PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aleksander Mirskovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gerard Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mirskovich comes to the cage accompanied by ???. Aleksander Mirskovich could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Gerard Gracie's chin.

Mirskovich
vs
Gracie

183 cm
23
200 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

185 cm
23
195 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Experienced

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aleksander Mirskovich!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gerard Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Mirskovich misses.
Mirskovich misses the shot to the body.
Mirskovich misses with a wild combination.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Mirskovich is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Gracie.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Mirskovich swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mirskovich just misses with a punch to the body.
Mirskovich looks to throw the jab but Gracie is out of range.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mirskovich is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Mirskovich defending well.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Mirskovich is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mirskovich keeping hold of Gracie's head, controlling as best he can.
Gracie is pressing down on Mirskovich's thigh, looking to free his foot. Mirskovich is holding on for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mirskovich jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Mirskovich which made him look bad.
Aleksander Mirskovich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gerard Gracie.
Mirskovich throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gracie looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mirskovich connects with a looping right hand.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mirskovich throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie slips a jab from Mirskovich.
Mirskovich waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Mirskovich throws a right and a left that both miss.
Jab by Mirskovich.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Mirskovich sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice sprawl there from Mirskovich as Gracie shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mirskovich tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Mirskovich.

Mirskovich takes the fight into the clinch.
Gracie is working for takedown but Mirskovich is calmly controlling the position for now.
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mirskovich walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mirskovich's waist but Mirskovich gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from Mirskovich.
Mirskovich jabbing away but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aleksander Mirskovich dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The fighters circling - Mirskovich throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Mirskovich throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Mirskovich misses with a wild body shot.
Mirskovich throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Mirskovich misses the shot to the body.
Gracie closes the distance and clinches up with Mirskovich, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes Mirskovich against the cage but Mirskovich circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Aleksander Mirskovich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gerard Gracie.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Mirskovich.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mirskovich throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Mirskovich as he jumps to the side.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Mirskovich sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mirskovich misses with a straight left.
Mirskovich will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mirskovich throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
A jab from Mirskovich misses.
A big right from Mirskovich misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mirskovich looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Gracie decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mirskovich is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie is stalling here. Mirskovich is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Gracie seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Mirskovich has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gracie thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Mirskovich defends easily.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Gracie looking for subs off his back but Mirskovich has passed one foot through into half guard.
Gracie wants to control but Mirskovich is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Mirskovich is working for a kimura but Gracie is defending it quite comfortably.
Gracie regains full guard. Nicely done.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Mirskovich pushes his legs off easily.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mirskovich has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Mirskovich to get to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Aleksander Mirskovich will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Mirskovich throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A telegraphed right hand from Mirskovich misses the target.
Mirskovich is looking to clinch.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Mirskovich sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mirskovich misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
Aleksander Mirskovich seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Mirskovich sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mirskovich throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mirskovich stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Aleksander Mirskovich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gerard Gracie.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Mirskovich shows good takedown defense.
Mirskovich misses with a series of wild punches.
Mirskovich misses with a looping left.
Mirskovich throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Mirskovich throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mirskovich as he avoids it easily.
Aleksander Mirskovich is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mirskovich is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Mirskovich sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mirskovich throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Mirskovich tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mirskovich manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mirskovich connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gracie. Gracie circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mirskovich scores with a three punch combo!
Mirskovich just misses with a punch to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Mirskovich misses the target.
Mirskovich misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mirskovich.

Mirskovich shoots in and bounces Gracie off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Mirskovich defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Mirskovich controlling him for the moment.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Mirskovich is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Mirskovich defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aleksander Mirskovich showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mirskovich, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aleksander Mirskovich!