PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lester Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kelson Gracia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Lester Matthews has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Matthews
vs
Gracia

193 cm
24
194 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

184 cm
23
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lester Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kelson Gracia!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracia looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Matthews is fending him off so far but Gracia persists. Nope, Matthews circles away and we're back to standing.

Gracia gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Matthews tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gracia smiles and moves away.

Gracia gets a double leg takedown into Matthews's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gracia postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracia missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracia with a nice head shot there.

Matthews has an active guard here but Gracia has managed to pass into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracia seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Matthews is refusing to be controlled, as Gracia sits in half guard.
It looks like Gracia is going to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews is looking to improve his position.
Matthews trying to hold on to Gracia's head to control him but Gracia postures up.
Gracia perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Gracia's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Kelson Gracia hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Gracia darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Matthews keeping hold of Gracia's head, controlling as best he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracia trying to control the action but Matthews is working from the bottom.
Gracia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gracia missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Gracia not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Gracia wants to advance to full mount but Matthews doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Matthews keeping moving, preventing Gracia from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracia wants to stand but Matthews has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Gracia wants to control from the top but Matthews keeps moving.
Gracia trying to stand up but can't free himself from Matthews's guard.
Matthews looking to control but Gracia passes into half guard.
Gracia trying to control the pace.
Matthews manages to get to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracia controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Matthews isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gracia stacks Matthews on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Gracia!
Matthews tries to buck Gracia off but Gracia is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracia in side control, throwing shots but Matthews defends.
Matthews tries to buck Gracia off but Gracia is having none of it.

Gracia goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Matthews has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Gracia but great work by Matthews.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kelson Gracia dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Matthews tries to clinch but Gracia moves away

and Gracia counters with a single leg into guard. Matthews didn't expect that.
Gracia wants to control from the top but Matthews keeps moving.
Matthews is trying to control the position but Gracia postures up.
Gracia wants to stand but Matthews has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Gracia content to stall in guard here.
Gracia trying to control but Matthews is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Kelson Gracia.

Gracia drives through with a takedown into Matthews's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matthews has his foot on Gracia's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Gracia works his way back into a safe position though.
Gracia stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matthews swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracia is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gracia wants to get up but he can't break Matthews's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Matthews knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracia on the ground.

Gracia stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Matthews will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lester Matthews is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matthews slips a straight right by Gracia.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Matthews is defended easily by Gracia.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gracia.
Matthews is trying to work for a sweep but Gracia has mounted him!
Matthews is trying desperately to improve position.
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!
Gracia is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Gracia wants to control the pace but Matthews is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracia jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Matthews is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Matthews and Gracia has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Gracia wants to stand but Matthews is controlling his arm.
Matthews is trying to buck Gracia off.
Matthews is looking for a sweep.
Gracia is looking to take a break and control but Matthews is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracia taking a breather here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracia wants to control but Matthews is keeping him busy.
Gracia working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Matthews tries to buck Gracia off but Gracia is having none of it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracia advances to full mount.
Gracia tries to control but Matthews wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kelson Gracia 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gracia stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gracia wants it to stay on the feet.
Gracia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Matthews swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Gracia closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Matthews to the mat! Matthews manages to get full guard.
Gracia looking to pass the guard.
Gracia is pushing down on Matthews's leg trying to pass to half guard. Matthews is fighting to maintain full guard but Gracia has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracia looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gracia is trying to control. Matthews wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Matthews tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Gracia has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracia unloading with bombs!
Matthews tries to hold on but Gracia pushes him away.
Matthews tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracia tries to control but Matthews wriggling away.
Gracia controlling from the full mount.

Gracia has control of Matthews's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Matthews regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracia landing shots from mount.
Gracia wants to control the pace but Matthews is squirming around nicely.

Gracia is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Matthews is surviving well by controlling Gracia's body position as best he can.
Gracia tries to control but Matthews wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Gracia.
Gracia wants to get back to his feet but Matthews is holding on tight.
Matthews looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Kelson Gracia has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracia tries to keep control of the position but Matthews is staying busy.

Gracia is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Matthews knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Matthews for a finish.
Matthews trying to control the position but Gracia manages to sink in the hooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracia controls the action.
Matthews tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Gracia tries to control but Matthews wriggling away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracia controlling the pace for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracia can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Matthews is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kelson Gracia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracia 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kelson Gracia!