PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Filipe Belo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joyce Gracel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Belo comes into the arena with Apaga mais não bate blaring out of the sound system. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Belo
vs
Gracel

188 cm
19
205 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

150 cm
22
205 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Filipe Belo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joyce Gracel!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Mauricio Rocha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Belo fails to land the takedown.
Belo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gracel as he avoids it easily.

Gracel looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Belo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracel manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracel keeping moving, preventing Belo from controlling successfully.

Gracel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Belo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracel is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gracel is on top in guard.
Belo is trying to control the position but Gracel postures up.
Gracel preventing the sweep.
Belo trying to keep a closed guard but Gracel is proving a slippery customer.
Gracel being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracel wants to stand but Belo has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Belo is trying to control the position but Gracel postures up.
Gracel trying to control the position from guard on top but Belo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Belo being controlled here, momentarily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Belo with a poor takedown

and Gracel counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Filipe Belo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Belo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gracel.
Belo working a defensive guard here.
Gracel stopping the sweep attempt from Belo.
Belo is breathing heavily.
Gracel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Belo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Belo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracel is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracel is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Gracel looking to pass the guard.

Belo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Belo misses with a series of wild punches.

Gracel changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Belo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gracel in side control lands a decent elbow.
Who's going to make the next move?
Gracel trying to control the position but Belo is working away.
Gracel just content to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracel decides to stand back up. Gracel steps back and let's Belo get back to his feet.
Belo has his takedown stuffed

and Gracel counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Belo keeping moving, preventing Gracel from controlling successfully.
Belo keeping full guard, as Gracel tries to pass.
Belo has his hands on Gracel's head, controlling the position.
Belo trying to keep a closed guard but Gracel is proving a slippery customer.
Gracel works over Belo with some ground and pound from guard.
Gracel wants to control from the top but Belo keeps moving.
Belo is trying to control the position but Gracel postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Belo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracel trying to control but Belo is working from the bottom.
Belo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Belo is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Gracel forces Belo back against the cage and clinches.
Gracel prevents the takedown attempt.

Gracel works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Belo is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Gracel wants to control but Belo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belo is keen to just control but Gracel is a slippery customer.
Gracel wants to get back to full guard.
Belo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracel keeps working.
Gracel wants to improve his position but Belo is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Belo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gracel counters with a takedown into side control.
Belo manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gracel's best efforts.
Belo on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Belo wants to control but Gracel is keeping busy.
Gracel is tying to control. Belo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Belo trying to control here.
Gracel slips a nice elbow through Belo's hands, connecting with Belo's forehead.
Gracel takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Gracel is nestled in close to Belo, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Gracel wants to pass to mount but Belo is defending the position.

Belo looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracel is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracel is thwarting Belo's attempts to control the position.
Gracel stalling.
Belo is trying to control but can't.

Gracel decides to stand and escape the position.
Belo shoots and misses

so Gracel counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Gracel working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Joyce Gracel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracel lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gracel wants to pass the guard but Belo is keeping the position.
Belo keeping moving, preventing Gracel from controlling successfully.
Gracel throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracel controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Belo is keeping the position for now.
Gracel distracts Belo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gracel wants to control from the top but Belo keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Gracel misses the jab.
Gracel misses with a hook.

Belo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Belo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracel controls the pace.
Belo trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracel is looking to work some ground and pound but Belo has wrist control.
Belo looking to control.
Gracel slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Gracel working the ground and pound.
Belo is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Gracel is chipping away with strikes.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
You can see the frustration on Belo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracel working the ground and pound from side control.
Gracel creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Gracel wants to control but Belo is keeping him busy.
Belo takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Gracel connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Belo some visible discomfort.
Gracel cracks Belo with a big elbow.
Belo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belo is working hard here to advance position.
You can see the frustration on Belo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Gracel scores a takedown into full mount!
Belo is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracel tries to control but Belo wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joyce Gracel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Belo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gracel counters with a takedown into side control.
Gracel landing strikes.
You can see the frustration on Belo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracel controlling the position.

Gracel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Belo is looking to regain half guard here but Gracel keeps moving and retains side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracel lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Belo down.
Gracel is looking to take a break and control but Belo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Belo tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belo is not content to let Gracel control the position.
Gracel scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Belo to see if he's OK.
Gracel is looking to take a break and control but Belo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracel working the body and head with strikes.
Gracel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Belo keeps working.
Belo tries to bench press Gracel off him but Gracel keeps the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Gracel decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Belo tries to get to full guard but Gracel has control of the leg.
Belo trying to control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracel is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Belo has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gracel is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Belo is trying to maintain the position but Gracel is very close to passing his half guard.
Gracel is keen to just control but Belo is a slippery customer.
Belo wants to control but Gracel is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Gracel looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Gracel closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Gracel throwing shots but Belo is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belo is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gracel scores with a couple of nice shots.
Belo holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Belo wants to improve his position but Gracel is controlling well.

Belo is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Gracel pulls his head out easily.

Belo is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracel.
Gracel drops an elbow to the side of Belo's head.
Gracel prevents Belo from improving his position.
Belo desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Gracel lands strikes from half guard.
Gracel looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Belo with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belo is pressing down on Gracel's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gracel is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Belo is trying to keep Gracel in close.
Gracel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Belo looking to control.
Gracel distracts Belo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gracel accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Gracel postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gracel landing with the ground and pound.

Belo is rocked!
Belo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Oh Belo is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gracel pushing down on Belo's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Belo seems to have got his legs back now.
Nice strikes from Gracel there.
Gracel is keen to just control but Belo is a slippery customer.

Belo is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracel.
Filipe Belo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracel working over Belo with some ground and pound. Belo looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joyce Gracel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracel has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 26:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 26:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joyce Gracel!