PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tarkhan Naranbaatar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ramon Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Naranbaatar comes to the cage accompanied by Batzorig Vaanchig. Gracie is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Jiu Jitsu: Vai Finaliza!. Ramon Gracie told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Naranbaatar
vs
Gracie

178 cm
24
176 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

180 cm
26
180 lbs
14 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Solid Muay Thai
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition
KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Tarkhan Naranbaatar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Ramon Gracie!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, James Ackerman and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Naranbaatar throws a leg kick

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gracie throwing shots but Naranbaatar is blocking nicely.
Gracie keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Naranbaatar keeps working.
Gracie is pressing down on Naranbaatar's thigh, looking to free his foot. Naranbaatar is holding on for now.
Naranbaatar wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naranbaatar wants to get back to full guard.
Gracie wants to pass to mount but Naranbaatar is defending the position.
Naranbaatar is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naranbaatar desperately trying to maintain half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Naranbaatar has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Naranbaatar is defending well.
Naranbaatar trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Gracie fails to move to back control.
Gracie with a couple of short strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naranbaatar keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Gracie looking to control but Naranbaatar is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Naranbaatar tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Gracie tries to control but Naranbaatar wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naranbaatar tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Naranbaatar tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.
Naranbaatar is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gracie is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Naranbaatar stops Gracie from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Gracie tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Gracie trying to control but Naranbaatar is having none of it.

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.
Naranbaatar regains half guard.
Gracie wants to pass to mount but Naranbaatar is defending the position.
Naranbaatar wants to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie is looking to advance position but Naranbaatar won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Naranbaatar takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
And Gracie tries to counter it with a takedown but Naranbaatar pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Naranbaatar jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Naranbaatar tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Naranbaatar.
Gracie is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Gracie has closed the distance and engaged Naranbaatar in a clinch.
Naranbaatar stalling in the clinch but Gracie improves position.
Gracie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Naranbaatar breaks from the clinch.
Gracie slips a jab from Naranbaatar.
Naranbaatar avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naranbaatar throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Naranbaatar loads up on a big right hand but Gracie slips the punch.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Naranbaatar pushes him away.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Naranbaatar.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Naranbaatar pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naranbaatar lands a body shot.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Naranbaatar is looking to counter punch.
Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch
and Naranbaatar counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Gracie gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Naranbaatar misses with a hook to the ribs.
Naranbaatar blocking some punches.
Gracie tries a body shot but Naranbaatar blocks it.
Gracie avoiding damage.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Naranbaatar manages to get underhooks.
Gracie's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Naranbaatar is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Naranbaatar lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gracie has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Naranbaatar is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Naranbaatar blocking some punches.
Naranbaatar throws a punch but it's blocked by Gracie.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Naranbaatar.
A short right from Naranbaatar on the inside.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Naranbaatar stalling against the cage.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Naranbaatar smiles and moves away.
Tarkhan Naranbaatar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ramon Gracie.
Gracie needs to keep his hands up - Naranbaatar had a free shot at his head there.

It looks like Ramon Gracie has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naranbaatar looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Naranbaatar throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie with the counter takedown but Naranbaatar avoids it easily.

Gracie rushes Naranbaatar and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Naranbaatar avoids the elbow strike from Gracie, against the cage.
Naranbaatar tries a body shot but Gracie blocks it.
Gracie blocking some punches.
Gracie scores with a shoulder strike.
Gracie works on Naranbaatar's body with a couple of short punches.
The referee is keeping an eye on Naranbaatar - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Gracie has Naranbaatar pushed against the cage.
Naranbaatar misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie can't find room to land a body shot as Naranbaatar controls the action.

Naranbaatar breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Gracie clinches up against the cage.
Gracie tries for a takedown. No joy.
Naranbaatar scores with a shot to the side of Gracie's head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Naranbaatar.
Gracie has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Naranbaatar seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Gracie can turn it around.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Naranbaatar lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Gracie throws an elbow that misses.
Gracie comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Tarkhan Naranbaatar has been cut.
Naranbaatar digs a right hand into Gracie's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Gracie's gas tank.
Naranbaatar swings wildly with an uppercut but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.

Naranbaatar manages to break the clinch.
Naranbaatar walks into a jab.

Gracie drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tarkhan Naranbaatar dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

An inside leg kick lands from Naranbaatar.
Naranbaatar ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Gracie clinches with his opponent.
Naranbaatar fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Naranbaatar throws a punch but it's blocked by Gracie.
Gracie lands with a left to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Naranbaatar creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Gracie tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Naranbaatar's elbow.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
A short right from Naranbaatar.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naranbaatar lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Naranbaatar escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Naranbaatar takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Naranbaatar misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Naranbaatar counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Naranbaatar misses with the combination.
Naranbaatar misses with a low kick.
Naranbaatar looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gracie tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Gracie misses with a straight left.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Naranbaatar lands a slapping body shot.
Naranbaatar throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Tarkhan Naranbaatar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Naranbaatar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Naranbaatar blocks the body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naranbaatar lands with a cross.
Nice takedown defense from Naranbaatar. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
Naranbaatar throws a hook to the side of Gracie's head but Gracie sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Naranbaatar throws a leg kick which misses Gracie's front leg but catches the back leg as Gracie tries to avoid it.
Donk. Naranbaatar catches Gracie right on the button with a cross.
Naranbaatar looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Naranbaatar misses with a head kick.
Gracie connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Naranbaatar swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to clinch but Naranbaatar moves out of range.
Naranbaatar throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Naranbaatar throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
A shot to the liver by Naranbaatar. Beautiful body shot.
Naranbaatar misses with a body shot

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Naranbaatar's guard.
Naranbaatar is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.
Naranbaatar doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

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 missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie advances position into side control!
Naranbaatar 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.
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Naranbaatar wants to improve his position, back to half guard but Gracie has ideas of his own. He's got hold of Naranbaatar's far side arm and it looks like he's got an Americana. Ohh! Ohhhh! OOOOOOOOOH! A human being's arm is not meant to bend like that! Naranbaatar is tapping like a morse code operator on the Titanic! SOS SOS! He's out of here! Great win for Gracie!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Ramon Gracie!
Ramon Gracie decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.