PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dag Schotel (ranked 4080 p4p, 3512 weight class) and Anderson Gracie (ranked 490 p4p, 431 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Schotel
vs
Gracie

181 cm
25
177
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
180
1 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

Barry Bonds Performance Enhancers -160Q

Conviction

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 Las Vegas, Dag Schotel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anderson Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Schotel pushes him off.
Schotel waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Schotel moves into range and connects with a jab.

Gracie takes the fight into the clinch.
Gracie throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Schotels head.
Schotel lands with a short shot to the head.

Gracie gets control of Schotel's arms and successfully pulls guard. Gracie will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Schotel from controlling successfully.
Gracie controls Schotel momentarily but Schotel frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schotel landing with the ground and pound.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've been hearing that Schotel has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

Gracie working for a triangle but Schotel defends it easily.
Schotel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Schotel is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Schotel cracks Gracie with a solid left hand.
Gracie looking to control.
Gracie looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Schotel defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schotel postures up.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Schotel defends well.
Schotel throws a big elbow that misses.
Schotel is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Schotel is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Schotel tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Gracie is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

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.
Schotel throws a big shot that misses.
Schotel misses with a straight right.
Gracie steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Schotel.
A slow jab from Schotel misses its intended target.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Schotel pushes him away.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schotel swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Gracie takes the fight into the clinch.

Schotel turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Check out the look on Schotel's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie slips a jab from Schotel.
Gracie tries to counter with a clinch but Schotel shakes him off and moves away.
Schotel swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Schotel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Schotel misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Schotel is avoiding it.
Schotel throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Schotel looks to land a left hand but Gracie moved out of range nicely.
Gracie wants to counter the offense by Schotel and move into the clinch position.
Schotel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie tries to clinch
and Schotel counters with a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schotel swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gracie tries to counter by closing the distance.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Schotel.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch but Schotel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gracie darts in trying to clinch
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Schotel is looking to counter punch.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Schotel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
An attempted straight right counter from Schotel misses the target.
Schotel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schotel lands with a good body shot.
Schotel fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Gracie tries to clinch but Schotel is having none of it.
Schotel moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Schotel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.

Schotel tries to keep at a distance but Gracie has taken the fight into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Schotel manages to break the clinch.
Schotel ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schotel swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie tries to counter by closing the distance.

Gracie fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Schotel, pushing him back against the cage.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but Schotel has him pressed against the cage.
Gracie jumps guard but Schotel stands there with Gracie around his waist. Gracie gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Schotel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Gracie tries to pull guard but Schotel won't allow it.
Dag Schotel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anderson Gracie.
Schotel blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gracie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Schotel fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Schotel lands with a right to the head.

Schotel has Gracie pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Schotel pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Gracie tumbling to the mat - Schotel dives into Gracie's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Schotel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Schotel passes Gracie's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Schotel lands with a punch from half guard.
Gracie tries to roll over but Schotel keeps him under control.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Schotel drops an elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dag Schotel dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gracie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Schotel.
Gracie tries to counter with a clinch but Schotel shakes him off and moves away.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Schotel.
Gracie tries to counter with a clinch but Schotel shakes him off and moves away.

Gracie moves into the clinch successfully.
Schotel goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Gracie is trying to pull guard but Schotel turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Schotel tries to work over Gracie's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Schotel has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Gracie is trying to keep an underhook but Schotel manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Gracie wants to control but Schotel is keeping busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie gets back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schotel is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Schotel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Schotel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Schotel.
Schotel postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Schotel defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schotel passes Gracie's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Schotel scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Gracie moves into full guard.
Schotel trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Schotel working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Schotel from controlling successfully.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Schotel trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Gracie trying to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dag Schotel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Schotel throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Gracie wants to counter with a clinch but Schotel pushes him away.
Schotel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Schotel with a jab.
A big left from Schotel misses.
Schotel misses the jab.
Anderson Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A swing and a miss from Gracie.
Schotel cracks Gracie with a good jab.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Schotel swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nice defenses there by Schotel.
Dag Schotel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Schotel throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gracie steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Schotel.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dag Schotel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Schotel, 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dag Schotel!
After winning the bout, Dag Schotel thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.