PBP Commentary

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

Gracie
vs
Challa

183 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

184 cm
23
200 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vitor Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, T Challa!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gracie misses the jab.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Gracie takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Challa throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Challa lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

It looks like Vitor Gracie has been cut.
Challa jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Challa is out of range.
T Challa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Challa connects with a looping right hand.
Gracie takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Gracie lands with a straight right. Challa didn't see that one coming.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Challa.
Challa misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
Challa drops Gracie with a beautiful combination! Gracie stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Challa is looking for the KO!

Gracie is rocked!
Challa throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Oh Gracie is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Challa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Gracie seems to have got his legs back now.
Challa looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Challa misses with a double jab.
Nice straight punches there by Challa. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Challa.
Challa works over Gracie's head and body with a nice combination.
Challa misses with a jab, cross combination.
Challa moves out of range as Gracie strikes.
Nice defenses there by Challa.
Challa swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Challa with a hook.
A big left from Challa misses.
Challa swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A telegraphed right hand from Challa misses the target.
A punch combination from Challa misses.
Challa pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Challa pinned against the cage. Challa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Challa might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Challa throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.
A big left from Challa misses.
Nice combo by Challa! Oh, that's hurt him - Gracie falls to the canvas and Challa follows him into side control.

Vitor Gracie's cut is getting worse.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.
Gracie misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Gracie is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gracie missing with punches from the bottom.
Gracie tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gracie.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Challa!

Gracie has hold of Challa's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Challa manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Gracie throws some wild stikes that Challa manages to avoid easily.
Gracie fails to take his opponent's back.

Gracie goes for an armbar but Challa turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Challa.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Challa preventing the sweep.

Gracie has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Challa 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.
Gracie gets back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.
Challa uses his free foot to push down on Gracie's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Gracie.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

T Challa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Vitor Gracie's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gracie blocks a jab.
A left lands for Challa.
Challa digs a good hook to Gracie's body.
Challa displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
A big right from Challa misses.
Challa lands a two punch combo.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Challa is just out of range.
Challa fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Challa looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Challa looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Challa throws a sloppy body shot
and Challa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Challa throws a shot from downtown. Gracie moves away and avoids it.
Challa connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gracie. Gracie circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Challa lands with an uppercut that bounces Gracie off the cage and back into rage.
Challa waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Challa tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Challa manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Challa throws a big shot that misses.
Challa scores with the left hand. Gracie knows he should have avoided that one.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nice body punch from Challa.
T Challa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Challa misses with a double jab
and Gracie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Challa lands a with a good body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Challa scores with a four punch combination!

Vitor Gracie's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Challa misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
T Challa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Challa fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Challa scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gracie in his tracks.
Gracie scores with a shot to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Challa misses with a straight right.
Gracie on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Challa throws a shot from downtown. Gracie moves away and avoids it.
Gracie displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Challa throws out the jab.
Gracie digs a good hook to Challa's body.
Gracie looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Challa slips under a jab.
Challa stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Challa looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Challa was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Challa throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Challa circles away.
Challa ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Challa swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gracie.
Challa misses with a wild combination.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Challa pinned against the cage. Challa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Challa scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Challa falls off balance throwing a combination
and Challa takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The fighters circling - Challa throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Challa throws a left and a right that both miss
and Gracie connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A swing and a miss from Challa.
T Challa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Challa.
Challa darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The crowd cheers as Gracie lands an impressive looking overhand right. Challa doesn't seem phased though.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Challa.
Gracie with a hook.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Challa is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

T Challa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Vitor Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Challa blocks a jab.
A cross from Challa lands.
Challa throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Challa which made him look bad.
Challa misses with a straight left.
Challa ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Gracie looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Challa looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Challa fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gracie moves out of range as Challa strikes.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
The crowd cheers as Challa lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Challa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Challa!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Challa throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gracie drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Challa lands a jab-cross combination.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Some wild striking there from Challa.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Gracie. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Challa bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Challa throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Challa throws a left and a right that both miss

and Gracie counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gracie won't allow Challa to get back to his feet.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Challa is keeping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Challa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Challa can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie postures up in Challa's guard and throws a big left but Challa blocks it.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Challa's guard.
Gracie thows a huge punch but Challa dodges it nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Challa but Challa pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Challa cracks Gracie with an open hand slap.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Challa.
Challa stuffs the takedown.
T Challa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Challa throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gracie stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Challa tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Challa to the ground. Challa escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gracie with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Challa to score with a decent uppercut.
Challa lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
A lazy left from Challa finds it's target.
Gracie on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Vitor Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Challa looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
Challa lands a right hook to the body.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
Challa slips under a jab.
Gracie walks into a stiff left hand from Challa.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie walks into a left hand.
Challa swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Challa rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Challa!

Gracie isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Challa stacks Gracie 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 Challa!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Challa wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to T Challa.
I've got Challa 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 Suge Night scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... T Challa!