PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rajon Rondo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rarpo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Rondo
vs
Gracie

185 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rajon Rondo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rarpo Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rondo slips under a jab from Gracie.
Rondo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie misses with a few strikes there.
Gracie looks to land a right hand but Rondo moved out of range.
Rondo throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Rondo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rondo looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rondo.

It looks like Rajon Rondo has been cut.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.
Rondo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rondo. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rondo throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Gracie throws a wild body kick that Rondo sees coming a mile off.
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie tries a head kick but it misses.
Gracie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rondo circles away quickly and effectively.
Gracie lands with a cross.
Rondo is looking to wear down Gracie with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie swinging wildly here.
Rondo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.

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.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rondo checks a leg kick.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rondo sprawls well. Rondo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie tries to land a front kick but Rondo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
Gracie misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gracie throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Rondo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gracie.
Gracie comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a leg kick but Rondo checks it.
Gracie misses with a leg kick
and Rondo counters with a nice body shot.
Gracie misses with the combination.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gracie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Rondo counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rondo moves out of range of the leg kick from Gracie.
Gracie missing with a left hand there. Rondo was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination
and Rondo counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Gracie fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Rondo, pushing him back against the cage.
Rondo just leaning against Gracie, taking a breather.
The referee is keeping an eye on Gracie - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.
Rondo thows a body shot but no joy.
The fighters circling - Rondo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gracie misses with a straight left.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rarpo Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rajon Rondo's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Gracie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rondo counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Rondo.
Rondo moves out of range as Gracie throws a body kick.
Gracie misses with a combination

and Rondo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gracie won't be happy with that.
Gracie being controlled for a moment.
Gracie is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie seems a little lost for a moment, as Rondo dominates the positioning.
Gracie gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Gracie tries to get to full guard but Rondo has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Gracie regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Gracie looking to control but Rondo passes into half guard.

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 is pressing down on Rondo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gracie tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie looking for subs off his back but Rondo has passed one foot through into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rajon Rondo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rajon Rondo's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gracie misses with a body shot.
Gracie tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Rondo counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Rondo takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Gracie jabs at Rondo's body.
Rondo stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gracie.
Gracie lands a nice hook to Rondo's body. Rondo takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rondo walks into a stiff left hand from Gracie.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gracie throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rondo swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Rondo misses with a body punch
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Rarpo Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie thows a body kick. Rondo tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Rondo uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gracie.
Gracie tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rondo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.

Gracie gets a clinch.
Gracie is stalling here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gracie manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a jab to the body
and Rondo counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rondo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gracie.
Gracie fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rondo is out of range.
Gracie throws a sloppy head kick and Rondo moves out of range easily.
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Rondo takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Rondo circles away.
A telegraphed right hand from Gracie misses the target.
A slapping body kick lands there for Gracie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some bone on bone action there as Rondo checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Gracie throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rondo.
Gracie misses with a low kick.
Rondo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rondo avoids the head kick by Gracie.
A low kick from Gracie is predictable there
and Rondo counters with a left to the body.
Gracie with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick lands from Gracie.
Gracie dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Gracie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Rondo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gracie goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Gracie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gracie pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Rondo fails with the takedown.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rondo lands a body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rarpo Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rarpo Gracie!