PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Royce Grazies (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcus Grant is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Grazies
vs
Grant

186 cm
25
198 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

185 cm
26
193 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Royce Grazies!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Grant!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Grant gets the takedown into side control.
Grazies regains half guard.
Grant is looking to take a break and control but Grazies is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Grazies actively working from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grazies is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Grazies trying to hold on to Grant's head to control him but Grant postures up.
Grazies is staying active underneath Grant, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Grant wants to pass to mount but Grazies is defending the position.
Grazies is looking to improve his position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Grant feints and then cracks Grazies's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Grazies down.
A head kick misses from Grant.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant tries to clinch up but Grazies circles away and keeps his distance.
Grant fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Grant throws a lazy right hand but Grazies sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Grant throws a right and a left that both miss.
Grazies uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Grant.
Grant fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Grant looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Grant gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Grant taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Grazies tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Grant just stands there and leans against the cage.
Grant drops down looking for an ankle pick but Grazies pulls his leg out and moves away.
Grazies with a poor takedown
and Grant counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Grant tries to clinch up but Grazies circles away and keeps his distance.
Grazies avoids the head kick by Grant.
Grant misses with an uppercut.

Grazies clinches.

Grant pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Grazies with a poor takedown

and Grant counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Grazies. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Grant seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Grazies is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Grant pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Grazies is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Grant pulls his head out easily.
Grazies is breathing heavily.
Grazies avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Grant.
Grazies is looking to improve his position.
Grazies moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Grazies keeping full guard, as Grant tries to pass.

Grazies has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Grant can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Grazies can't keep his opponent in guard - Grant advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grant is taking a breather. Grazies says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Grazies is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Grazies looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Grant takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Grant wants to control but Grazies is keeping him busy.
Grazies tries to get to full guard but Grant has control of the leg.
Grant is trying to control the action in half guard but Grazies is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Grant closes the distance but Grazies moves to the side

so Grazies counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Grant dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Grant darts in trying to clinch

and Grazies counters with a shoot takedown. Grant fights it but they end up in guard.
Grant is pulling down on Grazies's head to control his posture.

Grant looking for a guillotine here but Grazies defends easily.
Grazies stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grant swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Grazies has gone for a leg lock! Grant slips out almost immediately though and dives into Grazies's guard.
Grant throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Grazies escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Grant gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Grant trying to control the position from guard on top but Grazies is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grant content to stall in guard here.
Grazies working a defensive guard but Grant passes into half guard.

Grazies actively working from the bottom here.
Grant sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Grazies defending well though.
Grazies works his way to full guard. Good work.
Grant trying to control the position from guard on top but Grazies is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grant must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Grant tries to clinch up

and Grazies counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Grant's guard now.
Grant trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Grazies kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Grazies stops Grant from standing up.
Grant is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Grazies thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Royce Grazies overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Grazies postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Grant is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Grazies, into his guard.

Grazies looking for a guillotine here but Grant defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Grazies is working an open guard so Grant takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grazies looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Grazies doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Grant counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Grazies is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Grant gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Grazies. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Grant pulls guard successfully.
Grant is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Grant is pulling down on Grazies's head to control his posture.
Grazies slips nicely into half guard.
Grant gets full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Royce Grazies dominated that second 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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Grant clinches up with Grazies and pushes him back against the cage.
Grant just leaning against Grazies, taking a breather.
Grazies tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Grant just stands there and leans against the cage.
Grazies tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Grant smiles and moves away.
Grant shoots and misses

and Grazies counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Grazies.
Grazies stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grant swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Grazies drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Grant dives on top into guard.
Grant sitting in guard here, content to control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Grant passes Grazies's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant working the head and body with strikes.
Grazies wants to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Grant seems content to control.

Grazies actively working from the bottom here.
Grant wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grazies keeps working.
Grant tries to pass to full mount but Grazies defends it.
Grant not doing much here.
Grant wants to control but Grazies is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Grazies doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Grant connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Grazies. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Grant closes the distance looking to clinch

and Grazies counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Grazies.
Grazies postures up.
Grant is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Grant throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Grazies pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Grant is keeping the position for now.
Grazies is looking to advance position but Grant has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant landing shots from mount.
Grazies regains half guard.
Grant is looking to take a break and control but Grazies is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Grant trying to control the pace.
Grazies won't allow Grant to pass to mount.

Grazies actively working from the bottom here.
Grant passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grant sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Grazies is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Grazies 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.

Grazies is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Grant pulls his head out easily.
Grant is trying to control. Grazies wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Well, if Grant 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Royce Grazies.
I think Grazies has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Royce Grazies!