PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ralfe Gracie (ranked 2378 p4p, 3075 weight class) and Darren Tolbert (ranked 155 p4p, 198 weight class). Ralfe Gracie has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Gracie
vs
Tolbert

170 cm
23
155
5 - 1 - 0

177 cm
20
157
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Ralfe Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Darren Tolbert!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tolbert throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tolbert swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tolbert connects with a body shot that sends Gracie's belly button to the back.
Tolbert digs a good body shot into Gracie's ribs.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Tolbert.
Tolbert scores with a jab. Gracie acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Gracie misses with a leg kick
and Tolbert counters with a straight right hand.
Gracie looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Tolbert has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie looks to land a body kick but Tolbert moved away.
Tolbert misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Darren Tolbert seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie misses with a body kick.
Tolbert is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gracie rather than just go for the knockout.
Tolbert throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Gracie wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tolbert throws a big shot that misses.
Tolbert just misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tolbert moves away.
Gracie misses with a straight left.
Tolbert misses with a straight right.
Gracie throws a hook but Tolbert avoids it easily.
Tolbert throws a jab when Gracie was well out of range.
Tolbert misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie feinted with a counter takedown.
Tolbert lands a glancing blow to the side of Gracie's head.
Tolbert connects with the punch.
Tolbert misses with a combination

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tolbert tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Gracie manages to move to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie trying to control but Tolbert is having none of it.
Gracie throwing strikes here but Tolbert is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Gracie manages to capitalize on a mistake by Tolbert to take his back!
Gracie is looking to control Tolbert but Tolbert is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Gracie misses with punches from the back.
Gracie is not going to allow Tolbert to sit and survive in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with punches from the back.
Tolbert wants to escape the position.
Gracie missing with punches from the back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie tightening his grip on Tolbert, looking for the choke.
Gracie misses with an elbow to the head.
Gracie lands a shot to the head.
Gracie is trying to stick to Tolbert's back but Tolbert is turning into Gracie. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Gracie's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Tolbert.
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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tolbert stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Tolbert from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tolbert is one step ahead there.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tolbert controls the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie 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.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Tolbert working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tolbert defends well.
Tolbert throws a big right hand that misses.
Tolbert pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
Tolbert with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Gracie has momentary wrist control but Tolbert slips an elbow through the middle.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tolbert is one step ahead there.
Tolbert with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tolbert distracts Gracie with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tolbert controls the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tolbert throws a hook but Gracie blocks it.
Tolbert throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie throws a shot from downtown. Tolbert moves away and avoids it.
Tolbert stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Tolbert misses.
Gracie half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Tolbert does a little dance to reset his feet.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Tolbert! But no joy.
Tolbert misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
Tolbert scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tolbert throws an overhand right that lands on Gracie's shoulder, as Gracie tries to avoid the shot.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Tolbert.
A jab from Tolbert misses.
Gracie half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Tolbert scores with a hook.
Tolbert pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Gracie misses with a takedown
and Tolbert counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Tolbert avoids a kick to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Tolbert.

Gracie is rocked!
Tolbert cracks Gracie with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Gracie tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Tolbert pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Gracie is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 8:21 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Darren Tolbert!
Darren Tolbert thanked the fans post fight for their support.