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Stepping Stone 23 PBP Commentary |
This TWGC bout is 1 fifteen minute round in the super heavyweight division. Introducing today's competitors. In the red corner, competing out of London, with a TWGC record of 2 wins and 4 losses; William Smyth! And in the blue corner, fighting out of Helsinki, with a TWGC record of 6 wins and 2 losses; Darius Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Columbo Gatti and Reed Andrews.
The official calls the fighters to the middle and the contest is under way.
Gracie rushes Smyth and presses him up against the cage.
Gracie goes for a takedown attempt but Smyth pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Gracie feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position. Score +2 for takedown into guard / half guard: Smyth (0) vs (2) Gracie
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Smyth gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (2) vs (2) Gracie
Smyth looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Smyth has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Gracie is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Smyth from controlling successfully.
Gracie being controlled here, momentarily.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Smyth trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Smyth engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Smyth is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Gracie is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Gracie has escaped and now he's on top! Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (2) vs (4) Gracie
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smyth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smyth has his hands on Gracie's head, controlling the position.
Smyth escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smyth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is fighting to break Smyth's control of his arms but Smyth is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smyth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smyth trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Smyth looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Smyth can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracie controls the pace.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Smyth keeps moving.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Smyth gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (4) vs (4) Gracie
Gracie pulls Smyth in close to prevent any damage.
Smyth got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Smyth has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Gracie working for a triangle but Smyth defends it easily.
Smyth trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
That's five minutes gone in the round.
Smyth is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Smyth drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gracie manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Smyth has Gracie in his guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (4) vs (6) Gracie
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smyth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Smyth gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (6) vs (6) Gracie
That's six minutes gone in the round.
Smyth trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Smyth is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Smyth from controlling successfully.
Smyth looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (6) vs (8) Gracie
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smyth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Smyth has Gracie pulled in close to control his posture.
Smyth has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Gracie not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Smyth looking for a sweep. Not yet Smyth, not yet.
Gracie's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smyth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Smyth dives on top into guard. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (8) vs (8) Gracie
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Smyth trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Smyth is really struggling to control Gracie but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Smyth drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Smyth jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Smyth controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Smyth drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Smyth jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Gracie trying to control the position here.
Smyth drops back looking for a leg! Gracie is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Gracie manages to kick Smyth off! Smyth jumps back into Gracie's guard.
Smyth trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
That's ten minutes gone in the round.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smyth manages to get himself to full guard.
Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (8) vs (10) Gracie
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Smyth is keeping the position.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Smyth keeps moving.
That's eleven minutes gone in the round.
Smyth controlling the position.
Smyth keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie postures up.
Gracie is pushing down on Smyth's leg trying to pass to half guard. Smyth is fighting to maintain full guard but Gracie has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracie stalling away here and it's allowed Smyth to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Smyth keeps moving.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
That's twelve minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is stalling in the full guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smyth is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Smyth haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Smyth looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
That's thirteen minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control but Smyth is working from the bottom.
Smyth looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smyth is keeping the position for now.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Smyth gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top. Score +2 for sweep to guard / half guard: Smyth (10) vs (10) Gracie
That's fourteen minutes gone in the round.
Smyth trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Smyth trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie is looking for a triangle but Smyth pushes his legs off easily.
Our spies down at at Tappelukerho inform us that Gracie has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Smyth doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Smyth manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that's the end of the fight!
As we have tied on points, we go to a tie breaker and Gracie gets a bonus point for attempting more subs.
Gracie wins on points by 11 to 10. |
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