PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Austin Stryker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Austin Stryker has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Stryker
vs
Gracie

188 cm
20
186 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

173 cm
23
167 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Conviction
xXx Clothing (Nothing Over $20)

Ice Nutrition
Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

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 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Austin Stryker!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ronaldo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Micheangelo Fripello and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stryker throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gracie is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Stryker dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've been told by Stryker's head coaches at Hilo Training Center that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
A looping hook to the body misses from Stryker. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
Stryker stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Stryker misses the jab.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Stryker quickly recovers to half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Stryker is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Stryker is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Gracie stalling away here and it's allowed Stryker to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stryker keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Stryker gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie looking to control.

Stryker got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Stryker has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stryker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Stryker wanted to stand there but Gracie had control of the position.
Stryker wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Stryker gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Stryker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Stryker to get to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Stryker tries to pass to full mount but Gracie defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Gracie dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Stryker.
Austin Stryker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Stryker.
Gracie takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Stryker scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stryker.
Stryker lands the left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie slips a straight right by Stryker.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Stryker.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Stryker!
Stryker slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Stryker tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Stryker manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stryker just misses with a punch to the body.
Stryker looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Stryker misses with a looping right.
Stryker stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Austin Stryker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Gracie.
Stryker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Gracie defending well as Stryker loads up on a big left hand.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Stryker shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Stryker slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Stryker looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Stryker misses.
Stryker is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Stryker just misses with a punch to the body.
Stryker lands a jab to the nose.
Nice uppercut lands for Stryker. That snapped Gracie's head back.
Gracie is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Stryker throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Stryker dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stryker.
A telegraphed right hand from Stryker misses the target.
Gracie dives in and grabs Stryker's left leg, looking for a takedown. Stryker pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Stryker fails to land with a series of punches.
Stryker scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Stryker.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Stryker.
Stryker clobbers Gracie with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Stryker shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Austin Stryker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Gracie.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Stryker tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Stryker.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Stryker as Gracie shoots in.
A combination from Stryker does no damage.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Stryker.
Gracie jabs Stryker right on the nose. Stryker blinks but takes it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Stryker misses its intended target.
Gracie paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Stryker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Stryker throws a big shot that misses.
Austin Stryker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Stryker tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Stryker to the ground. Stryker escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Stryker lands with a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stryker throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Austin Stryker is winning the standup battle so far.
Stryker connects with a right hand. Gracie shakes it off.
Stryker throws a shot from downtown. Gracie moves away and avoids it.
Stryker throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Stryker just misses with a punch to the body.
Stryker misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Stryker clearly takes 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.

Stryker misses with a body shot

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Stryker keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Stryker is retaining full guard.

Gracie has gone for a leg lock! Stryker slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gracie's guard.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Stryker knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to keep Stryker in close.
Stryker trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Stryker from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Stryker 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 Stryker!
Gracie tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Stryker off and has taken his back!
Well, with Gracie on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Stryker is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

Stryker is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Gracie gets his way!

Gracie is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Stryker defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Stryker is defending well though. Gracie let's go of the attempt for now.

Gracie working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

Stryker is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Gracie gets his way!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for the choke from the back position but Stryker is controlling his hands well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stryker trying to control but not successfully.

Gracie has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Gracie looking for the RNC.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gracie patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Gracie dominated that fourth 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. This is the final round!

Gracie walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Stryker throws a hook but Gracie blocks it.
No joy there for Stryker, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie slips a jab from Stryker.
Stryker waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Stryker looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
Stryker looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stryker throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Stryker, as that shot connected.
Stryker cracks Gracie with a right hand to the side of the head.
A decent looking cross lands there for Stryker.
Stryker thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Stryker sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie slips under a jab from Stryker.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Stryker swivels and escapes.
Stryker paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Stryker misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Stryker throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Stryker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Stryker sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Austin Stryker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Gracie.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Stryker to keep the fight standing.

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

Stryker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie working for a triangle but Stryker defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stryker wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Stryker to get to half guard.
Gracie gets back to full guard.

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 Austin Stryker.
I think Stryker 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 48:47
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 48:47
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 48:47

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Stryker!
Austin Stryker is the new welterweight champion!
Austin Stryker gave a mention to xXx Clothing (Nothing Over $20) in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).