PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Holden Gracie (ranked 1492 p4p, 1413 weight class) and Joao Andrade (ranked 228 p4p, 218 weight class). Andrade has chosen Sabotage - Rap É Compromisso as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Joao Andrade enters the cage!

Gracie
vs
Andrade

190 cm
29
196
7 - 3 - 0

192 cm
29
189
17 - 10 - 2

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

SynCity Fightwear
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Holden Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joao Andrade!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Andrade lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Andrade throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Gracie defending well as Andrade loads up on a big left hand.
Andrade walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Gracie throws a head kick but Andrade moves out of range.
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Andrade moved out of range nicely.
Gracie misses with a two punch combination.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Andrade was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gracie moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromAndrade.
A thudding body kick lands there by Andrade!

Andrade gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gracie tries a body shot but Andrade blocks it.
Andrade doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Andrade lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Gracie or not.
I was talking to Gracie's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Gracie wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Andrade working aggressively here.
A short right from Andrade on the inside.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie is looking to break free of the clinch but Andrade has double underhooks.
Andrade keeps control of Gracie as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
A head punch on the inside from Andrade fails to land.
Andrade throws a punch but it's blocked by Gracie.
Andrade stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short uppercut from Andrade.
Andrade lands a right hand that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie lands a shoulder strike.
Andrade misses with some punches.
Andrade works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Andrade escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
Andrade looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Andrade throws a lazy body kick
and Gracie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Andrade attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Andrade throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gracie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Andrade fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
A right-left combo lands from Andrade.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Andrade tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Andrade throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
We've been informed that Andrade has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Andrade throws a body shot but no joy.
Gracie's jab looks to have found its range, popping Andrade under the eye.
Andrade avoids the head kick by Gracie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Andrade back to the cage. Gracie follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Joao Andrade has been cut.
Andrade misses the shot to the body.
Andrade scores with a nice body kick.
Gracie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Andrade.
Andrade throws a lazy uppercut
and Gracie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A jab from Gracie misses.
Andrade throws a leg kick but Gracie moved away.
A slow jab from Gracie misses its intended target.
Gracie swings for the body but Andrade moves out of range.
Andrade throws a head kick that misses.
Andrade misses with a straight left.
Andrade does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Andrade swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Andrade stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Andrade throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Andrade is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Gracie.
Andrade lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donk. Andrade catches Gracie right on the button with a cross.
Andrade throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.

Gracie moves into the clinch.
Gracie lands with a left to the head.
Gracie blocking some punches.
Andrade lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Gracie blocking some punches.
Gracie blocking some punches.
Gracie lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Andrade backwards.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.
Gracie plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Gracie looks to land a left hand but Andrade moved out of range nicely.
Andrade misses with a body kick.
Andrade fails with an attempt to clinch.

Oh, that's a big right hand from Gracie and Andrade goes tumbling to the canvas! Gracie follows him to the ground and looks to finish from half guard.

Andrade is rocked!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Andrade wants to get back to full guard.
Andrade is still in real trouble! Can Gracie finish him?
Andrade is trying to control but can't.
Gracie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Andrade knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Andrade is trying to get back to full guard.
Gracie controlling the pace.
Andrade seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Andrade is looking to improve his position.
Andrade is trying to stand up here but Gracie is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Andrade controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Andrade is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Gracie works his way into full mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Andrade is trying to escape the mount.
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 Holden Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Joao Andrade's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gracie scores with a jab. Andrade acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Andrade circles away.
Andrade looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Andrade throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Gracie looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gracie blocks the body kick.
Gracie gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A head kick misses from Gracie.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Andrade is out of range.
Andrade paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Gracie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie misses with a double jab.
Gracie is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie tries to clinch but Andrade moves out of range.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
A swing and a miss from Gracie.
Gracie tries a head kick but it misses.
Andrade misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gracie throws a lazy right hand but Andrade sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Holden Gracie is winning the standup battle so far.
Andrade ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
A head kick misses from Gracie.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses.
Andrade throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Andrade blocks a head kick by Gracie.
Gracie on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gracie misses with a body punch
and Andrade counters with a slapping leg kick.
Andrade bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Andrade throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Andrade misses with a head kick.
Andrade throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Andrade's head but Andrade sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Andrade takes the fight into the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Andrade working aggressively here.
Gracie takes a shot to the head.
Gracie tries to throw a body punch but Andrade avoids it by throwing Gracie back against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Andrade.
Andrade swings wildly with an uppercut but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Andrade lands a body shot in the clinch.
Gracie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gracie tries a body shot but Andrade blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gracie.
Gracie struggles to land a body shot inside as Andrade controls his hands.

