PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rory Gracie (ranked 2533 p4p, 3519 weight class) and Shug Skinner (ranked 338 p4p, 451 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Skinner

185 cm
25
185
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
180
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Rory Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Shug Skinner!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Bart Greer and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie misses with a double jab
and Skinner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Rory Gracie has been cut.
Skinner stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Gracie has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Big Island Fitness in the buildup to the fight.
Skinner displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.
Skinner throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Skinner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Skinner scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gracie doesn't seem bothered though.
Skinner takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Skinner jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Gracie misses with a hook. Skinner ducked under it nicely.
Gracie throws a predictable looking body shot

and Skinner counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The referee is keeping an eye on Skinner - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
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 Skinner walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Skinner paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Skinner sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skinner is pressed up against the cage. Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Skinner down to the mat. Skinner avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rory Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Skinner has managed to clinch.
Gracie has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Skinner after a bit of a struggle.
Gracie fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gracie has Skinner pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Skinner manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Skinner displaying some good clinch control by pressing Gracie up against the cage.
Skinner's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Skinner just stands there and leans against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Skinner.
Skinner prevents a takedown attempt there.
Skinner lands an elbow inside that Gracie shrugs off.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Skinner lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skinner content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Skinner fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Gracie has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Skinner finds it's way round the side to connect with Gracie's head.
Skinner throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie misses with an uppercut
and Skinner counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gracie thinking.
Gracie lands with a nice body punch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie misses with a hook. Skinner ducked under it nicely.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Skinner moves away.
Skinner swings widly with a right hand
and Gracie counters with a nice body shot.
Gracie misses with a left hand
and Skinner counters with a nice body shot.
Gracie needs to keep his hands up - Skinner had a free shot at his head there.
Gracie swings widly with a right hand
and Skinner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A shot to the body from Gracie misses
and Skinner counters with a nice uppercut.
Danga de danga de dang - Skinner scores with a four punch combination!
Skinner works the jab nicely.
Gracie changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Skinner is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Gracie had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Gracie fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gracie takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Skinner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
A little jabbing left from Skinner on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Gracie looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Skinner.
Skinner cracks Gracie with a right hand to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie lands a glancing blow to the side of Skinner's head.
Gracie pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Skinner back to the cage. Gracie follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a swing at Skinner's ribcage but misses.
Skinner is looking for the big counter here.
Skinner bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Skinner uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Skinner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Skinner lands a jab to Gracie's midsection.
Skinner misses with a body shot.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Gracie is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Skinner.
Nice shot by Gracie.
Skinner takes a jab right on the kisser.
Gracie takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Skinner smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Gracie misses with a straight right.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shug Skinner dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rory Gracie's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gracie lands with a good body shot.
We've been informed that Skinner has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Gracie scores with a decent looking hook.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Skinner does a little dance to reset his feet.
Skinner jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Gracie on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Skinner has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Skinner showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gracie.
Gracie throws a lazy uppercut
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Skinner has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Skinner there as he acknowledges the shot.
Gracie scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The fighters circling - Gracie throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gracie getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gracie connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Skinner momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie swings for the body but Skinner moves out of range.
Skinner missing with a left hand there. Gracie was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Skinner does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination
and Skinner counters with a nice uppercut.
Gracie cracks Skinner with a good jab.
Gracie thuds a left hand into Skinner's body.
Gracie throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Skinner.
Skinner misses the shot to the body.
A swing and a miss from Skinner.
Gracie takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Gracie throws a sloppy body shot
and Skinner counters with a nice uppercut.
Shug Skinner seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skinner scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Skinner swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Skinner drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Skinner was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.
Rory Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie lands a right hook to the body.
A shot to the body from Gracie misses
and Skinner counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Skinner looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Skinner throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Skinner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Skinner takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a poor cross that misses
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie slips a jab from Skinner.
Gracie lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Skinner's head but Skinner sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Skinner moves into the clinch.
Skinner lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but Skinner turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Skinner prevents a takedown attempt there.
Skinner lands an elbow just above Gracie 's eye.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Skinner manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rory Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Skinner pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Skinner leaning against his opponent.
Skinner leaning against his opponent.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Skinner forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants a takedown but no success here.
Skinner lands a hook to the side of the head.
Skinner lands an elbow inside.

Rory Gracie's cut is getting worse.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Skinner avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Skinner pressing his opponent against the cage.
Skinner lands an elbow inside that Gracie shrugs off.
Gracie jumps guard but Skinner stands there with Gracie around his waist. Gracie gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Skinner lands an uppercut.
Skinner lands an elbow inside.
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 Skinner walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Skinner wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
A decent looking cross lands there for Skinner.

Rory Gracie's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Skinner rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shug Skinner showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rory Gracie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gracie throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Skinner sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Skinner tries to counter with a clinch but Gracie shakes him off and moves away.
Skinner with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Skinner darts in and clinches Gracie up against the cage.
Skinner lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
Gracie tries to score a body lock takedown but Skinner shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but Skinner turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rory Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Skinner comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Skinner dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.

Jeez, Rory Gracie's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Skinner comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Rory Gracie's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Shug Skinner!