PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex van der Val (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roger Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). van der Val comes to the cage accompanied by Finntroll--Födosagan. Gracie has chosen Get It as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

van der Val
vs
Gracie

197 cm
22
260 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

194 cm
24
240 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alex van der Val!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Roger Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Paulsen Ambrosius and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
van der Val takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Gracie lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Gracie takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

It looks like Roger Gracie has been cut.
van der Val takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Gracie scores with a takedown into van der Val's guard.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.
Gracie is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
van der Val on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. van der Val defending well though.
Gracie trying to mount his opponent but van der Val defends it.
Gracie content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Gracie is trying to control. van der Val wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
van der Val regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Gracie.
van der Val looking for a sweep. Not yet van der Val, not yet.
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 van der Val is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
van der Val wants to sweep but no luck.

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.
Gracie tests van der Val's chin there with a solid looking shot.
van der Val throws a right and a left that both miss.
The fighters circling - van der Val throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
van der Val attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gracie in particular looking to stall.
Gracie not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. van der Val defending well though.
van der Val regains full guard. Nicely done.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but van der Val is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gracie connects with a couple of short punches.
van der Val keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
van der Val 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.
Gracie is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie throws and elbow that misses. van der Val uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Gracie's guard. Nice move by van der Val!

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
van der Val preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Roger Gracie's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

van der Val throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Alex van der Val is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Gracie rushes van der Val and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Gracie gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Gracie lands with a punch from half guard.
van der Val is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can van der Val avoid being mounted?
Gracie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gracie is looking to advance position but van der Val won't allow it.
Gracie is keen to just control but van der Val is a slippery customer.

Gracie is working for a kimura but van der Val is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
van der Val is trying to get back to full guard.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
van der Val won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

van der Val gets caught flat footed, as Gracie shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gracieis looking to pass into half guard but van der Val pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now van der Val is in guard.
van der Val stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie wants to sweep here but van der Val controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working for a triangle but van der Val defends it easily.
van der Val has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
van der Val wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
van der Val is working hard here to advance position.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
van der Val stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
van der Val tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. van der Val won't be happy with that.
van der Val can't do much from the bottom here.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but can't.
Roger Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to score with some ground and pound. van der Val controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
van der Val is looking to reverse the position.

Gracie is trying to get an arm triangle but van der Val is defending well.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but van der Val sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.

Gracie has his foot on van der Val's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. van der Val works his way back into a safe position though.
van der Val pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Roger Gracie's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
van der Val wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side
and Gracie connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
van der Val wants to control but Gracie postures up.
van der Val prevents Gracie from moving into mount.
You can see the frustration on van der Val's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Gracie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
van der Val struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by van der Val, who protects the arm well.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gracie tries to advance to mount but van der Val denies him.
van der Val tries to improve position but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
van der Val showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gracie.
van der Val stalks Gracie and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Gracie's face. Gracie staggers backwards, shaken.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
van der Val closes the distance but Gracie moves to the side

and Gracie counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for van der Val!
van der Val holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Gracie tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
van der Val is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
van der Val suckers Gracie into throwing a sloppy strike and uses the momentum to reverse the position beautifully! van der Val is now in Gracie's guard!

van der Val got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, van der Val has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom but instead van der Val passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
van der Val slows the pace down in half guard.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as van der Val sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.
Alex van der Val has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie is looking to control van der Val's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gracie avoid being mounted?

Gracie looking for a kimura from the bottom but van der Val passes into side control!
van der Val tries to advance to mount but Gracie denies him.
Roger Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

van der Val is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gracie is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex van der Val showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29

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