PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sammy Jam (ranked 1740 p4p, 755 weight class) and Reinaldo Gracie (ranked 192 p4p, 88 weight class). Gracie comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Apaga Mas Não Bate kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Reinaldo Gracie has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Jam
vs
Gracie

160 cm
22
150
7 - 3 - 0

175 cm
22
155
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Urban Fighter
New Standard

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 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sammy Jam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Reinaldo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Columbo Gatti and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jam keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie.
A counter left hand to the body from Jam misses its target.
Gracie throws a body shot but no joy.
A little feinted left hand from Jam on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Nice shot by Gracie.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Jam defends it nicely.

Gracie has Jam up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Jam pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jam leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Jam throwing a counter right hand but Gracie manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jam takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Jam throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Jam jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Jam on the side of the head.
Gracie cracks Jam with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Gracie has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Jam on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Jam but Jam pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sammy Jam has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reinaldo Gracie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Jam. Beautiful body shot.
Jam throws a left and a right that both miss

and Gracie counters by clinching up.
Jam struggles to land a body shot inside as Gracie controls his hands.

Gracie has picked Jam up - he's going for a ride! Gracie dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Jam wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Gracie takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gracie throwing shots but Jam is blocking nicely.
Gracie not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gracie controlling the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Gracie is pressing down on Jam's thigh, looking to free his foot. Jam is holding on for now.
Nice strikes from Gracie there.
Jam is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Gracie is taking a breather. Jam says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Jam is looking to improve his position.
Gracie is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's four 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 stops Jam from getting back to his feet.
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Jam wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Jam moves away from the strike by Gracie.
Reinaldo Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Jam was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gracie dives in and scores a takedown into Jam's guard.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jam is keeping the position for now.
Gracie sitting in guard here, content to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reinaldo Gracie dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Jam circles away.
A counter left hand to the body from Jam misses its target.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Jam was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie misses with a left hand
letting Jam counter with a right hand.
Gracie thuds his right hand into Jam's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Gracie has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Jam jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie tries to clinch but Jam moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Gracie connects with a nice looking jab.
Jam paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a lunging right hand
and Jam counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Jam sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jam appears to be looking for a big counter.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jam throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie sizes up Jam with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Gracie shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
Jam swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Gracie might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Jam throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Gracie works Jam's body with a nice hook.
Jam keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie scores with a nice strike.
A telegraphed right hand from Jam misses the target.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Jam pinned against the cage. Jam gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jam is looking to counter punch.
Gracie misses with an uppercut
and Jam counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Jam takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gracie is looking to clinch but Jam is avoiding it.
Jam throwing a counter right hand but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Jam uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gracie.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Jam's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
Gracie showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gracie's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gracie not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Jam is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Gracie is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four 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 is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Reinaldo Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie won't allow Jam to get back to his feet.
Jam might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gracie lands with an overhand left.
Gracie scores with a jab to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reinaldo Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie fails to land the takedown.
Gracie is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Gracie lands with a nice body punch.

Gracie gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Gracie turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Gracie scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Jam to see if he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie trying to control the action but Jam is working from the bottom.
Gracie might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Jam haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie controlling the position from side mount.
Jam tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Jam is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Gracie wants to control but Jam is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Jam wants to get back to his feet.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie controls the position.
Jam is not content to let Gracie control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Jam swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Gracie lands with an uppercut that bounces Jam off the cage and back into range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jam throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Jam takes one to the side of the head.
Gracie throws a big shot that misses.

Gracie clinches.
Jam is trying to break free.
Jam swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Gracie is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Gracie has hold of one of Jam's legs. Jam is fighting the takedown attempt but Gracie gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jam looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Jam being controlled here, momentarily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reinaldo Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reinaldo Gracie!
Reinaldo Gracie decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.