PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Gracie (ranked 5746 p4p, 3404 weight class) and Masa Funaki (ranked 539 p4p, 397 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Gracie
vs
Funaki

180 cm
28
167
5 - 7 - 0

180 cm
26
159
6 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
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 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 9 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Masa Funaki!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Daniel Bishop and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Funaki.
Funaki catches Gracie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Funaki scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Funaki fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Gracie has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Gracie checks a low kick from Funaki.
Gracie walks forward, straight into a front kick from Funaki.
Gracie uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Funaki throws a nice head kick!
Nice sprawl there from Funaki as Gracie shoots in.
Funaki lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Gracie tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Funaki staying out of range there.
Funaki is trying to counter with his kicks.
A nice leg kick from Funaki, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gracie changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Alpha Brasil 🇧🇷 in the buildup to the fight.
Funaki tries a head kick but it misses.
Funaki throws a solid leg kick but Gracie takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Funaki.
Gracie is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Funaki throws a leg kick but Gracie checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie scores with a crisp jab that stopped Funaki in his tracks.
A jab from Funaki does it's job there.
Funaki lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Funaki throws a hook but Gracie blocks it.
Funaki throws a low kick but Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie misses with a body shot.

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Funaki keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Funaki looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Funaki keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling from the top position.
Gracie prevents Funaki from getting back to his feet.
Funaki keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Funaki.
Funaki connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Funaki looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
Funaki throws a leg kick but Gracie checks it.
Funaki stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Funaki throws a low kick but Gracie moves out of range easily.
Funaki throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mauricio Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie cracks Funaki with a good jab.
Funaki slips under a jab from Gracie.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki misses with a left hand

and Gracie counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Funaki just misses with a elbow thrown towards Gracie's brow.
Gracie scores with a shot to the side of Funaki's head.

Gracie gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Funaki regains guard.

Funaki pushes Gracie off and scrambles back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Funaki scores with a kick to the body.
Gracie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Funaki.
Masa Funaki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Funaki fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gracie.
Funaki lands a nice looking body kick.
Gracie scores with a nice right hand.
Funaki connects with an inside leg kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Funaki.
Funaki throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Funaki looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Gracie throwing a counter right hand but Funaki manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Funaki slips under a jab from Gracie.
Gracie on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Funaki. Funaki obviously looking to wear him down.
Funaki moves out of range as Gracie strikes.
Funaki fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for Funaki.
Funaki throws a leg kick which misses Gracie's front leg but catches the back leg as Gracie tries to avoid it.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Funaki.
Gracie will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Funaki will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Nice sprawl there from Funaki as Gracie shoots in.
Gracie walks forward, straight into a front kick from Funaki.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A lazy left from Funaki finds it's target.
Funaki is looking to slow Gracie down with leg kicks.
Funaki has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Funaki lands a front kick.
Funaki looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Funaki misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie takes a swing at Funaki's ribcage but misses.
Funaki lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gracie's sensitive parts.
Gracie checks a low kick from Funaki.
Funaki avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Gracie has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Funaki.
Funaki scoring well with a low kick there.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Funaki walks into a stiff left hand from Gracie.
Funaki scores with a leg kick.
Funaki looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Funaki tries a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Masa Funaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A solid leg kick lands there for Funaki.
Funaki wants to slow Gracie down by chopping away at his legs.
Funaki turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Funaki moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funaki looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
Funaki with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Funaki throws a leg kick
and Gracie cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Funaki walks into a stiff left hand from Gracie.
Funaki scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Funaki.
Gracie throws a body punch but Funaki moves out of range.
Funaki finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A jab from Funaki misses.
Funaki fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gracie.
Funaki misses with a kick to the body.
Gracie swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Funaki thumps Gracie with a low kick.
Gracie cracks Funaki with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki throws a leg kick but Gracie checks it.
Gracie has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Funaki.
Gracie avoids a kick to the body.
Funaki dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gracie. That did some damage!
Gracie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Funaki is looking to slow Gracie down with leg kicks.
Funaki scores with a push kick.
Funaki throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A thudding body kick lands there by Funaki!
Both fighters circling a little - Funaki finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Masa Funaki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Funaki throws a front kick aimed at Gracie's knee but Gracie avoids it well.
Gracie misses with the combination.
Funaki misses with a leg kick
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Funaki.
Funaki throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Gracie is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Funaki.
Gracie blocks a low kick nicely.
Gracie tries to counter by clinching up but Funaki breaks away and moves out of range.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Funaki is just out of range.
Funaki turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gracie blocks a leg kick.
Funaki lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Funaki lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gracie's sensitive parts.
Funaki lands a leg kick that knocks Gracie off balance momentarily.
Funaki clobbers Gracie with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Masa Funaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gracie tries to clinch up.
Funaki slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Funaki throws a quick inside leg kick.
Funaki throws a low kick but Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Funaki wants to land a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Masa Funaki has been cut.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Funaki defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
That kick from Funaki tenderised Gracie's leg. Gracie is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funaki is looking to chop away at Gracie's legs.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Funaki was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Funaki moves away.
Gracie misses with a double jab
and Funaki makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Good leg kick by Funaki.
Funaki scores with a jab to the jaw.
Gracie moves out of range of the leg kick from Funaki.
Gracie thows a left - swing and a miss!
Funaki appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Funaki fails to land with a series of punches.
Funaki throws a leg kick but Gracie moved away.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Funaki throws a nice inside leg kick.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mauricio Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Funaki misses with a looping right.
Funaki with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gracie to score with a decent uppercut.
Funaki chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Funaki cracks Gracie with a good jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Funaki lands a leg kick that knocks Gracie off balance momentarily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Funaki.
Funaki scoring well with a low kick there.
Gracie blocks the body kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Funaki.
Funaki moves away from the strike by Gracie.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Funaki throws a nice inside leg kick.
Funaki throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Funaki steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie sizes up Funaki with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Gracie throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Funaki on the side of the head.
Funaki uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gracie.
Funaki moves out of range of the strikes.
Funaki with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Funaki looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Masa Funaki is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gracie swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Funaki counters with an outside leg kick.
Funaki connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Gracie sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A cross from Funaki lands.
A clash of legs there as Gracie blocks the low kick.
An attempted straight right counter from Gracie misses the target.
Gracie misses with a left hand
and Funaki connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Funaki looks to land a body kick but Gracie moved away.
Funaki throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Funaki scores with a leg kick.
Funaki ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Gracie takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Funaki misses with a low kick as Gracie jumps back.
It looked like Gracie was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Funaki.
Gracie on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gracie's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Funaki is out of range.
Gracie misses with an uppercut. Funaki saw that one coming.
Funaki throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Funaki tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Gracie is looking to counter punch.
Funaki throws a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Gracie swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gracie slips a straight right by Funaki.
Funaki throws a leg kick which misses Gracie's front leg but catches the back leg as Gracie tries to avoid it.
Funaki closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Funaki fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Masa Funaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Funaki winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masa Funaki!