PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Heston Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Noel Contemprato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gracie might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Animal I Have Become. Contemprato is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Cats. Noel Contemprato has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Heston Gracie's chin.

Gracie
vs
Contemprato

175 cm
31
164 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

175 cm
32
165 lbs
25 - 12 - 3

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Alpha-Male Nutritional Supplements (q160)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Heston Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 12 - 3, fighting out of London, Noel Contemprato!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie swings widly with a right hand
and Contemprato counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gracie thinking.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Contemprato throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Gracie misses with a hook to the body
and Contemprato counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Contemprato chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Contemprato keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie.
Contemprato keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie.
Heston Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Contemprato pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Contemprato avoiding damage.
Gracie working aggressively here.
Gracie misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Contemprato lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Gracie breaks from the clinch.
Contemprato slips a straight right by Gracie.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Contemprato counters with a low kick, right behind Gracie 's knee.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie checks a low kick from Contemprato.

Contemprato instigates a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Contemprato.
Gracie taking a breather.
Contemprato doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gracie taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Contemprato tries a body shot but Gracie blocks it.
Contemprato struggles to land a body shot inside as Gracie controls his hands.
Contemprato trying to stall but Gracie improves his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Contemprato fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Noel Contemprato is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gracie misses with the combination.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Contemprato counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gracie misses with a body shot
and Contemprato counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the body from Gracie misses
and Contemprato counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gracie thinking.
Gracie connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Contemprato momentarily.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Contemprato.
Contemprato swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gracie throws a jab when Contemprato was well out of range.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Contemprato.
Contemprato looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
Contemprato scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie misses with a shot to the body
and Contemprato counters with a slapping leg kick.
Contemprato connects with a solid leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Contemprato lands a jab to Gracie's midsection.
Contemprato is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gracie rather than just go for the knockout.
Gracie scores with a nice head shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Contemprato misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Contemprato walks into a left hand.
A left lands for Gracie.

Gracie is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Contemprato's half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Contemprato controlling the position for now.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Noel Contemprato 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.

Gracie paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Gracie throws a right hand that misses
and Contemprato counters with a straight right hand.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into Contemprato's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Gracie postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Contemprato is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gracie, into his guard.
Contemprato tries to stand but Gracie is controlling from the bottom.
Contemprato stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Contemprato wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Contemprato won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Contemprato tries to stand but Gracie is controlling from the bottom.
Contemprato wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Gracie wants to get up but he can't break Contemprato's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Contemprato is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Contemprato pulls Gracie in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Contemprato working a defensive guard but Gracie passes into half guard.
Contemprato wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Contemprato trying to control here.
Gracie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Contemprato is trying to control but can't.
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Contemprato's head.
Contemprato avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gracie.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Contemprato is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Contemprato avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Contemprato trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Contemprato tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie landing strikes, looking to finish!

It looks like Noel Contemprato has been cut.
Gracie unloads with some shots from mount but Contemprato bucks and avoids them well.
Gracie throws some wild stikes that Contemprato manages to avoid easily.
Contemprato can't escape the position.
Contemprato wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Contemprato is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie looking to land elbow strikes but Contemprato uses the position to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Contemprato defending well though.
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gracie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Contemprato desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Contemprato is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Contemprato is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Contemprato avoid being mounted?

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Contemprato is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heston Gracie dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Noel Contemprato's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, 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.

Gracie misses with a double jab.
Gracie lands a jab.
Gracie misses with a left hand
and Contemprato counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Contemprato.
Gracie digs a good hook to Contemprato's body.
Gracie loads up on a big right hand but Contemprato slips the punch.
Gracie swings widly with a right hand
and Contemprato makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Contemprato looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Contemprato looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gracie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Contemprato.
Contemprato throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Contemprato bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie misses with a hook. Contemprato ducked under it nicely.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Contemprato uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie lands a nice looking body shot.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Contemprato moved out of range nicely.
A looping hook to the body misses from Contemprato. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie takes a swing at Contemprato's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Contemprato is just out of range.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Contemprato but Contemprato pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Contemprato tried to score with a low kick but Gracie checks it.
Gracie misses with a straight left.
Good leg kick by Contemprato there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gracie looks to land a right hand but Contemprato moved out of range.
Gracie is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Gracie swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Contemprato.
Gracie misses with a hook to the body
and Contemprato counters with a nice leg kick.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Contemprato takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Contemprato throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Contemprato counters with a nice uppercut.
Gracie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Contemprato.
Contemprato avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Contemprato lands a nice looking body shot.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Contemprato.
Gracie misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Contemprato scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gracie scores with a sloppy right hand. Contemprato should have avoided that one.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Contemprato.
Gracie loads up on a big right hand but Contemprato slips the punch.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Noel Contemprato seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Contemprato scores with a nice strike.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Contemprato moves away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie takes a jab right on the kisser.
Gracie misses with a straight right.
Contemprato uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Heston Gracie.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Noel Contemprato!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Noel Contemprato!
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight for Noel Contemprato!

Noel Contemprato wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Noel Contemprato thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.