PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vinny Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Russo might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Volbeat - The Human Instrument. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Russo
vs
Gracie

181 cm
35
186 lbs
36 - 15 - 2

175 cm
29
178 lbs
18 - 4 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Hellbent
Hellraiser FightGear

KAISER
Hellbent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 15 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Vinny Russo!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Ricardo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Russo darts in looking for a takedown but Gracie gets double underhooks and turns Russo into the cage.

Gracie gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Gracie throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Russo to regain full guard.
Gracie lands a couple of digs.
Russo tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Russo is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Gracie is aware though and is defending well.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Russo is keeping the position for now.
Gracie is pushing down on Russo's leg trying to pass to half guard. Russo is fighting to maintain full guard but Gracie has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Russo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Russo looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Russo manages to get to full guard.

Russo has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Gracie 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 Russo.
Russo defending against the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Russo keeps working.
Russo gets back to half guard.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Russo keeps working.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Russo actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo trying to control here.
Gracie looks to land a strike but Russo avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Gracie preventing the sweep.
Gracie lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Russo keeps moving.
Gracie content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Russo is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie is working Russo over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gracie passes Russo's left leg - he's now in half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Russo is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie misses with a head shot. Russo uses the momentum to regain guard.
Russo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Gracie dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gracie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Russo misses with a double jab
and Gracie counters with a nice low kick that buckles Russo's knee momentarily.
Nice sprawl there from Gracie as Russo shoots in.
Gracie checks a low kick from Russo.
Gracie misses with a right hand

and Russo counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Gracie!
Gracie tries to bench press Russo off him but Russo keeps the position.

Russo tries for a kimura but Gracie is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo cracks Gracie with a big right hand but Gracie just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Gracie wants to control but Russo postures up.
Gracie tries to buck Russo off but Russo is having none of it.
Russo working the head with strikes.
Russo lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Gracie avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Russo.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.
Russo cracks Gracie with a big elbow.
Gracie looks to move to half guard but instead Russo has passed into mount! Damn!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo working Gracie over with strikes here.
Gracie wants to hold on but Russo pushes him away.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Russo looking to control but Gracie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie regains half guard.
Gracie is controlling Russo's trapped leg to prevent Russo from advancing to side control.
Gracie trying to hold on to Russo's head to control him but Russo postures up.
Gracie is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Russo scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Russo not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Russo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Russo missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Russo works his foot free and advances to mount.
Gracie is trying to escape the mount.
Russo cracks Gracie with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gracie tries to hold on but Russo pushes him away.
Gracie working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Russo scoring with strikes but Gracie is staying in there.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gracie trying to control but Russo is working from the bottom.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Russo keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Russo holds on and takes a little breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vinny Russo dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Russo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Russo working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Russo off and has taken his back!
Gracie is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Gracie gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Gracie gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Gracie apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Russo throws a predictable looking body shot
and Gracie counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Gracie scores with a spinning back kick!
That kick from Gracie tenderised Russo's leg. Russo is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo walks forward, straight into a front kick from Gracie.
A head kick misses from Gracie.
Russo is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Russo avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Russo tries to move into range but Gracie moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Gracie keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Gracie jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Russo misses with an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Russo.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Russo's corner calls for a 1-2. Russo obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A big left from Gracie misses.
Russo avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Gracie thows a leg kick but Russo checks it

and Russo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Russo.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Gracie is looking for a triangle here but Russo uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Gracie is trying to control Russo's posture but Russo avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Russo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gracie is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Gracie is trying to work for a sweep but Russo has mounted him!
Russo lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Russo working Gracie over with strikes here.

Russo has control of Gracie's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Gracie regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Gracie regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Russo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Russo looks to land a strike but Gracie avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Russo is one step ahead there.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Russo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Russo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Vinny Russo did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Russo, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Russo against the cage but Russo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Russo.
Russo moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Russo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Russo on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Russo fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Russo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Russo being controlled here momentarily.
Vinny Russo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Russo haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Russo from controlling successfully.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Ricardo Gracie!
Ricardo Gracie is the new welterweight champion!
Our winner, Ricardo Gracie, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.
Vinny Russo was interviewed post fight and said 'Jeeze, you know. Tough fight, and I should have done better.'.