PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bryan Gracie (ranked 2527 p4p, 2106 weight class) and Bruno Souppe (ranked 339 p4p, 284 weight class). Gracie comes into the arena with Limp Bizkit - Rollin' blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Souppe

195 cm
34
195
10 - 7 - 0

185 cm
34
185
5 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Good elbows
Good gas tank

Knockaround Guys Fight Gear

Katman Drip Inc.

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 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bryan Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruno Souppe!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Souppe shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Souppe in the domination position with Gracie hanging on.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souppe lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Gracie down.
Gracie tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Souppe wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Souppe connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Gracie some visible discomfort.
Gracie defending against the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souppe is putting a hurting on Gracie here, landing some big shots from side control.
Souppe misses with the ground and pound.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
Gracie is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Souppe working the ground and pound from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souppe misses with the ground and pound.
Souppe is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie taking punishment in the form of punches.
You can see the frustration on Gracie's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
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.
Souppe lands a decent elbow from side control.
Gracie is trying to control Souppe's posture but Souppe avoids it.
Souppe wants to take a breather but Gracie manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Souppe.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Souppe wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Souppe defends easily.
Souppe trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souppe wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Souppe is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Gracie has his foot on Souppe's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Souppe works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souppe preventing the sweep.
Souppe must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Souppe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
Souppe looking to pass the guard.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
My spies in Hyperbolic Time Chamber inform me that Souppe has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Souppe sitting in guard here, content to control.
Souppe lands a couple of elbows.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Souppe wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie has momentary wrist control but Souppe slips an elbow through the middle.
Souppe trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souppe is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Souppe can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Souppe engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Souppe pushes his legs off easily.
Souppe trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Souppe postures up.
Souppe chips away with some ground and pound.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Souppe dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie looks to clinch
and Souppe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jab by Souppe.
Gracie throws an overhand right that lands on Souppe's shoulder, as Souppe tries to avoid the shot.
Souppe lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gracie backs up against the cage.

Gracie moves into the clinch successfully.

Souppe tightens his grip and picks Gracie up, before dumping him to the ground. Gracie manages to land in guard.
Bruno Souppe has got the better of the ground game so far.
Souppe seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Souppe defends easily.
Souppe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Souppe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Souppe from controlling successfully.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Souppe is aware though and is defending well.
Souppe trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie has momentary wrist control but Souppe slips an elbow through the middle.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Souppe looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

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.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Souppe defends it easily.
Souppe postures up.
Souppe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Souppe trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Souppe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souppe wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Souppe tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Souppe to the ground. Souppe escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gracie tries to score a power double leg takedown but Souppe sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gracie somewhat.
Souppe has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Souppe forces Gracie back against the cage and clinches.
Souppe blocks an elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Gracie throws an elbow but misses.
Gracie is trying to break the clinch but Souppe is controlling him.
Souppe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gracie has him pressed against the cage.
Souppe avoids a wild elbow strike from Gracie.
Gracie lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Bruno Souppe has been cut.

Gracie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Souppe closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ground and pound from Souppe.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bruno Souppe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bruno Souppe'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. This is the final round!

Souppe shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Souppe avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Souppe chips away with some ground and pound.
Souppe postures up.
Souppe working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Souppe is proving a slippery customer.
Souppe distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Souppe not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souppe landing with the ground and pound.
Souppe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Souppe is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souppe lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Souppe wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie pulls Souppe in close to prevent any damage.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Souppe stays in close to Gracie's body and controls the position.
Souppe trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie throws his legs up looking for a submission but Souppe uses it to pass to side control.
You can see the frustration on Gracie's face as Souppe controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Souppe scores with a couple of short elbows.
Souppe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Gracie wants to control but Souppe postures up.
Souppe landing strikes.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Souppe trying to control the position but Gracie is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souppe cracks Gracie with a big elbow.
Bruno Souppe is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Souppe happy to just control the position for now.
Souppe has control of an arm but Gracie manages to advance to Souppe's back!

Gracie looking for the choke from the back.
Bryan Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie is hanging on to Souppe's back as he tries to escape.

Gracie has the hooks in. Souppe is starting to panic. He's trying to push off one of the legs but he's left his neck open to attack. Gracie passes his arm under Souppe's neck and tightens up a rear naked choke! This one is surely all over! Yes, Souppe taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Bryan Gracie!
In his post fight interview, Bryan Gracie started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.