PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Renato Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fabricio Valesquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gracie might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Bring Da Ruckus. Valesquez is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: "Hurt You" Chase and Status. Fabricio Valesquez has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Renato Gracie's chin.

Gracie
vs
Valesquez

170 cm
24
143 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

167 cm
24
135 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter striker
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

TAKEDOWN ©

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Renato Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fabricio Valesquez!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Shigeki Fujiwara and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valesquez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gracie's waist but Gracie gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Valesquez off to one side.
Fabricio Valesquez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Valesquez keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Valesquez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie trying to control but Valesquez is working from the bottom.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Valesquez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Valesquez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Gracie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Valesquez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Valesquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valesquez doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Valesquez is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie thows a big elbow that misses.
Valesquez wants to sweep but no luck.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Valesquez misses with a two punch combination.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Valesquez's head but Valesquez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Valesquez tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Valesquez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Gracie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Valesquez looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Valesquez sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gracie scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Valesquez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gracie's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gracie's back!
Valesquez is looking to control Gracie but Gracie is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Gracie covering up well under a series of strikes from Valesquez.

Valesquez looking for the choke from the back.
Valesquez lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Gracie hold on?!
I really don't envy Gracie right now.
Valesquez not allowing Gracie to control his hands.
Valesquez softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Valesquez trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Valesquez is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Gracie up.
Gracie rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Valesquez has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Gracie is desperately trying to improve his position but Valesquez has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie tries to lock up and control but Valesquez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gracie can't escape the position.
Valesquez connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Valesquez with shots to the head and body - Gracie looks very uncomfortable down there.
Gracie is trying to escape the mount.
Gracie flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
The referee warns Gracie that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Valesquez maintains control.
Valesquez dominating with strikes here.
A nice elbow there by Valesquez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to lock up and control but Valesquez gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Valesquez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Gracie wants to hold on but Valesquez pushes him away.
Valesquez raining down shots from the mount!
Valesquez landing punches.
Valesquez raining down shots from the mount!
Valesquez working the ground and pound effectively.
Valesquez avoids the attempt from Gracie to control.
Gracie is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Valesquez scores with a couple of good head shots there.
The referee warns Gracie that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Valesquez postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gracie looks a forlorn figure.
Valesquez thowing shots but they're missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fabricio Valesquez dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Valesquez thumps Gracie with a low kick.
Valesquez throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.
Valesquez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Fabricio Valesquez has got the better of the ground game so far.

Valesquez had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Gracie is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Valesquez Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Gracie's back instead.
Gracie just trying to survive but Valesquez is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Gracie breaks Valesquez's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Gracie stays in close to Valesquez's body and controls the position.
Valesquez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie landing with the ground and pound.
Valesquez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gracie's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valesquez trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Valesquez is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.
Valesquez keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Valesquez's guard.
Valesquez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valesquez is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Gracie seems to be working for a kimura but Valesquez defends the submission attempt.
Gracie blocks the strikes from Valesquez.
The fighters are battling for position here. Valesquez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Valesquez is on top in guard.
Valesquez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Valesquez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Valesquez throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valesquez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Valesquez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Valesquez has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Valesquez looking to pass the guard.
Gracie thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Valesquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie can't keep his opponent in guard - Valesquez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gracie is looking to control Valesquez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gracie avoid being mounted?
Gracie lands with a few short shots to the body.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gracie makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gracie.

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.
Valesquez throwing strikes but missing.
Valesquez missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Valesquez wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Valesquez with a nice head shot there.
Valesquez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Gracie escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Valesquez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Valesquez landing some decent shots from guard.
Gracie thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Renato Gracie dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Gracie moves out of range of the body kick.
Valesquez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Valesquez misses with a takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Valesquez didn't expect that.
Valesquez working a defensive guard here.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie advances to half guard.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valesquez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Valesquez missing with punches from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valesquez throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

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

Valesquez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
Valesquez throwing shots but Gracie is blocking nicely.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Valesquez pulls his head out easily.
Valesquez working Gracie over with strikes.
Gracie taking some punishment here, with Valesquez in his half guard.
Gracie tries to roll over but Valesquez keeps him under control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A slow jab from Valesquez misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valesquez tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Valesquez looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.

Valesquez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Valesquez trying to control from half guard but Gracie is working away.
Gracie taking some punishment here, with Valesquez in his half guard.
Valesquez wants to pass the guard but Gracie is defending well.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Valesquez pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valesquez working Gracie over with strikes.
Valesquez wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Valesquez misses with a takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Valesquez!
Valesquez is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Gracie putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Valesquez is looking to get to half guard.
Gracie unloading with bombs!
Valesquez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gracie pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Valesquez tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valesquez throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Valesquez is trying desperately to improve position.

Gracie is going olschool here, as he tries to force Valesquez to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Valesquez shrugs it off.

Gracie looking to secure an arm triangle but Valesquez defends it well.
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Valesquez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Valesquez defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gracie.
Valesquez tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Renato Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28

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