PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Renoa Gracie (ranked 1887 p4p, 23206 weight class) and Asaki Hanaki (ranked 195 p4p, 468 weight class). Hanaki comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The HU - Wolf Totem kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Gracie
vs
Hanaki

166 cm
24
145
3 - 2 - 0

173 cm
28
155
2 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Renoa Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Asaki Hanaki!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Sosuke Kotani and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hanaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie lands a really nice looking cross but Hanaki seems unphased.

Gracie fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hanaki sprawls well initially but Gracie persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Hanaki pushes Gracie off but Gracie dives into side control.
You can see the frustration on Hanaki's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracie controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Hanaki for as long as he can get away with.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hanaki, who protects the arm well.
Gracie takes a little break here. Hanaki wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hanaki is looking to reverse the position.
Gracie controlling from side mount.
Hanaki is pushing Gracie's head away, looking to escape. Gracie manages to hold on to the position though.
Gracie misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Hanaki wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Hanaki is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Hanaki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hanaki looking for a sweep but Gracie has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hanaki is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hanaki tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Hanaki felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Gracie content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hanaki is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Gracie controlling his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gracie controlling his opponent.
Hanaki is working to get back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie controlling his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie cracks Hanaki with a right hand to the side of the head.

Gracie clinches.
Hanaki is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Gracie cracks Hanaki with a nice body shot.
Gracie is struggling to control the position.
Hanaki wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hanaki tries to pull guard but Gracie forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Gracie's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie leaning his opponent against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Gracie scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie digs a right hand underneath Hanaki's ribcage. Hanaki let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gracie.
Gracie lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hanaki is breathing heavily.
Gracie stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Gracie taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Gracie lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Hanaki is rocked!
Gracie creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Hanaki with a big uppercut! Hanaki tries to clinch up but Gracie pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Hanaki to the mat! Hanaki covers up and Gracie unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Renoa Gracie!
An out of breath Renoa Gracie thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.