Andrade's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The fighters circle momentarily. Gracie darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Gracie looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Andrade staying out of range there.
Gracie jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie moves out of range as Andrade throws a body kick.
Gracie swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Andrade ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Gracie throws a lazy right hand but Andrade sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gracie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Andrade ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Andrade throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Andrade swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a head kick but Andrade moves out of range.
Gracie throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Andrade thuds his shin into the meat of Gracie's side.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses.
Andrade fakes the leg kick and cracks Gracie in the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Andrade.
Andrade misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Andrade throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Gracie.
Andrade dodges the punch combination from Gracie.
Nice shot lands for Andrade.
Andrade ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie misses with a two punch combination.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Andrade is avoiding it.
Gracie will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Gracie tries to clinch but Andrade is having none of it.
Andrade lands with a slapping head kick.
Holden Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Andrade dodges the punch combination from Gracie.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Andrade misses the target.
Andrade steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Andrade looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Andrade throws a head kick that misses.
Gracie goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Andrade scores with a head kick.
Andrade staying out of range there.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Andrade raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Nice uppercut lands for Andrade. That snapped Gracie's head back.
Gracie lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Andrade at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Andrade throws a head kick that misses.
Andrade keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Andrade throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Andrade misses with a kick to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Andrade showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joao Andrade's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Andrade looks like he wanted to counter with a high kick but didn't throw it.
Andrade goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Gracie throws a sloppy head kick and Andrade moves out of range easily.
Andrade throws a wild body kick that Gracie sees coming a mile off.
Andrade throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
A right-left combo lands from Gracie.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Andrade.
Andrade misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Andrade lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gracie tries to bum rush Andrade with a series of wild strikes but Andrade uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Andrade throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.

Andrade gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Andrade lands an uppercut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie lands a left hand.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Andrade is just out of range.
Nice shot by Andrade.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Andrade slips a jab from Gracie.
Gracie throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Andrade.
Nice body kick there by Andrade.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Andrade throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Gracie takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Andrade throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses.
Gracie fails in his attempt to clinch.
Andrade tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Andrade tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gracie throws the left hand but Andrade avoids the punch easily.
Andrade lands a head kick. Gracie smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Andrade.
Andrade thuds his shin into the meat of Gracie's side.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie thows a left - swing and a miss!
Andrade's corner calls for a 1-2. Andrade obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Andrade pushes him off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Gracie misses with an uppercut.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Andrade throws a leg kick but Gracie checks it.
Gracie is looking for a counter combo.
Gracie displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Andrade throws out the jab.
Andrade connects with a solid leg kick.
Andrade tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Andrade fails in his attempt to clinch.
Andrade clobbers Gracie with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Gracie goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Gracie jabs Andrade to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Donk. Gracie catches Andrade right on the button with a cross.
Nice cross by Gracie.
Andrade throws out a powerful jab.
Gracie just misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromAndrade.
A punch lands to the side of Andrade 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Nice uppercut there from Andrade.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Andrade throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
No joy there for Andrade, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie blocks the body kick.
Andrade tries to score with a low kick but Gracie moves his leg out of the way.
Andrade throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Andrade pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Andrade avoids the head kick by Gracie.
Andrade looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Andrade moves into range and clinches up with Gracie.
Andrade misses with a punch on the inside.
Andrade throws a head punch that misses.
Andrade fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Andrade softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.
Andrade defending well as Gracie loads up on a big left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Andrade closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Andrade misses with a body punch.
Gracie tries a body shot but Andrade blocks it.
Andrade throws a head punch that misses.
Gracie is looking to break free of the clinch but Andrade has double underhooks.
Andrade misses with a hook from the clinch.
Andrade misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gracie.
Andrade lands an uppercut.
Andrade misses with a short punch on the inside.
Andrade throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gracies head.
Gracie is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A body shot lands from Andrade.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A shot in the inside from Andrade.
Gracie blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Andrade throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gracies head.
Andrade misses with some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joao Andrade comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Andrade 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joao Andrade!
After winning the bout, Joao Andrade thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.