PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felipe Leal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gracie
vs
Leal

200 cm
18
146 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Leonardo Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Felipe Leal!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Leal cracks Gracie with a good jab.
Leal scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Gracie scores with a takedown into Leal's guard.
Gracie postures up in Leal's guard and throws a big left but Leal blocks it.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Leal looking for a sweep. Not yet Leal, not yet.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Leal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie won't allow Leal to sweep him here.
Gracie trying to control but Leal is working from the bottom.
Gracie would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Gracie gets to his feet. Leal looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Felipe Leal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Leal decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Leal is working for a submission of some sort.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Leal is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Leal is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gracie is trying to stand back up but Leal is controlling him
Gracie flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Gracie manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Leal fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Leal looks gassed!
Leal misses with a head kick.
Leal fails to land the takedown.
Leal shoots in and drives through. Gracie sprawls well.
Leal misses with a takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Leonardo Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Felipe Leal.

Leal is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gracie showed some decent athleticism there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Leal is looking to improve his position.
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.
Gracie throwing shots but Leal is blocking nicely.
Gracie prevents Leal from improving his position.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Leal defends it well.
Leal is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.

Leal looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Leal tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Leal throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Leal throws a sloppy head kick

and Gracie counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gracie would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Gracie passes into half guard.
Gracie really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Leal gets full guard.
Leal is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Leal is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Leal pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Gracie gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Gracie has Leal pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Gracie pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Leal tumbling to the mat - Gracie dives into Leal's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Leal looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
Leal is trying to control the position from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie preventing the sweep.

Leal working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gracie drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Gracie preventing the sweep.

Gracie stands up from Leal's guard - Gracie perhaps looking for a knockout.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Leal fails with the takedown

so Gracie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Gracie stands up and waves to Leal to follow him.
Gracie shoots in but Leal avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie stands up from Leal's guard - Gracie perhaps looking for a knockout.
Leal throws a head kick that Gracie semi-blocks.
Leal lands with a kick to the temple. Gracie shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Gracie blocks a head kick by Leal.

Leal gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gracie is looking to stand up but Leal won't let him.
Gracie won't allow Leal to sweep him here.
Leal lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracie!
Gracie is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Leal looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Gracie tries to hold on but Leal postures up.
Gracie trying desperately to get to his feet.

Leal stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Gracie pushes Leal up against the cage in a clinch.
Leal tries to break the clinch but Gracie is controlling the position.
Gracie keeps control of Leal as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gracie pulls Leal into guard.
Leal trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet but Leal is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Leal from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Leal advances to half guard.
Leal prevents Gracie from standing back up.
Leal passes the guard and advances to mount!
Gracie keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Leal get's back to his feet.
Leal lands a head kick!
Leal throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Leal throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.

Gracie forces Leal back against the cage and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leal wants to break free but Gracie has control.
Leal being controlled against the cage.
Gracie tries a knee to the head but Leal blocks it.
Gracie stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Gracie prevents Leal from breaking the clinch.
Leal is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gracie keeps control of Leal as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gracie can't get the takedown.
Leal jumps guard but Gracie stands there with Leal around his waist. Leal gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Gracie ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gracie no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Gracie trying to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet but Leal is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Gracie dominated that second round.
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 misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Leal goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Leal to the mat! Leal manages to get full guard.
Leal is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Gracie decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Leal, up you get!
Leal fails with the takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Leal working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Gracie has passed into half guard!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Leal makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Leal throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie blocks a low kick nicely.

Gracie darts in and clinches Leal up against the cage.

Gracie breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Leal misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Leal shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Leal is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Leal mounts Gracie! Really nice guard pass there!

Leal stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Leal lands with a kick to the temple. Gracie shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Leal keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gracie takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Leal circles away easily

and Leal counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Leal is going to stand back up.
Gracie is looking to escape.

Leal decides to stand and escape the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Leal.
Leal throws a leg kick which misses Gracie's front leg but catches the back leg as Gracie tries to avoid it.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Leal shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch but Leal swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Leal looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gracie is fending him off so far but Leal persists. Nope, Gracie circles away and we're back to standing.
Leal with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Leal throws a head kick that misses.
Leal gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Leal's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wanted to stand there but Leal had control of the position.
Leonardo Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Leal looking for subs off his back but Gracie has passed one foot through into half guard.
Gracie is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Leal moves into full guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Leal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Leal looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Leal is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Leal trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Leal trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Leal slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Felipe Leal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leonardo Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie is trying to buck Leal off.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leonardo Gracie.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonardo Gracie!