PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Fury (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Fury
vs
Gracie

180 cm
22
170 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

173 cm
29
167 lbs
17 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Xavier Fury!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ronaldo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Lou da Vinci and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Fury defends well and Gracie ends up having to push Fury into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into Fury's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Gracie trying to control but Fury is working from the bottom.
Fury wants to stand and escape but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Fury gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Gracie is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Gracie tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fury would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Fury throws a wild body kick that Gracie sees coming a mile off.
Fury throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Fury manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Xavier Fury has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ronaldo Gracie.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Fury sprawls well.
Fury motions for Gracie to come forward. Fury throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Fury throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fury misses with a low kick.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fury but Fury pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fury misses with a low kick.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
A nice inside leg kick there by Fury. That's going to slow Gracie down.
Fury throws a low kick, looking for Gracie's leg but Gracie calmly moves out of range.

Gracie closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Fury did well to prevent Gracie getting side control.
Gracie prevents Fury from standing back up.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Fury!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Fury knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Fury tries to buck Gracie off but he can't manage it.
Fury is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Fury is bucking up trying to escape but Gracie cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Fury is trying to stand.
Gracie with a couple of short strikes.
Gracie punishing his opponent with strikes.

It looks like Xavier Fury has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fury tries to buck Gracie off but Gracie takes his back!
Fury staying busy and making it hard for Gracie to control.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes.
Fury wants to get back to his feet.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes.
Gracie tries to keep control of the position but Fury is staying busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie is trying to control but Fury is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Gracie is landing with some decent strikes but Fury is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ronaldo Gracie will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Xavier Fury's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into Fury's guard.
Fury is wriggling around but Gracie manages to pass to half guard.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Fury's head.
Gracie stalling away here and it's allowed Fury to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Gracie looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie won't allow Fury to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Fury has wrist control.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie throws a big elbow that misses.
Gracie stays in close to Fury's body and controls the position.
Fury is looking to stand up but Gracie isn't so interested in that idea.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Fury lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Gracie backs up against the cage.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Fury throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gracie blocks the body kick.
Gracie unleashes a big counter combination but Fury bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Nice straight punches there by Gracie. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gracie.
Fury misses with a jab, cross combination.
Fury tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Fury misses with a double jab

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie with the ground and pound but Fury uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Fury utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ronaldo Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gracie throws a strike aimed at the side of Fury's head but Fury avoids it well.
Gracie works to advance to full mount. Fury defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Gracie scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Fury?

Xavier Fury's cut is getting worse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gracie looking to control but Fury is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie controlling the pace for now.
Gracie dominating with strikes here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Poor strikes thrown by Gracie there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Xavier Fury's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Fury stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.

Fury closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gracie quickly recovers to half guard.
Gracie is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Fury wants to stand up but Gracie manages to regain full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Fury from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Fury throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Fury lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gracie circles away quickly and effectively.
Fury connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Gracie blocks a low kick nicely.
Gracie looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Fury seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Xavier Fury is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fury tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Fury.
Fury connects with a solid leg kick.

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.
Gracie trying to control but Fury is working from the bottom.
Gracie working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Fury's head.
Fury wants to stand up but Gracie is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to get up but he can't break Fury's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Fury keeps moving.
Fury is looking to stand up but Gracie isn't so interested in that idea.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Fury is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Fury has escaped and now he's on top!

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Fury thows a leg kick but Gracie checks it

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fury is trying to escape back to his feet but Gracie uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Fury rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Fury!
Fury is looking to stand up but Gracie won't let him.

Fury wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Gracie's closed guard. He's half up but Gracie has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Gracie pivots and extends the arm, Fury falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Gracie! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ronaldo Gracie!
Ronaldo Gracie seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.