PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sailor Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Gustavsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Disciples of Power - Lords of Creation. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Gracie
vs
Gustavsson

180 cm
22
210 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

196 cm
21
210 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sailor Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Alexander Gustavsson!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie closes the distance but Gustavsson moves to the side
and Gustavsson counters with a left and a right that stings Gracie.
Gustavsson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've been hearing reports that Gracie has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Gustavsson cracks a nice hook into Gracie's ribs.
Gustavsson throws a body shot but no joy.
Gustavsson circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Gustavsson clinches up with Gracie and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie wants a takedown but no success here.
Gustavsson is looking to break free of the clinch but Gracie has double underhooks.

Gustavsson breaks the clinch.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Gustavsson circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Gustavsson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sailor Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gustavsson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gustavsson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A right-left combo lands from Gustavsson.

It looks like Sailor Gracie has been cut.
Gustavsson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gustavsson throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie dives in and grabs Gustavsson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gustavsson pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gustavsson.
Gracie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gracie takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Gustavsson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gustavsson wants it to stay on the feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gustavsson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Gracie shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gracie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gustavsson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gustavsson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Gustavsson is defending it quite comfortably.
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.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gracie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Gustavsson is defending it quite comfortably.
Gustavsson felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Gustavsson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Gustavsson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie wants to pass to mount but Gustavsson is defending the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Gustavsson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sailor Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gustavsson looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Gustavsson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gustavsson throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gracie stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gustavsson is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gracie rather than just go for the knockout.
Gracie dives in and grabs Gustavsson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gustavsson pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Gustavsson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gustavsson as he avoids it easily.
Gustavsson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gustavsson throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Gustavsson misses with a series of wild punches.
Gustavsson stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Gustavsson sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sailor Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie tries to clinch but Gustavsson moves out of range.
Gustavsson bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Gracie's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gustavsson misses with a few strikes there.
Gustavsson scores with a nice right hand.
Gustavsson connects with a jab.
Alexander Gustavsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gustavsson shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Gracie eats them both and turns towards Gustavsson to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Gustavsson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Gustavsson has Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie wants to take the fight to the mat but Gustavsson manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Gustavsson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sailor Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Gustavsson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Gracie is rocked!
Gustavsson has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Gustavsson.
Oh Gracie is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gustavsson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Gracie shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gustavsson's guard.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Gustavsson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Gustavsson pushes his legs off easily.
Gustavsson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gustavsson is working Gracie over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gracie seems to have got his legs back now.
Gustavsson trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

Gracie looking for a triangle here. Gustavsson is fighting it but it looks tight! Gracie pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Gustavsson is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Sailor Gracie!
Sailor Gracie seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
In defeat, Alexander Gustavsson stepped up to the mic, saying 'I will be back! You are going down next time!'.