PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Wally Lara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Lara
vs
Gracie

182 cm
19
278 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
230 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes musicals

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Wally Lara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Royce Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Leandro Rodrigues and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Gracie wants to control but Lara is keeping him busy.
Lara trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.
Lara is positioning himself well to prevent Gracie advancing to mount.
Lara is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie is thwarting Lara's attempts to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Wally Lara wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Lara gets tackled into the cage by Gracie. Gracie maintains the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lara pulls guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Lara keeps moving.
Lara looking to control.
Gracie wanted to stand there but Lara had control of the position.
Lara really is a fat lump.
Lara being controlled here, momentarily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Royce Gracie.

Lara closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Lara is proving a slippery customer.
Lara knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Lara would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Lara is proving a slippery customer.
Lara is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lara stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lara defends it easily.
Lara working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Lara wants to get up but he can't break Gracie's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Lara connects with a couple of short punches.
Lara postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lara wanted to stand there but Gracie had control of the position.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lara throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gracie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gracie is on top in guard.
Lara is breathing heavily.
Lara can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracie controls the pace.
Lara is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.
Gracie trying to control but Lara is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Royce Gracie will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie throws a half hearted mid kick.
Royce Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gracie gets a clinch.

Gracie has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Lara clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Lara trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

Gracie looking to break Lara's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Lara remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Gracie will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Gracie trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Lara just trying to survive but Gracie is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lara prevents Gracie from getting a body triangle.
Lara is trying to stand back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lara wants to escape the position.
Lara looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Royce Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie missing with strikes.

Gracie is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Lara defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lara has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lara trying to control but not successfully.
Gracie controlling the position well here. Lara rolled but Gracie kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

Gracie is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Lara has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Lara is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lara is covering up but some of the strikes from Gracie are getting through and doing damage.
Lara trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Gracie biding his time, controlling Lara.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lara is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Lara is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lara looking for subs off his back but Gracie has passed one foot through into half guard.
Lara misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Lara is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Lara trying to control from the bottom.
Gracie takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gracie wants to stand up but Lara is controlling the position.
Gracie slips a nice elbow through Lara's hands, connecting with Lara's forehead.
Gracie is keen to just control but Lara is a slippery customer.
Gracie not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lara is looking to get back to full guard here but Gracie has managed to pass to side control instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lara is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lara struggling a bit here.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Gracie. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Gracie trying to control the action but Lara is working from the bottom.
Lara can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to stand but Lara is controlling his arm.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Lara is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie wants to stand but Lara has his arm trapped.
Gracie trying to control the position but Lara is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Royce Gracie wasn't active enough on the ground.

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Gracie is keen to just control but Lara is a slippery customer.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lara avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gracie.

And that's the end of the fight!
Royce Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Royce Gracie!
An out of breath Royce Gracie thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.