PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sandra Balak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joao Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Balak
vs
Gracie

170 cm
18
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

167 cm
25
156 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition
Mohito Fightwear

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sandra Balak!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joao Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Paulsen Ambrosius and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie moves out of range of the leg kick from Balak.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Balak sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A head kick misses from Balak.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Balak sprawls well. Balak wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Balak jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Balak throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.

Gracie closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Balak's guard.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balak keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Balak keeps moving.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Balak's guard.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Balak is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Balak looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Balak looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie wants to control but Balak is keeping him busy.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Balak is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Balak looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Balak looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is trying to control. Balak wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Balak actively working from the bottom here.
Balak is breathing heavily.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Balak defends it well.
Balak is not content to let Gracie control the position.

Balak looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Balak is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Balak is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Gracie has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Balak defend it? Gracie steps over the head and cranks it - Balak is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Gracie!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Joao Gracie!