PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rickson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Favalas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thiago Favalas will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Gracie
vs
Favalas

187 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

176 cm
21
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rickson Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Favalas!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Alexandre Firmino and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Favalas.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Favalas sprawls well.
Favalas looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Favalas throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Favalas misses with a double jab.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Favalas pinned against the cage. Favalas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Favalas listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Favalas.
Gracie moves forwards but Favalas connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Gracie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Gracie wants to finish this one by submission but Favalas is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Gracie.
Favalas tries to lock up and control but Gracie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Favalas is surviving well by controlling Gracie's body position as best he can.

Gracie looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Gracie goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Favalas is on top in guard.
Favalas forces his way into half guard.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Favalas wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Favalas has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Gracie is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gracie postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Favalas is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gracie, into his guard.

Gracie has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Favalas is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Gracie manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Gracie wants to sweep but Favalas has passed to side control!
Gracie is looking to regain half guard here but Favalas keeps moving and retains side 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 not content to let Favalas control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie looking for a sweep but Favalas has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Gracie is desperately trying to improve his position but Favalas has a good base and remains in mount.
Favalas trying to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Favalas takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Favalas dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gracie shoots for a takedown but Favalas saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Favalas is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Favalas circles away and we're back to standing.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Favalas tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Favalas to the ground. Favalas escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Favalas tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Favalas manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Favalas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Favalas looking to throw knees to the head but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Favalas lands a knee to the head.
Favalas with a knee to the head.
Gracie is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Favalas pulls him back up using the underhooks.
The referee calls for Favalas to work.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Favalas gets underhooks to prevent Gracie's takedown attempt.

Favalas breaks from the clinch.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Favalas misses with a few strikes there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Favalas lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Favalas lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Favalas throws a nice outside leg kick.
Rickson Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Favalas moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Favalas jabs Gracie right on the nose. Gracie blinks but takes it well.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Gracie looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Favalas is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Favalas won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Favalas has managed to free his arm - good work.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Favalas defends it well.

Gracie is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Favalas doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Favalas is defending well.
Favalas slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Favalas trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

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.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.
Gracie moves nicely into side control.
Favalas can't do much from the bottom here.
Favalas stops Gracie from passing to mount.

Gracie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Favalas stops Gracie from passing to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Favalas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie dodges the punch combination from Favalas.

Favalas pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie has Favalas pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Favalas manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Favalas leaning against his opponent.

Favalas breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Favalas's waist but Favalas gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Favalas pinned against the cage. Favalas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Favalas pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Favalas manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Favalas lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Gracie has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Favalas is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gracie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Favalas pulls his leg out and moves away.
Favalas stuffs the takedown.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Favalas is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Favalas is holding on to half guard well.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Favalas is defending well.
Gracie trying to mount his opponent but Favalas defends it.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Favalas pushes Gracie off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Favalas stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Favalas throws a right and a left that both miss.
Favalas lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Favalas looks to land a body kick but Gracie moved away.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.

Gracie fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Favalas sprawls well initially but Gracie persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Favalas has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gracie wants to advance to full mount but Favalas doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Favalas looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Favalas keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie has gone for a leg lock! Favalas slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gracie's guard.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Favalas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Favalas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

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

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Favalas trying to control from half guard but Gracie is working away.
Rickson Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie is pressing down on Favalas's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Favalas avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Thiago Favalas.
I've got Favalas winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Favalas!