PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between rasan gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paulo Neves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). gracie comes to the cage accompanied by wanderlei intro . Paulo Neves acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

gracie
vs
Neves

175 cm
23
185 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

183 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Win Nutritional

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, rasan gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Neves!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Edson Gomes and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neves shoots in but no luck this time.
gracie shoots and misses

and Neves counters with a nice double leg into side control. gracie won't be happy with that.
Neves tries to advance to mount but can't.
gracie is not content to let Neves control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on gracie's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
gracie prevents Neves from moving into mount.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Neves is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. gracie knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Neves tries to advance to mount but can't.
gracie wants to get back to his feet.
Neves lands some shots froms side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neves trying to control the position but gracie is working away.
Neves working the ground and pound but gracie is defending the strikes.
gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Neves working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
Neves is staying tight to gracie's torso, preventing him from escaping.

Neves tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Neves has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Neves looks gassed!
gracie tries to buck Neves off but Neves is having none of it.

That's two 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 is working hard here to advance position.
Neves advances to mount.
gracie is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Neves landing strikes, looking to finish!
gracie is squirming around, avoiding Neves's attempts to control the action.
Neves looking to control and managing it successfully.
Neves with a couple of short strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.

Neves wants to finish this one by submission but gracie is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Neves.
Neves fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
gracie is trying to escape the mount.
Neves controlling from the full mount.
gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Neves can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as gracie is looking to escape.
Neves misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

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.
Neves can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as gracie is looking to escape.

Neves working for a submission but gracie is keeping him at bay.
gracie is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Neves with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
gracie keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Neves with a lazy takedown attempt

and gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Neves's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
gracie passes into half guard.
gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Neves 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!
Oooh a big shot gets through from Neves. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Neves scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. gracie is looking for a way out.
Neves has the hooks in. gracie is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Neves doesn't have the hooks in and gracie manages to turn into his guard.

Neves escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Neves looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but gracie puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
gracie is looking to advance position but Neves won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neves slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Neves keeping moving, preventing gracie from controlling successfully.
gracie is looking to stand up but Neves won't let him.
Neves is pulling down on gracie's head. It's preventing any offense from gracie, at least for the moment.
gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Neves is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Neves is trying to keep gracie in close.

gracie drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Neves manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now gracie has Neves in his guard.

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.
Neves trying to control the position from guard on top but gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Neves preventing the sweep.
Neves works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Neves works his way into full mount!
gracie wants to control but Neves is having none of it.

Neves with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
gracie is looking to improve his position but Neves isn't that keen on the idea.
Neves punishing his opponent with strikes.
Neves trying to control but he's not successful this time.
gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Neves punishing his opponent with strikes.

Neves is going olschool here, as he tries to force gracie to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so gracie shrugs it off.
gracie gets back to half guard.
Well, if Neves is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Neves works his foot free and advances to mount.
gracie is squirming around, avoiding Neves's attempts to control the action.

Neves with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Neves has control of gracie's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and gracie regains control of the situation pretty easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paulo Neves will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

gracie has closed the distance and engaged Neves in a clinch.

Neves lands a takedown into guard.
gracie is looking to stand up but Neves isn't so interested in that idea.
Neves makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
gracie is trying to control the position but Neves postures up.
Neves works a leg free and moves into half guard.
gracie tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Neves has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
gracie can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neves working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Neves wants to control the pace but gracie is squirming around nicely.

Neves looking to secure an arm triangle but gracie defends it well.
gracie is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Neves landing strikes, looking to finish!

Neves is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. gracie can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Neves looking to control but gracie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

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.

Neves swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and gracie is now in Neves's guard. A big mistake from Neves there, giving up the dominant position!

Neves working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Neves isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. gracie stacks Neves on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by gracie!

gracie has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Neves with a poor takedown

and gracie counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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.
The fighters are battling for position here. Neves manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Paulo Neves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Neves controlling gracie's posture.
Paulo Neves has got the better of the ground game so far.
Neves trying to control the position.
Neves is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Neves.

That's four 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.
gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Neves is keeping the position for now.

gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Neves with a lazy takedown attempt

and gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Neves!
rasan gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
gracie avoids the attempt from Neves to control.
Neves sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Neves makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Neves.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
gracie chips away with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
rasan gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Neves has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Neves!