PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Pembelton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pembelton has chosen Hail Mary by Tupac as his entrance music. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Gracie
vs
Pembelton

191 cm
31
186 lbs
22 - 17 - 1

177 cm
35
179 lbs
27 - 22 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
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 22 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Ryan Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 22 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Frank Pembelton!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Eddie Farnsworth and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Pembelton slips under a jab.
Gracie tries a head kick but it misses.
Gracie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gracie swings for the body but Pembelton moves out of range.
Pembelton takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Gracie throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Gracie.
Gracie throws a right and a left that Pembelton avoids nicely.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Pembelton will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Pembelton on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Gracie throws a low kick but Pembelton avoids it.
Pembelton misses with a straight right.
Gracie scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Gracie is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A swing and a miss from Pembelton.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pembelton.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
A decent looking cross lands there for Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pembelton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pembelton connects with a single shot there.
Gracie slips under a jab from Pembelton.
Pembelton takes one to the chin there.
Pembelton moves out of range as Gracie strikes.
Pembelton slips a straight right by Gracie.
Pembelton shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gracie but Gracie pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie misses with a body shot
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Pembelton throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gracie cracks Pembelton with a right hand to the side of the head.
A cross from Gracie lands.
Gracie is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Pembelton slips a straight right by Gracie.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pembelton gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gracie throws a lazy right hand but Pembelton sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pembelton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie wants to clinch up but Pembelton keeps it at a distance.
Pembelton lands the left hand.
Pembelton uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Gracie lands a nice hook to Pembelton's body. Pembelton takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Gracie thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gracie thuds a left hand into Pembelton's body.
Ryan Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pembelton ducks right into an uppercut from Gracie.
Pembelton walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gracie sizes up Pembelton with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Pembelton tries to move into range but Gracie moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Gracie cracks Pembelton with a right hand to the side of the head.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Pembelton cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Pembelton moves out of range.
Pembelton has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Pembelton shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Gracie defends it nicely.
Ryan Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Pembelton.
Pembelton lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Pembelton is trying desperately to land a takedown but Gracie is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Pembelton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Pembelton shoots in for a takedown but Gracie shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ryan Gracie is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie slips a jab from Pembelton.
Gracie tries to clinch up

and Pembelton counters with a shoot takedown. Gracie fights it but they end up in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Pembelton wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Pembelton throws a strike but Gracie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pembelton is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Frank Pembelton.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A big right from Pembelton misses.
Pembelton takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie connects with a body shot.
Gracie lands a jab to Pembelton's midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Gracie dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Left hook, right uppercut from Gracie.
Gracie lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Gracie misses with a lunging right hand
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie throws a hook but Pembelton blocks it.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Pembelton avoids them all with ease.

Pembelton shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Pembelton not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pembelton working the head and body with strikes.
Pembelton thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pembelton.
Pembelton throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Pembelton not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Pembelton sits in half guard.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pembelton is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Pembelton landing strikes from the mount.
Pembelton wants to control but Gracie has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Pembelton looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gracie with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie is not content to let Pembelton control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Pembelton is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Pembelton takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Frank Pembelton has got the better of the ground game so far.

Pembelton is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gracie has managed to free his arm - good work.
Pembelton is trying to control. Gracie wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pembelton not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Pembelton is looking for a kimura but Gracie is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pembelton to get the leverage.
Pembelton throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pembelton not doing much here.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pembelton stalling away here and it's allowed Gracie to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Pembelton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Gracie throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pembelton.
Pembelton swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A big left from Pembelton misses.
A lazy left from Gracie finds it's target.
Pembelton with a hook.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pembelton has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Pembelton lands a nice hook to Gracie's body. Gracie takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pembelton avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Pembelton keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie.
Pembelton dodges the punch combination from Gracie.
Gracie is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Pembelton uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.

Pembelton looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Pembelton looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pembelton pulls Gracie in close to his closed guard and prevents Gracie from doing any damage or advancing position.
Pembelton looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Pembelton escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pembelton has control of Gracie's left arm, preventing Gracie from doing any damage.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Frank Pembelton wasn't active enough on the ground.
Pembelton bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Gracie pushes Pembelton up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie breaks from the clinch.
Gracie swinging wildly here.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Pembelton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gracie slips under a jab from Pembelton.
Pembelton scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Pembelton moved out of range nicely.
Gracie throws a good cross that connects.
Pembelton fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gracie avoids it really well and circles away.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Pembelton scores with a shot to the body.
Gracie connects with a crisp jab.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pembelton swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Gracie. No joy for Pembelton on that attempt.
Ryan Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Frank Pembelton.
Gracie misses with a combination
and Pembelton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Pembelton's head but Pembelton sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Pembelton.
Ryan Gracie is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Pembelton lands a nice shot to the body.
Gracie scores with a three punch combo!
Pembelton loads up on a big right hand but Gracie slips the punch.
Gracie scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Pembelton looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Pembelton.
Gracie misses with an uppercut.
Pembelton connects with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Frank Pembelton.
I think Pembelton has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Pembelton!