PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Arbnor Blerim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Helio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Blerim
vs
Gracie

172 cm
23
145 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

175 cm
24
140 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Arbnor Blerim!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Helio Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Robert Twigg and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blerim scores with a decent looking hook.
Blerim misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Blerim.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Blerim.
Blerim throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Blerim swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Blerim swinging wilding here.
Gracie takes one to the chin there.
Blerim looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Blerim scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Blerim just misses with a punch to the body.
Blerim ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blerim ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Blerim throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
Blerim misses with a series of wild punches.
Arbnor Blerim is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Blerim throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Blerim shows good takedown defense.
Blerim tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Blerim.
Blerim misses with a hook. Gracie ducked under it nicely.
Blerim thows a body shot but no joy.
Blerim lands a nice shot to the body.
A punch combination from Blerim misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Gracie shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Blerim is trying to defend but Gracie finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Gracie is keen to just control but Blerim is a slippery customer.
Blerim is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him

Gracie 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.
Gracie has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie goes for an armbar but Blerim turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Blerim.
Gracie looking to control.

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.

Gracie is looking for a triangle here but Blerim uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Gracie is looking for a sweep.

Blerim decides to stand up, so the ref orders Gracie to his feet.
Blerim misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arbnor Blerim 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.

Blerim lands with a cross.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Blerim.
Blerim misses the shot to the body.
Blerim tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Blerim throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Blerim rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Blerim lands a nice shot to the body.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Blerim sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Blerim misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Blerim is looking to wear down Gracie with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Blerim lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gracie at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A shot to de liver by Blerim. Beautiful body shot.
Gracie takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Blerim swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Blerim throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gracie needs to keep his hands up - Blerim had a free shot at his head there.
Blerim misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Blerim misses with an uppercut.
A big left from Blerim misses.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Blerim pinned against the cage. Blerim gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gracie walks into a left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Blerim uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nice takedown defense from Blerim. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
Arbnor Blerim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Helio Gracie.
Blerim throws out a powerful jab.
Blerim tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie walks into a left hand.
Arbnor Blerim is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Blerim cracks Gracie with a right hand to the side of the head.
Blerim swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Blerim throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Blerim misses with a wild combination.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blerim clobbers Gracie with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Blerim.
Blerim swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Blerim rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Blerim ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Blerim.
Blerim swinging wilding here.
Blerim lands a jab to the nose.

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.
Blerim darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gracie controlling from the top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Blerim is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arbnor Blerim dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie staying out of range there.
Arbnor Blerim seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Blerim misses with a series of wild punches.
Blerim just misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Blerim scores with a body shot.
Blerim misses with a few strikes there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Blerim throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Blerim takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.

Blerim uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Blerim circles away.
Blerim thows a body shot but no joy.
Blerim just misses with a punch to the body.
Blerim fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Blerim misses with a double jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nice shot lands for Blerim.
Blerim throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Blerim connects with a looping right hand.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Blerim avoids it really well and circles away.
Arbnor Blerim has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Helio Gracie.
Blerim looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Blerim fails to land with a series of punches.
Blerim looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Blerim throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gracie stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Blerim throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Blerim throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Blerim rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gracie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Arbnor Blerim is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie slips a jab from Blerim.
Blerim throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Blerim.
Blerim fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

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.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Some wild striking there from Blerim.
Blerim misses with the combination.
Some wild striking there from Blerim.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Blerim sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blerim tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arbnor Blerim showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Blerim, 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arbnor Blerim!