PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Holden Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rufus Soderberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Metallica Enter Sandman. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Soderberg

190 cm
29
179 lbs
24 - 7 - 1

179 cm
29
186 lbs
15 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Namunamu Clothing
Cold Blooded Kemists ↑ 5x160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Holden Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rufus Soderberg!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie throws a low kick but Soderberg avoids it.
Gracie takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A decent looking cross lands there for Gracie.
Holden Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Soderberg swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gracie.
Soderberg shoots in but no luck this time.
Soderberg shoots for a takedown but Gracie saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gracie drops his hands momentarily and Soderberg takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gracie misses with an uppercut. Soderberg saw that one coming.
Soderberg fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Soderberg takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Gracie motions for Soderberg to come forward. Gracie throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Soderberg looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Soderberg shoots in and bounces Gracie off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Soderberg.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Soderberg trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Soderberg working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Soderberg is looking to pass into half guard but Gracie pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Gracie is in guard.

Gracie gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Soderberg avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Gracie gets caught flat footed, as Soderberg shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gracie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Soderberg stands up over Gracie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Soderberg won't allow Gracie to get back to his feet.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Soderberg from controlling successfully.
Soderberg throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Soderberg postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Soderberg has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Soderberg won't allow Gracie to get back to his feet.
Soderberg pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
Soderberg trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Soderberg pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Soderberg there.

Soderberg is working for a submission of some sort.
Soderberg is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Gracie tries to kick Soderberg off but Soderberg keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Soderberg thows a huge punch but Gracie dodges it nicely.
Soderberg throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Soderberg looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Gracie blocking the ground and pound attempt from Soderberg.
Soderberg sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracie defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Soderberg.
Well, if Soderberg is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Soderberg trying to control from Gracie's half guard. Gracie has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Soderberg wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Soderberg from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soderberg throws a strike but Gracie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
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!
Soderberg wants to control but Gracie passes easily into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rufus Soderberg dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Soderberg looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Gracie displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Soderberg throws out the jab.

Soderberg throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Gracie was covering up waiting for the punch and Soderberg finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Soderberg throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gracie is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Soderberg is controlling him.
Soderberg distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie wriggles free and stands up.
Gracie doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Soderberg swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Soderberg bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Gracie's head backwards.
Gracie goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Soderberg checks the leg kick.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Gracie misses with a lunging right hand

and Soderberg counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soderberg looking to pass the guard.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Soderberg.
Soderberg in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gracie has momentary wrist control but Soderberg slips an elbow through the middle.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Gracie pushes Soderberg off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as Soderberg shoots in.
Holden Gracie is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Gracie rushes Soderberg and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Soderberg is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gracie to keep the fight standing.
Holden Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rufus Soderberg.
Gracie prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie prevents the takedown attempt.
Soderberg lands a left hand.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Soderberg.
Soderberg misses with a hook to the ribs.

Gracie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Soderberg scores with a crisp jab that stopped Gracie in his tracks.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Soderberg shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The fighters circling - Gracie throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gracie needs to keep his hands up - Soderberg had a free shot at his head there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands the left hand.

Gracie moves into the clinch successfully.
Soderberg tries to pull guard but Gracie holds him up against the cage and eventually Soderberg drops back down to his feet.

Soderberg manages to break the clinch.

Gracie moves into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie misses with a body punch.
Gracie content to slow the pace in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Soderberg lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
Gracie lands with a right to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rufus Soderberg will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Soderberg shoots in and drives through. Gracie sprawls well.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gracie.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Soderberg is avoiding it.
Gracie throws a solid leg kick but Soderberg takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Gracie.
A decent looking cross lands there for Gracie.
Soderberg tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gracie sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Soderberg somewhat.
Soderberg wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Soderberg tries to keep at a distance but Gracie has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gracie lands a hook to the side of the head.
Soderberg misses with a body punch.
Gracie wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gracie tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Soderberg's elbow.
Gracie is trying to stall.
Gracie gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Soderberg.
Holden Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rufus Soderberg.

Soderberg gets control of Gracie's arms and successfully pulls guard. Soderberg will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Soderberg to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Gracie is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Soderberg pulls down on the head and he's put Gracie to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Rufus Soderberg!
Rufus Soderberg took some time post fight to say the following; 'GOT you.'.