PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between BanEdsel Yongco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andy Graves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yongco comes to the cage accompanied by Vava Voom. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Yongco
vs
Graves

187 cm
26
185 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
191 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Pinoy Fightwear (90% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, BanEdsel Yongco!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Andy Graves!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graves misses with a takedown attempt - Yongco sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Graves tries to keep at a distance but Yongco has taken the fight into the clinch.
Yongco wants a takedown but no success here.

Graves gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Yongco moves into full guard.
Yongco keeping full guard, as Graves tries to pass.
Graves is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yongco has control of Graves's left arm, preventing Graves from doing any damage.
Graves trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Yongco manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Graves has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Yongco 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 Graves.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yongco thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Graves is trying to work for a sweep but Yongco has mounted him!
Graves is looking to get to half guard.
Graves tries to hold on but Yongco postures up.
Graves can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Yongco prevents Graves from getting the reversal.
Graves tries to lock up and control but Yongco gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Graves has given up his back here.
Graves rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Yongco trying to control the pace.
Graves wants to get back to full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Graves looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Yongco wants to lay and pray for a moment but Graves keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves manages to get to full guard.

Graves throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Yongco escapes and throws Graves's legs to the side, diving into side control!
You can see the frustration on Graves's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Graves tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yongco wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Yongco wants to control but Graves is keeping him busy.

Yongco tries for a kimura but Graves is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yongco advances nicely into full mount.
Graves is in all sorts of trouble here.
Graves is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Graves really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Yongco avoids the attempt from Graves to control.
Graves stops Yongco from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Graves bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graves sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Graves dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Graves shoots in for a takedown but Yongco shows good takedown defense.

Yongco scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
You can see the frustration on Graves's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Graves tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Yongco wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graves struggling a bit here.
Graves gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Yongco with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Graves looking for subs from the bottom but Yongco mounts him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yongco trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yongco manages to capitalize on a mistake by Graves to take his back!
Yongco is not going to allow Graves to sit and survive in this position.
Yongco struggling to keep hold of the position.
Yongco is really struggling to control Graves but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Graves can't escape the position.
Graves trying to control the hands but Yongco won't let him.
Graves might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Yongco haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Yongco controls the position.

Yongco working for a choke but Graves is defending well.
Graves just trying to survive but Yongco is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Graves tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yongco controlling from the full mount.
Yongco trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves is looking to improve his position but Yongco isn't that keen on the idea.
Graves is trying to stand up.
Graves working to try and regain half guard.
Graves tries to lock up and control but Yongco gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Andy Graves has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yongco tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves working to try and regain half guard.
Graves reaches up to try and control the position but Yongco seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Graves rolls and tries to escape and now Yongco has his back!

Graves is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Yongco is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Graves knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Graves for a finish.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graves is trying to break free.
Yongco trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Graves doesn't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BanEdsel Yongco dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Yongco leaves Graves with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
BanEdsel Yongco seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Graves enables Yongco to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Graves manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Graves is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Graves wants to sweep but no luck.
Yongco trying to control but Graves is working from the bottom.

Graves is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Yongco wants to control from the top but Graves keeps moving.
Yongco looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Graves is looking for a triangle but Yongco pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Graves looking for a guillotine here but Yongco defends easily.
Yongco slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Graves keeping moving, preventing Yongco from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Graves is looking for a triangle but Yongco pushes his legs off easily.
Yongco controls from within his opponent's guard.

Graves has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Yongco can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Graves isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Yongco stacks Graves 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 Yongco!
Graves takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves is looking to reverse the position.
You can see the frustration on Graves's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Yongco wants to lay and pray for a moment but Graves keeps working.
Graves struggling a bit here.
Graves is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yongco trying to control the action but Graves is working from the bottom.
Yongco tries to advance to mount but Graves denies him.

Yongco is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Graves is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Yongco working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Graves tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Yongco presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Graves wants to hold on but Yongco pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but BanEdsel Yongco did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yongco has Graves up against the cage in a clinch.

Graves gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Yongco makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Yongco.
Yongco trying to control the position.

Yongco looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Graves passes into side control.
Graves trying to control the action but Yongco is working from the bottom.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yongco gets back to half guard.
Yongco is looking to control Graves's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yongco avoid being mounted?

Graves is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Yongco wants to get back to full guard.

Graves is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Graves is stalling here. Yongco is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Graves seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Yongco has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves wants to control but Yongco postures up.

Yongco working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Graves is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Yongco off and has taken his back!

Graves is persistently looking for the submission but Yongco is defending it well.

Yongco preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Graves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Graves is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Yongco has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Graves is absolutely dripping with sweat - he looks exhausted.

Yongco defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Graves's arms.

Graves is working for the choke. He's slipped one arm under the chin. Yongco has to defend the other arm for all he's worth... but Graves has managed to get that arm free too and he's tightening the choke! Yongco taps out and looks absolutely disgusted with himself. Graves doesn't care though - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Andy Graves!
Andy Graves is the new middleweight champion!