PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Richie Wheeler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maricio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richie Wheeler had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Wheeler
vs
Gracie

174 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

183 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Richie Wheeler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Maricio Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Frank Dennis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wheeler throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Wheeler is looking to land body kicks.
Richie Wheeler seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wheeler drops Gracie with a beautiful combination! Gracie stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Wheeler is looking for the KO!

Gracie is rocked!

It looks like Maricio Gracie has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Wheeler.
Wheeler tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wheeler lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gracie circles away quickly and effectively.
Wheeler moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Gracie goes down! Can Wheeler finish him!?
Gracie is still in real trouble! Can Wheeler finish him?
Gracie looks gassed!
Wheeler thows a big elbow that misses.
Gracie seems to have recovered his senses.
Wheeler missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Wheeler pushes his legs off easily.
Wheeler wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.
Wheeler trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wheeler throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Wheeler has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gracie is proving hard to escape from.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wheeler changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gracie tries to avoid it but Wheeler manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gracie to the ground. Gracie escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Wheeler shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gracie's guard.
Wheeler chips away with some ground and pound.
Wheeler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Wheeler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Wheeler stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Wheeler pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Wheeler gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Wheeler is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Gracie can't fight it off and eventually Wheeler manages to take the fight to the floor. Gracie looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Wheeler knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Wheeler postures up.
Wheeler throwing strikes but missing.
Wheeler throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Wheeler accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wheeler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Wheeler thows a big elbow that misses.
Wheeler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie wants to control the position but Wheeler says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Wheeler seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Wheeler as he avoids it easily.
Wheeler lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gracie backs up against the cage.

That has opened up Maricio Gracie's cut even more.
Wheeler throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Richie Wheeler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maricio Gracie.
Wheeler connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Wheeler closes the distance looking to clinch

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wheeler is trying to buck Gracie off.

Gracie is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Wheeler knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Wheeler is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Wheeler is pushing Gracie's head away, looking to escape. Gracie manages to hold on to the position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wheeler is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richie Wheeler dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Maricio Gracie's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Wheeler.
Gracie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Wheeler drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.
Gracie stops a takedown attempt from Wheeler.
Gracie is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Wheeler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Gracie trying to control but Wheeler is having none of it.

Gracie stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Wheeler tries to clinch but fails miserably

so Gracie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie wants to get up but he can't break Wheeler's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gracie preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie tries to stand but Wheeler is controlling from the bottom.
Wheeler keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Wheeler is on top in guard.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Wheeler doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Wheeler manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Wheeler trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gracie's guard.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Maricio Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Wheeler is proving a slippery customer.
Wheeler works over Gracie with some ground and pound from guard.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Wheeler controlling him for the moment.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Wheeler postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Wheeler, as that shot connected.
Wheeler wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Wheeler throws a right and a left that both miss.
Wheeler tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.

Wheeler rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Wheeler keeps control of Gracie as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Wheeler pulls guard successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to move into half guard but instead Wheeler has managed to sweep!
Wheeler wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Wheeler controlling him for the moment.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Wheeler 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.
Wheeler stands up over Gracie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Wheeler has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Wheeler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Gracie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Wheeler looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wheeler is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Gracie is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Wheeler is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Gracie has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Gracie moves into full mount!
Gracie fails to move to back control.
Wheeler can't escape the position.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Wheeler is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maricio Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Maricio Gracie's cut.
That's time! Wheeler's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Wheeler connects with a looping right hand.

Wheeler fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gracie, pushing him back against the cage.
Wheeler lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
Gracie prevents Wheeler from breaking the clinch.
Gracie is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Wheeler gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Gracie looking for a takedown.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Wheeler.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gracie just misses with a elbow thrown towards Wheeler's brow.
Wheeler scores with a shot to the side of Gracie's head.
Wheeler pushes Gracie back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A right handed body shot lands from Wheeler.
Wheeler lands a shoulder strike.
Gracie has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Wheeler is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Richie Wheeler has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Maricio Gracie.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie gets underhooks to prevent Wheeler's takedown attempt.

Wheeler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Wheeler.
Wheeler rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Richie Wheeler is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Wheeler fights it but they end up in guard.

Gracie decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Wheeler, up you get!
Wheeler clinches but Gracie breaks the clinch

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gracie wants to control but Wheeler is keeping him busy.
Wheeler tries to kick Gracie off in order to stand up. Gracie Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie trying to control the position but Wheeler is working away.

Gracie has hold of Wheeler's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Wheeler seems comfortable defending it but Gracie has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Wheeler is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Wheeler is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Gracie couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Maricio Gracie!