PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ralph Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vince Chen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chen has chosen Build me up Buttercup as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Chen

181 cm
21
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

160 cm
19
142 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter striker
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Powerful

Fugly Face Clothing
Fugly Face Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ralph Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Vince Chen!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Chen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Chen lands strikes from half guard.
Gracie tries to roll over but Chen keeps him under control.
Chen is trying to control the action in half guard but Gracie is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Chen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gracie blocking the ground and pound attempt from Chen.
Chen trying to control from Gracie's half guard. Gracie has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Chen is looking to stand up but Gracie won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chen lands a couple of elbows.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Chen from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Chen is one step ahead there.
Chen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Chen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Chen.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chen avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Chen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gracie is fending him off so far but Chen persists. Nope, Gracie circles away and we're back to standing.

Gracie feints and as Chen raises his hands in defense, Gracie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gracie is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Chen keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie won't allow Chen to sweep him here.
Gracie throwing strikes from guard but Chen blocks nicely.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Chen.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Chen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Chen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chen with a lazy takedown attempt
and Gracie counters with a straight right hand.
Chen tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily
and Gracie counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ralph Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vince Chen.
Chen tries to clinch up

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing strikes from guard but Chen blocks nicely.
Chen looking to control.
Gracie trying to control but Chen is working from the bottom.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Chen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gracie.
Gracie pushes down on Chen's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Chen defending well though.
Chen trying to control but Gracie postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Chen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Chen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Gracie counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Chen tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Chen won't be happy with that.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Chen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ground and pound from Gracie seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but Chen denies him.
Gracie landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ralph Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Chen.
Chen works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Gracie takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Chen working the head and body with strikes.
Gracie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Gracie keeps Chen under control for a moment.
Chen cracks Gracie with a big right hand but Gracie just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Gracie is working to avoid the ground and pound but Chen connects with a decent elbow.
Chen working the body and head with strikes.
Chen working the ground and pound.
Gracie gets back to half guard.
Ralph Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Chen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Chen tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Gracie.
Chen lands strikes from half guard.
Chen 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie gets full guard.

Chen 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 Chen has Gracie in his guard.
Chen is breathing heavily.
Gracie pushes down on Chen's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Gracie will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Chen's head.
Gracie is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Chen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Chen wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Chen looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie thows a huge punch but Chen dodges it nicely.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Chen has his takedown stuffed

and Gracie counters with a takedown into side control.
Chen parries the strikes from Gracie easily there. Gracie is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Chen to escape.
Chen dodges the ground and pound from Gracie.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chen avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Gracie.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chen wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Chen dodges the ground and pound from Gracie.
Chen is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Chen tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily

and Gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Chen!
Gracie throws some wild stikes that Chen manages to avoid easily.
Gracie is landing with some decent strikes but Chen is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Chen is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Chen tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Chen won't be happy with that.
Chen stops Gracie from passing to mount.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Gracie creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Chen sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The ground and pound from Gracie seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Chen is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Chen sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chen throws a big right hand that misses.
Chen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Chen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Chen won't be happy with that.
Gracie trying to control the position but Chen is working away.
Gracie looks up at the clock and then as Chen takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Gracie smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Chen is trying to get back to his feet.
Chen dodges the ground and pound from Gracie.
Gracie working the ground and pound but Chen is defending the strikes.
Chen wants to get back to his feet but Gracie drags him back down.
Chen tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Chen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.

Chen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Chen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Gracie is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
Chen looking to finish Gracie with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gracie!
Chen prevents Gracie from getting the reversal.
Chen dominating with strikes here.
Gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.
Chen lands a big elbow.
Gracie manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Chen connects with a nice short shot to Gracie's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gracie moves into full guard.
Chen looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Chen wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Chen's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Chen's head.
Gracie is trying to control. Chen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Chen wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Chen is looking to improve his position.
Vince Chen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Chen defends it.
Gracie not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ralph Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gracie has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ralph Gracie!