PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Abidemi Sithembile (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonardo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Sithembile
vs
Gracie

173 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
154 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Decent elbows
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Tesla Apparel

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, Abidemi Sithembile!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Leonardo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Sithembile.

Gracie gets a takedown into half guard.

Gracie stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Sithembile to get to his feet.
Sithembile stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Sithembile sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sithembile lands with a thumping leg kick.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Sithembile misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Gracie closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sithembile can't break the clinch.
Sithembile blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Gracie gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Sithembile is trying to stand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Gracie looks gassed!
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie takes one to the chin there.
Abidemi Sithembile is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sithembile steps into range and cracks Gracie with a monster punch that buckles his knees! Gracie flops backwards and Sithembile dives into his guard looking to finish!

Gracie is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Gracie pushes Sithembile off and gets back to his feet.
Gracie is still on wobbly legs! Can Sithembile finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sithembile keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gracie seems to have recovered his senses.
Abidemi Sithembile has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leonardo Gracie.
Sithembile thuds a left hand into Gracie's body.
Sithembile dips to his left and cracks Gracie with an uppercut!
Gracie on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Sithembile.
Sithembile throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Sithembile stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Sithembile throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sithembile scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Sithembile.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch but Sithembile swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sithembile misses with a head kick.
Leonardo Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sithembile throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Sithembile sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sithembile throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.
Sithembile rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Sithembile sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sithembile moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Sithembile misses with a looping left.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sithembile getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
A head kick by Gracie misses
and Sithembile counters with a thumping low kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sithembile works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Sithembile throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abidemi Sithembile dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sithembile's waist but Sithembile gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sithembile.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses.
Sithembile tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Sithembile's guard.
Gracie would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie gets to his feet. Sithembile looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Sithembile pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sithembile as he avoids it easily.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Sithembile.
Sithembile looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Sithembile misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Sithembile circles away.

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 tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sithembile paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Sithembile.
Sithembile throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Sithembile tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sithembile manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Abidemi Sithembile has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leonardo Gracie.
Gracie defending well as Sithembile loads up on a big left hand.

Gracie gets a takedown into half guard.
Sithembile might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Sithembile defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sithembile avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Gracie.
Gracie is keen to just control but Sithembile is a slippery customer.
Sithembile is trying to stand up here but Gracie is controlling him well.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gracie stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Sithembile to get to his feet.
Abidemi Sithembile is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sithembile.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sithembile throws a head kick that misses.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gracie tries to clinch up but Sithembile circles away and keeps his distance.
Sithembile stuffs the takedown.
Sithembile uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Sithembile throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sithembile.
Abidemi Sithembile is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Sithembile sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A head kick misses from Gracie.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sithembile digs a good hook to Gracie's body.
Sithembile misses with a body shot.
Gracie tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Sithembile cracks Gracie with a good jab.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Sithembile circles away.
Gracie walks into a stiff left hand from Sithembile.
A jab from Sithembile finds it's way through Gracie's defenses.
Sithembile rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sithembile lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Sithembile tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sithembile swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie lands with a thumping leg kick.
Sithembile swinging wilding here.
Sithembile throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Sithembile shows good takedown defense.
Abidemi Sithembile has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leonardo Gracie.
Gracie staying out of range there.
A slow jab from Sithembile misses its intended target.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Gracie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Sithembile to counter with a crisp jab.
Sithembile is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Sithembile.

Gracie drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sithembile, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gracie is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Gracie decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Sithembile throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Sithembile lands with a nice body punch.
Sithembile avoids the head kick by Gracie.
Sithembile scores with a nice right hand.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Sithembile sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Sithembile knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gracie not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Gracie decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sithembile, up you get!
Sithembile dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Sithembile sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonardo Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

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