PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Luka Mrtic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Luka Mrtic has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mrtic
vs
Gracie

176 cm
29
167 lbs
10 - 8 - 1

173 cm
29
166 lbs
18 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luka Mrtic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ronaldo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Mrtic sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Mrtic is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Mrtic thows a leg kick but Gracie checks it
and Gracie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mrtic connects with a high kick.
Mrtic does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mrtic.
Mrtic will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Mrtic misses with a low kick.
Mrtic on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Mrtic swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mrtic feints and then cracks Gracie's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Gracie down.
Mrtic misses with a head kick.
Mrtic throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mrtic stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Mrtic wants it to stay on the feet.
Mrtic avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Mrtic throws a predictable looking body shot

and Gracie counters by moving into the clinch.
Mrtic throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mrtic misses with an elbow strike.
Gracie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mrtic pulls his leg out and moves away.
Luka Mrtic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Gracie.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mrtic throws a leg kick that is checked

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Mrtic wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Gracie trying to control but Mrtic is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mrtic being controlled here, momentarily.
Gracie preventing the sweep.
Gracie controlling from the top position.
Mrtic not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mrtic keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mrtic as he jumps to the side.
Mrtic looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Gracie has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Mrtic.
Mrtic throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Gracie steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Mrtic.
Mrtic throws a front kick aimed at Gracie's knee but Gracie avoids it well.
A low kick from Mrtic misses

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Mrtic wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Mrtic is having none of it.
Gracie not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mrtic on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Mrtic looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Gracie not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Mrtic looking for submissions off his back.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Mrtic is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Mrtic is looking to improve his position.
Mrtic is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Mrtic wants to sweep but Gracie has passed to side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Luka Mrtic will probably get the nod.
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.

Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mrtic circles away.
Mrtic shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Mrtic is looking to land body kicks.
Gracie is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Mrtic throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Gracie 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.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mrtic sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mrtic looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Gracie throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Mrtic tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Gracie is in Mrtic's guard.

Mrtic is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Mrtic is looking to control Gracie's arms but Gracie gets an underhook and turns him. Now Mrtic has his back to the cage.
Mrtic pushes off an throws an elbow but Gracie leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Gracie blocks an elbow strike from Mrtic.
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!
Mrtic misses with an elbow over the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Gracie scores with a nice short uppercut.

Mrtic is fighting off a takedown attempt but Gracie is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Mrtic to the mat. Mrtic regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Mrtic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Mrtic 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.
Mrtic cracks Gracie with a solid left hand.
Mrtic tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Mrtic with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mrtic distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie managing to control the position.
Mrtic is looking to advance position but Gracie has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Gracie dominating with strikes here.
Ronaldo Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie with good strikes from the mount here!
Mrtic is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Mrtic is looking to escape.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mrtic is looking to get to half guard.
Gracie looking to finish Mrtic with some ground and pound. This is bad for Mrtic!
Mrtic is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control the pace but Mrtic is squirming around nicely.
Mrtic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie with good strikes from the mount here!
Mrtic can't escape the position.
Mrtic is trying to reverse the position but instead Gracie has taken his back - oops!
Mrtic tries to break free.
Gracie trying to control.
Gracie gets his hands free as Mrtic looks to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ronaldo Gracie will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Mrtic lands a nice looking body kick.
A low kick from Mrtic misses

and Gracie counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Gracie.
Mrtic throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gracie blocks an elbow strike from Mrtic.
Mrtic throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Mrtic tries to stall but Gracie uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
With the fighters up against the cage, Mrtic throws an elbow but misses.
Mrtic putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Gracie in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Mrtic lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
Mrtic tries to land knees in the clinch but Gracie avoids the damage to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie is working for takedown but Mrtic is calmly controlling the position for now.

Mrtic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mrtic defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Luka Mrtic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mrtic defends it nicely.
Luka Mrtic is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mrtic with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Mrtic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mrtic throws out a leg kick but Gracie moves out of range and Mrtic only half commits.
A clash of legs there as Gracie blocks the low kick.
Mrtic throws a low kick but it's checked well by Gracie.
Luka Mrtic is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie goes for a double leg but Mrtic avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Mrtic continues to drive forward.
Gracie has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Mrtic.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mrtic throws a head kick that misses.
Gracie with the counter takedown but Mrtic avoids it easily.
Luka Mrtic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mrtic sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mrtic throws a head kick that misses.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Mrtic sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mrtic misses with a low kick.
Mrtic scores with a spinning back kick!
A head kick misses from Mrtic.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mrtic swivels and escapes.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mrtic as he avoids it easily.
Mrtic throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Mrtic misses with a leg kick.
Gracie drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mrtic defends it well.
An inside leg kick lands from Mrtic.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mrtic throws a leg kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mrtic throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Mrtic throws a nice outside leg kick.
Gracie blocks a leg kick.
Mrtic delivers a nice body kick.
Mrtic scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Gracie drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Mrtic defends it well.
Mrtic looks to land a body kick but Gracie moved away.
Gracie appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Mrtic is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mrtic.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A leg kick checked by Gracie.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mrtic fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gracie checks it well.
Mrtic throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.
Mrtic throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and moves out of range.
Gracie checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Mrtic fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Gracie has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Mrtic misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie blocks the body kick.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Mrtic.
Mrtic throws a body kick that misses.

Gracie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mrtic looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
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!
Mrtic tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mrtic looks to move to half guard but instead Gracie has passed into mount! Damn!

And that's the end of the fight!
Luka Mrtic showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mrtic 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!