PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sandro Zito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Zito

185 cm
25
185 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

186 cm
23
194 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

ENDLESS 152

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aaron Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sandro Zito!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zito bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

It looks like Aaron Gracie has been cut.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zito's waist but Zito gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Zito swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Zito misses with a wild combination.
Zito cracks Gracie with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.
Zito scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Zito will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Gracie is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Zito's half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Zito wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Zito is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Zito gets full guard.

Zito has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Zito is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Zito has escaped and now he's on top!
Gracie is breathing heavily.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Zito pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zito wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Zito wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Zito trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Zito tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Zito slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Zito pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Zito digs a good body shot into Gracie's ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
A punch combination from Zito misses.
Zito bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Gracie's head backwards.
The fighters circling - Zito throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Zito sprawls well.
Gracie defending well as Zito loads up on a big left hand.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.
Zito trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Zito might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gracie kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Zito looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Gracie has gone for a leg lock! Zito slips out almost immediately though and dives into Gracie's guard.

Zito stands and steps away. Gracie gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Zito looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Zito jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Zito.
Zito throws a one two combo.

Aaron Gracie's cut is getting worse.
Zito throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Sandro Zito is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zito uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gracie has time to react.
Zito throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gracie slips under a jab.
Gracie takes one to the chin there.
Gracie displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Zito throws out the jab.
Jab, jab by Zito - just one landing.
Zito ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Zito scores with a punch to the head.
Zito fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Zito lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Zito paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Zito scores with a body shot.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Zito scores with a jab.
Sandro Zito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zito but Zito pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zito just misses with a punch to the body.
Zito fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Zito scores with a jab to the head.
Gracie walks into a jab.
Zito looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Zito throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Zito.
Zito lands a two punch combo.
Zito lands with a nice combination. Gracie backs away looking to recover.
Zito lands with a nice combination. Gracie backs away looking to recover.
Zito scores with a jab to the jaw.
Zito goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Zito looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Zito misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
Zito fails to land with a series of punches.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Zito is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.

Zito working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sandro Zito dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aaron Gracie's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Zito.
Zito leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
Zito manages to get back to half guard.
Zito is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Zito manages to get to full guard.
Zito wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Zito.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Zito is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie postures up.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Zito is retaining full guard.
Zito manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Gracie can't escape the position.
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 looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Zito wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.

Gracie is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Zito gets his way!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Gracie tries to roll but Zito sticks to his back.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie covers up after that shot from Zito.

Zito working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Zito controlling well, preventing Gracie from escaping the position.

Zito is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Zito wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
Gracie tries to escape but Zito has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Gracie is trying to defend against the choke here but Zito has an arm under his chin. This one might not last much longer. Zito Tightens the hold and Gracie taps out furiously! Zito displays superior BJJ to win the fight.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Sandro Zito!