get underhooks.

Gray has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Rubber is trying to keep an underhook but Gray manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Gray is looking to take a break and control but Rubber is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rubber wants to get back to full guard but Gray has mounted him!
Gray looking to finish Rubber with some ground and pound. This is bad for Rubber!
Gray lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Rubber hang on?
Gray looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rubber takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Rubber is looking to improve his position but Gray isn't that keen on the idea.
Gray in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray blocks Rubber's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Rubber keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gray trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gray working Rubber over with strikes here.
Rubber is desperately trying to improve his position but Gray has a good base and remains in mount.
Gray pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gray looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Rubber is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rubber tries to hold on but Gray pushes him away.
Rubber regains half guard.
Rubber slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gray pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rubber is keeping the position for now.
Rubber looking for a sweep. Not yet Rubber, not yet.
Rubber thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rubber is looking to sweep but instead, Gray has passed into half guard.
Rubber works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Gray dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Rubber shoots in for a takedown but Gray shows good takedown defense.

Gray decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Rubber is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gray's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gray's back!

Rubber tightening his grip on Gray, looking for the choke.

Gray showing good submission defense here.
Gray breaks Rubber's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Rubber is breathing heavily.

Rubber isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gray stacks Rubber on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Gray!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rubber is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Gray decides to stand back up.
Gray lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Rubber backs up against the cage.
Rubber needs to keep his hands up - Gray had a free shot at his head there.
Rubber fails with the takedown

and Gray decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rubber's guard.

Gray gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Gray throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rubber shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Gray counters with a nice body kick.
Gabriel Gray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oliver Rubber.
Gray tries to close the distance and clinch but Rubber swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rubber looks for a takedown but Gray sprawls well.
Gray is looking to clinch.

Gray changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rubber looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rubber manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Rubber moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Rubber wants to sweep here but Gray controlling him for the moment.
Gabriel Gray overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Rubber trying to strike off his back.

Rubber working for a triangle but Gray defends it easily.

Gray gets to his feet - Rubber follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gray wants to clinch.
Rubber shoots in for a takedown but Gray shows good takedown defense.

Gray drives through and clinches with Rubber against the cage.

Gray has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Rubber clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Rubber trying to control the position but Gray manages to sink in the hooks.
Gray scores with punches and elbows.
I really don't envy Rubber right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rubber trying to control the hands but Gray won't let him.
Gray is trying to stick to Rubber's back but Rubber is turning into Gray. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Gray's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Rubber.
Rubber controlling from the top position.
Gray has momentary wrist control but Rubber slips an elbow through the middle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rubber pushing down on Gray's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gabriel Gray dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gray moves into the clinch.
Rubber is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gray gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rubber letting Gray take a breather here.
Gray comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Gray is pressed up against the cage. Rubber has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gray down to the mat. Gray avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Gray fakes the leg kick and cracks Rubber in the body.
Gabriel Gray is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gray is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gray moves in looking to clinch but Rubber pushes him off.
Rubber changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gray tries to avoid it but Rubber manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gray to the ground. Gray escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gabriel Gray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oliver Rubber.
Rubber fails with a takedown attempt.
Rubber swats away the attempt to clinch by Gray.
Rubber takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gray tries to clinch but Rubber moves out of range.
Rubber with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gray counters with a single leg into guard. Rubber didn't expect that.
Rubber looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gray avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rubber throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Rubber looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gray is one step ahead there.
Gray throwing strikes from guard but Rubber blocks nicely.
Rubber looking for a sweep. Not yet Rubber, not yet.

Rubber has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gray can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gray has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rubber is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Rubber is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Rubber trying to pass the guard but Gray defending well.
Rubber slips a nice elbow through Gray's hands, connecting with Gray's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rubber passes into side control, despite Gray's attempt to control the position.
Gray on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Rubber working the ground and pound from side control.

Rubber tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Rubber landing strikes.
Rubber trying to control the action but Gray is working from the bottom.
Gray is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rubber stands up.
Rubber keeps the fight on the outside.
Gray wants to clinch.
Gray tries to clinch but Rubber moves out of range.
Oliver Rubber has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gray tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Rubber paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rubber with a poor takedown

and Gray counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rubber!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rubber is wriggling around trying to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Oliver Rubber.
Well Gray 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 John Roberts scores the fight 30:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gabriel Gray!