PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Diego Rios (ranked 4666 p4p, 4764 weight class) and Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 588 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rios
vs
Gracie

184 cm
18
195
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Diego Rios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Royce Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rios sprawls well. Rios wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Rios swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

Gracie clinches up with Rios and pushes him back against the cage.
Gracie wants a takedown but no success here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gracie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gracie explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Gracie is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Gracie instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rios uses from the top position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracie pulls Rios in close to his closed guard and prevents Rios from doing any damage or advancing position.

Gracie pushes Rios off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rios slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Diego Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
Rios avoids the body shot from Gracie.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Gracie connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rios's face.

It looks like Diego Rios has been cut.

Gracie jumps guard and drags Rios to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie pulls Rios in close to prevent any damage.

Gracie is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rios can't break the clinch.
Gracie lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Gracie is struggling to control the position.
Gracie keeps control of Rios as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Gracie lands a damaging elbow.
Gracie has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rios is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gracie misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Rios sprawls well.
Rios stuffs the takedown.
Some wild striking there from Gracie.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rios defends it nicely.
As Gracie looks to move away, Rios throws a big counter combo but Gracie just gets out of the way.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Diego Rios's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie has taken the fight to the clinch.

Gracie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Rios uses from the top position.
Rios knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Gracie seems keen to control Rios's posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Rios being controlled here momentarily.
Let's hope that Gracie has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Rios is fighting to break Gracie's control of his arms but Gracie is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Rios defends easily.
Gracie is controlling Rios's posture.
Rios trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie working for a triangle but Rios defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Rios manages to get himself to full guard.

Royce Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie controlling from the top position.

Gracie gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gracie throws a head kick that Rios semi-blocks.
Diego Rios is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie tries a low kick but Rios avoids it.
Gracie shoots in but Rios avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rios appears to be looking for a big counter.
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.
Rios throwing a counter right hand but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Gracie fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rios, pushing him back against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Diego Rios's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Rios takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Diego Rios's cut is getting worse.
Gracie throws a sloppy head kick and Rios moves out of range easily.
Rios stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Rios wants it to stay on the feet.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Rios sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Diego Rios has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Royce Gracie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rios counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie doesn't manage to clinch there - Rios circles away.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Rios throws a big counter combination but Gracie scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Rios tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Rios to the ground. Rios escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Rios swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Rios circles away easily
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rios as he jumps to the side.
Gracie goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rios is looking to counter punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Rios counter with a right hand.
A low kick from Gracie is predictable there
and Rios counters with a straight right hand.
Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch
and Rios cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Royce Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gracie rushes Rios and presses him up against the cage.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rios to keep the fight standing.
Rios is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie prevents Rios from breaking the clinch.
Gracie has Rios pressed against the cage, preventing Rios from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Rios to keep the fight standing.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rios is trying to push Gracie away but Gracie has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Gracie prevents Rios from breaking the clinch.
Rios wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rios stops a takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Rios up against the cage.
Rios is trying to break the clinch but Gracie is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gracie working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Gracie tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rios avoids it.
Gracie is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A frustrated look appears on Rios's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Gracie tries to score a body lock takedown but Rios shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gracie jumps guard but Rios turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie is stalling here.
Diego Rios has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Royce Gracie is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Rios is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gracie is defending well for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Rios showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Royce Gracie!