PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Gracie (ranked 1918 p4p, 3432 weight class) and Ted Meredith (ranked 283 p4p, 457 weight class). Meredith has chosen Skinny Boys - Skinny (They Can't Get Enough) as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Meredith

188 cm
26
190
6 - 4 - 0

184 cm
27
185
5 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

Vegan Gains
PWNAGE™

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Ted Meredith!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Steven Brown and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie shoots and misses
and Meredith counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

It looks like James Gracie has been cut.
Meredith ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Meredith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
A big right from Meredith misses.
Gracie appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Gracie throws a big shot that misses.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Meredith! But no joy.
Meredith tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie dives in and grabs Meredith's left leg, looking for a takedown. Meredith pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Meredith now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Meredith throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Meredith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Meredith.
Meredith throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Meredith cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Meredith shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Meredith throws a hook to the side of Gracie's head but Gracie sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
James Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Meredith misses the jab.

Gracie decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Meredith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Meredith won't allow it.
Meredith has his hands clasped together around Gracie's back. He's all about the action.
Gracie is keen to just control but Meredith is a slippery customer.
Gracie not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gracie is nestled in close to Meredith, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Meredith can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Meredith is working away.
Meredith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Meredith 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 is working for a submission of some sort.
Meredith tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Gracie trying to control the pace.
Nice strikes from Gracie there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meredith is looking to improve his position.
Meredith is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gracie scoring with strikes to the body and head.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gracie is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Gracie lands strikes from half guard.
Gracie working Meredith over with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie is keen to just control but Meredith is a slippery customer.
Meredith is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Meredith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meredith is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Gracie not doing much here.
Gracie lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Meredith is looking to get back to full guard here but Gracie has managed to pass to side control instead.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
I wouldn't like to be where Meredith is right now.
Meredith is trying to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that James Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on James Gracie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Meredith manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Meredith is looking for the big counter here.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Meredith avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie shoots and misses
enabling Meredith to counter with a crisp jab.
A big right from Gracie misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a double jab.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into Meredith's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Meredith 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.
Meredith looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Meredith working a defensive guard here.
Meredith wants to sweep but no luck.
We've been hearing good reports from Gracie's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gracie makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Meredith not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie lands a couple of digs.
Gracie working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Meredith's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Meredith is keeping the position.
Meredith wants to hit a sweep here but Gracie passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Meredith there!
Meredith working to try and regain half guard.

Gracie working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Meredith wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie manages to capitalize on a mistake by Meredith to take his back!

Gracie is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Meredith knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Meredith for a finish.
James Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie gets his hands free as Meredith looks to control.

Gracie looking for the RNC.
Meredith is in bad spot here.

Gracie is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Meredith knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Meredith for a finish.
Meredith is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Gracie is punishing Meredith with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for the choke but no joy.
Meredith is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Gracie off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Meredith breaks Gracie's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Gracie is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Meredith can do to turn this around?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Meredith wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Gracie's closed guard. He's half up but Gracie has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Gracie pivots and extends the arm, Meredith falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Gracie! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). James Gracie!
Our winner, James Gracie, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.