PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between val garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Iago Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

garcia
vs
Gracie

177 cm
22
151 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, val garcia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Iago Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Daniel Cesar and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

garcia scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
garcia with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.
garcia looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Gracie manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt

and garcia counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by garcia.
garcia slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
garcia wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
garcia sitting in guard, not really doing much.
garcia wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

garcia thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gracie wants to stand but garcia is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and garcia counters with a leg kick.
Iago Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and garcia counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Gracie!
val garcia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Iago Gracie.
Gracie's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Gracie takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, garcia cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Gracie prevents garcia from taking his back.
garcia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
garcia landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
garcia postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Gracie looks a forlorn figure.
garcia controlling from the full mount.
Gracie is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Gracie is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! garcia has taken his back!
Gracie looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

garcia is looking for the choke from the back position but Gracie is controlling his hands well.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet.

That's four 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.
What can Gracie do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

Gracie manages to escape to his feet.
Gracie misses with a takedown
and garcia counters with an outside leg kick.

garcia feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie is wriggling around but garcia manages to pass to half guard.
garcia stops Gracie from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

val garcia dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and garcia counters with a three punch combo that has Gracie backing up. Gracie nods at garcia to acknowledge the strikes.

garcia scores with a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Gracie keeping full guard, as garcia tries to pass.
Gracie wants to stand but garcia is controlling the position.
garcia knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
garcia looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

garcia stands up and waves to Gracie to follow him.

garcia gets the takedown into side control.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet but garcia drags him back down.
garcia trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie is pushing garcia's head away, looking to escape. garcia manages to hold on to the position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
garcia advances nicely into full mount.
Gracie trying desperately to get to his feet.
garcia controlling from the full mount.
Gracie squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
val garcia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
garcia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gracie is trying to stand.
garcia controlling his opponent.
garcia landing strikes, looking to finish!
Gracie is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
garcia takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

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.
You get the feeling that Gracie really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Gracie is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Gracie has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Gracie looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
garcia is punishing Gracie with strikes - can he finish him?!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie trying to get back to his feet but garcia is in full control for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

val garcia dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

garcia drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
garcia pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
garcia seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Gracie pushes garcia off and scrambles back to his feet.
Gracie misses with a takedown

so garcia counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
garcia has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Gracie pushes garcia off and scrambles back to his feet.

garcia drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

garcia jumps guard.
garcia is trying to keep Gracie in close.
garcia wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.

Gracie gets to his feet - garcia follows without any prompting.
val garcia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Gracie drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
garcia is looking to reverse the position.
Gracie tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
garcia wants to control but Gracie postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie decides to stand back up. Gracie steps back and let's garcia get back to his feet.
Gracie shoots and misses

and garcia counters with a shoot takedown. Gracie fights it but they end up in guard.
Gracie wants to stand but garcia is controlling the position.

Gracie manages to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
garcia shoots in looking for a takedown. Gracie tries to sprawl out of it but garcia keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gracie manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and garcia counters with a stiff right hand.
val garcia has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Iago Gracie.

garcia instigates a clinch.

garcia gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Gracie regains guard.
garcia wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

garcia 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.
Gracie being controlled here, momentarily.
Gracie is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
garcia trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to stand and escape but garcia is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie has his takedown stuffed

and garcia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gracie's guard.
garcia controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Gracie wants to stand but garcia is controlling the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
val garcia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well garcia has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... val garcia!