PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Durans Helmsfrid (ranked 4778 p4p, 5144 weight class) and Pablo Graves (ranked 0 p4p, 593 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.

Helmsfrid
vs
Graves

182 cm
18
180
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
179
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Durans Helmsfrid!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Pablo Graves!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Peter Branson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Graves closes the distance and clinches.

Helmsfrid has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Graves is trying to keep an underhook but Helmsfrid manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Helmsfrid is looking to take a break and control but Graves is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Helmsfrid throwing shots but Graves is blocking nicely.
Helmsfrid looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Graves is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Helmsfrid pulls his head out easily.
Graves is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Helmsfrid jumps into side control!
Helmsfrid is staying tight to Graves's torso, preventing him from escaping.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Helmsfrid's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Graves can't do much from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helmsfrid slows the pace down.
Graves struggling a bit here.
Helmsfrid fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Helmsfrid looks up at the clock and then as Graves takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Helmsfrid smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Helmsfrid scores with a couple of short elbows.
Helmsfrid trying to control the position but Graves is working away.
Graves tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Helmsfrid wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helmsfrid trying to control the action but Graves is working from the bottom.
Graves tries to buck Helmsfrid off but Helmsfrid is having none of it.
Helmsfrid is looking to take a break and control but Graves is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Helmsfrid working away.
Helmsfrid wants to take a breather but Graves manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Helmsfrid.
Graves is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helmsfrid trying to control but Graves is working from the bottom.
Helmsfrid has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Graves wants to sweep but no luck.
Helmsfrid trying to control the position from guard on top but Graves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Graves looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Graves is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Graves is pressing down on Helmsfrid's thigh, looking to free his foot. Helmsfrid is holding on for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helmsfrid wants to get back to full guard.
Graves wants to pass the guard but Helmsfrid is defending well.
Helmsfrid wants to get back to full guard.
Graves looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Helmsfrid is staying active underneath Graves, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Graves is working for a kimura but Helmsfrid is defending it quite comfortably.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Durans Helmsfrid dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Graves misses with a takedown attempt - Helmsfrid sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Helmsfrid shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Graves's guard.
Graves is trying to keep Helmsfrid in close.
Helmsfrid is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Graves has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Helmsfrid can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Durans Helmsfrid overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Graves looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Helmsfrid cracks Graves with a solid left hand.
Helmsfrid postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Helmsfrid controls from within his opponent's guard.
Helmsfrid wants to stand but Graves has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Helmsfrid is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Helmsfrid cracks Graves with a solid left hand.
Graves working a defensive guard here.
Helmsfrid knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Graves on the ground.

Graves looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Helmsfrid makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Graves keeping moving, preventing Helmsfrid from controlling successfully.
Helmsfrid preventing the sweep.
Graves is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Graves is breathing heavily.

Graves escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Helmsfrid gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Helmsfrid with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves keeping moving, preventing Helmsfrid from controlling successfully.
Helmsfrid distracts Graves with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Helmsfrid sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Helmsfrid scoring with some ground and pound.
Helmsfrid trying to control the position from guard on top but Graves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Graves looking for a guillotine here but Helmsfrid defends easily.
Helmsfrid trying to control but Graves is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

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

Graves tries to sprawl but Helmsfrid drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Helmsfrid wants to take a breather but Graves is having none of it.
Helmsfrid prevents Graves from improving his position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Still in half guard, Helmsfrid seems content to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Durans Helmsfrid dominated that second round.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Helmsfrid scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Helmsfrid trying to control the position but Graves is working away.
Helmsfrid gets to mount! Graves was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Helmsfrid lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Helmsfrid can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Graves is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Helmsfrid avoids the attempt from Graves to control.
Helmsfrid can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Graves is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Graves is squirming around, avoiding Helmsfrid's attempts to control the action.
Graves wants to control but Helmsfrid is having none of it.
Graves is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Helmsfrid is staying active.
Helmsfrid working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Helmsfrid wants to control the pace but Graves is squirming around nicely.
Graves wants to control but Helmsfrid is having none of it.
Graves sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Graves trying to control here.
Helmsfrid seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Graves does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Graves is positioning himself well to prevent Helmsfrid advancing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Helmsfrid is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Helmsfrid not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Graves wants to improve his position but Helmsfrid is controlling well.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Graves actively working from the bottom here.
Pablo Graves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Graves takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Helmsfrid is looking to take a break and control but Graves is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Helmsfrid dives in and scores a takedown into Graves's guard.
Graves is trying to control the position but Helmsfrid postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Helmsfrid throwing strikes from guard but Graves blocks nicely.
Graves keeping moving, preventing Helmsfrid from controlling successfully.

Graves is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Graves not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Graves working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Helmsfrid doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Helmsfrid manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Helmsfrid trying to stand up but can't free himself from Graves's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Durans Helmsfrid showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Helmsfrid, 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:27
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Durans Helmsfrid!