PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicolas Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evangelos Ergazakis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Gracie
vs
Ergazakis

189 cm
23
216 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

187 cm
23
220 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nicolas Gracie!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Evangelos Ergazakis!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Steve Smith and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ergazakis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Ergazakis as he jumps to the side.
Ergazakis tries to counter by closing the distance.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ergazakis's waist but Ergazakis gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Ergazakis fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
Gracie has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Montreal Fighter's Gym (5* Sparring) in the buildup to the fight.

Ergazakis drops Gracie with a left and a right! Oh, Gracie is hurt - Ergazakis dives into side control looking to finish!

It looks like Nicolas Gracie has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Ergazakis is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ergazakis throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gracie punching from the bottom.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ergazakis.
Ergazakis missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Ergazakis wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Ergazakis wants to free his trapped foot but Gracie is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ergazakis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracie defending well though.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ergazakis slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Gracie gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Ergazakis perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Ergazakis is looking to advance position but Gracie won't allow it.
Gracie tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Ergazakis has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ergazakis looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gracie is desperately trying to improve his position but Ergazakis has a good base and remains in mount.
Ergazakis tries to control but Gracie wriggling away.
Gracie is trying to escape the mount.

Ergazakis is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Gracie can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Ergazakis has hold of Gracie's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Gracie manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Gracie is squirming around, avoiding Ergazakis's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poor strikes thrown by Ergazakis there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

Ergazakis is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Gracie has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Ergazakis wants to control the pace but Gracie is squirming around nicely.
Ergazakis throws some wild stikes that Gracie manages to avoid easily.
Ergazakis seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Gracie is holding on tight.
Gracie regains half guard.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ergazakis trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Ergazakis gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Ergazakis from controlling successfully.

Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Ergazakis is aware though and is defending well.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Ergazakis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ergazakis stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.

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

Evangelos Ergazakis dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nicolas Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ergazakis drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.
Ergazakis scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ergazakis tries a body shot but Gracie blocks it.
Ergazakis lands a nice knee to the body.
Ergazakis lands an uppercut.
Ergazakis working Gracie over with knees to the body.
Ergazakis missing with knees to the body.
Gracie is looking for a takedown.
Ergazakis landing knees to the head.
Gracie trying to stall but Ergazakis improves his position.
Ergazakis lands a hook that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
Ergazakis using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Ergazakis dips a shoulder and cracks Gracie with a mighty uppercut! Gracie falls back against the cage and Ergazakis unloads with a barrage of strikes! Gracie is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Ergazakis screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Evangelos Ergazakis!
Evangelos Ergazakis is the new light heavyweight champion!