PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Heartman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by orion. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Thiago Heartman enters the cage!

Gracie
vs
Heartman

185 cm
23
194 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

188 cm
23
193 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Q159 just 100$ --> Elite Nutrition Company

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thiago Heartman!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice takedown defense from Heartman. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
Heartman keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Heartman checks a leg kick.

Heartman closes the distance and clinches.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Heartman lands a nice knee to the body.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Heartman won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heartman with a knee to the head.
Heartman lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Heartman connects with a nasty looking knee right to Gracie's face.
Heartman lands a knee to the body.
Heartman putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Gracie in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Heartman lands a good knee to the midsection. Gracie won't want to take too many of those.

Heartman breaks from the clinch.

Heartman gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Heartman lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Royce Gracie has been cut.
Heartman lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Heartman will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Gracie up against the cage.
Heartman connects with a nasty looking knee right to Gracie's face.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A knee to the head by Heartman.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Heartman takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Heartman.
Heartman scores a nice knee to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Heartman.

Heartman pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Heartman with a knee to the head.
Heartman with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Heartman scores with a shot to the side of Gracie's head.

Heartman manages to break the clinch.

Heartman gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Heartman with a knee to the head.
Heartman with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Heartman unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gracie lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Heartman scores with a knee to the head.
Heartman landing knees to the body.
Heartman lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Heartman lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Heartman with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Heartman landing knees to the body.
Heartman lands a knee to the head.
Gracie takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Heartman walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Heartman rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Heartman manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Heartman wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Gracie manages to pass to side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Heartman can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Heartman is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Heartman is trying to get back to full guard.
Gracie prevents Heartman from standing back up.
Heartman wants to stand back up but Gracie manages to pass into side control.
Heartman is trying to buck Gracie off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heartman parries the strikes from Gracie easily there. Gracie is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Heartman to escape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Heartman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Heartman moves into range and clinches up with Gracie.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Heartman won't allow it.
Heartman landing knees to the head.
Gracie fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Heartman won't allow it.
A knee to the head by Heartman.
A knee to the head by Heartman.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Heartman holds him up against the cage and eventually Gracie drops back down to his feet.
Heartman missing with knees to the body.
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Heartman walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Heartman fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Thiago Heartman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Heartman closes the distance and clinches.
Heartman will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Gracie up against the cage.

Heartman breaks the clinch.
Heartman avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Heartman tries to land a front kick but Gracie steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Heartman is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Heartman circles away and we're back to standing.

Heartman instigates a clinch.

Heartman has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Gracie uses from the top position.
Heartman looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Gracie puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Gracie prevents Heartman from standing back up.
Gracie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Heartman manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Heartman gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A knee to the head by Heartman.
Heartman stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Heartman dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Royce Gracie'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.

Heartman clinches up with Gracie and pushes him back against the cage.
Heartman is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Heartman scores with a knee to the head.
Heartman has Gracie pushed against the cage.
Heartman continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

Heartman successfully pulls guard.
Heartman wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Gracie works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Gracie not doing much here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Heartman wants to get back to his feet.
Gracie passes into side control, despite Heartman's attempt to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heartman tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie misses with the ground and pound.
Heartman really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Heartman is looking to reverse the position.
Gracie fails to land a wild elbow strike.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Heartman tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Heartman manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Heartman is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.
Heartman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Heartman moves into the clinch.
Thiago Heartman seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Heartman tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gracie smiles and moves away.

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.
Heartman tries to clinch up.
Heartman misses with a kick to the body.
Heartman ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
A punch combination from Gracie misses.

Heartman has Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Heartman landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Heartman lands an elbow inside that Gracie shrugs off.
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Heartman walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Heartman.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Heartman is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Heartman circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Heartman darts in and clinches Gracie up against the cage.
Heartman utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Heartman.
Gracie takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Heartman lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Heartman scores a nice knee to the body.
Heartman with a knee to the head.
Heartman stalling.
Heartman lands a knee to the head.
Heartman unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gracie lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gracie fails to pull guard.

Heartman successfully pulls guard.
Gracie prevents Heartman from getting back to his feet.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie won't allow Heartman to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Heartman tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.

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.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Heartman is avoiding it.

Gracie tries to keep at a distance but Heartman has taken the fight into the clinch.
Heartman tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Heartman fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Heartman tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Heartman gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Heartman obliges.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Heartman.
Heartman looking to throw knees to the head but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Gracie is trying to maintain a safe position but Heartman gets an underhook and turns Gracie into the cage.
Heartman gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gracie.
Heartman has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Heartman utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Heartman crunches a lovely knee into Gracie's ribcage.
Heartman missing with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Heartman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Royce Gracie's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gracie tries for a takedown but Heartman circles away easily

and Heartman holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Heartman scores a nice knee to the body.
Heartman stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Heartman obliges.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Heartman just stands there and leans against the cage.
Knees to the body from Heartman.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Heartman smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Heartman has taken the fight to the clinch.
Heartman landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Heartman landing knees to the body.
Heartman connects with a knee to the head.
Heartman with a knee to the head.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Heartman just stands there and leans against the cage.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.

Heartman is trying to trip Gracie. He has hold of a leg but Gracie is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Heartman persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Gracie has his feet on Heartman's thighs here. He's pushed Heartman off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Heartman screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Royce Gracie!