PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rermes Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phillips comes to the cage accompanied by "Shoot to Thrill" by AC/DC. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Phillips
vs
Gracie

172 cm
23
152 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

167 cm
22
147 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bruce Phillips!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rermes Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Steve Erwin and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Phillips gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Phillips trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Phillips is pulling down on Gracie's head. It's preventing any offense from Gracie, at least for the moment.
Phillips controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Phillips wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Phillips trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
Phillips thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Gracie works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Phillips is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Phillips's head.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Phillips gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gracie is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Phillips gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Gracie is fighting off a takedown attempt but Phillips is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Gracie to the mat. Gracie regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Phillips drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gracie manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Phillips has Gracie in his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Phillips trying to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Phillips throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Phillips is trying to keep Gracie in close.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Phillips is keeping the position for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Phillips with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Phillips's guard.
Gracie postures up in Phillips's guard and throws a big left but Phillips blocks it.
Phillips working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Phillips is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.

Phillips pushes Gracie off and gets back to his feet.
Phillips misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rermes Gracie dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Phillips decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Phillips.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Phillips pulls his head out easily.
Gracie tries to roll over but Phillips keeps him under control.
Phillips wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Phillips tries to stand but can't do so whilst Gracie controls his leg.
Gracie blocking the ground and pound attempt from Phillips.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Phillips connects with a nice looking jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Gracie fails with the takedown

and Phillips counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Gracie is working for takedown but Phillips is calmly controlling the position for now.

Phillips escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Phillips throws a nice inside leg kick.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

Phillips shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Phillips showed some decent athleticism there.
Phillips is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Phillips pulls his head out easily.

Phillips is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Phillips.
Phillips seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Phillips landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Phillips in particular looking to stall.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Phillips seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Phillips stalling away here and it's allowed Gracie to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Phillips working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Phillips stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Phillips from controlling successfully.
Phillips sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gracie's guard.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Phillips sits in half guard.

Phillips wants to work for an arm triangle but Gracie is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Phillips.

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.
Phillips wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
Phillips scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Phillips seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Phillips sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gracie defending well though.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Phillips closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Phillips pulls his head out easily.
Phillips wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Phillips dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Phillips moves into the clinch successfully.
Gracie is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Phillips stalls.

Phillips lands a takedown into guard.
Phillips wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Phillips stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Gracie fails with the takedown

and Phillips counters with a shoot takedown. Gracie fights it but they end up in guard.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Phillips wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Phillips tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie working for a triangle but Phillips defends it easily.

Phillips decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gracie, up you get!

Phillips closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Gracie did well to prevent Phillips getting side control.
Phillips is looking to stall here but Gracie recovers full guard.
Phillips trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Phillips pushes his legs off easily.
Phillips trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Phillips trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Phillips trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Phillips advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Phillips is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Phillips throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Phillips is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Phillips sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Phillips pulls his head out easily.

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.

Phillips stands up and beckons Gracie to join him on the feet.

Phillips shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gracie manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Gracie isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Phillips stacks Gracie 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 Phillips!
Phillips wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Phillips controls the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Phillips clearly takes that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Phillips changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gracie looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gracie dodges the ground and pound from Phillips.
Phillips taking a break here but Gracie is having none of it and regains half guard.
Phillips slows the pace down in half guard.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie is working on a guillotine. He's managed to get to full guard and he's really squeezing tight! Phillips is tapping! Great win for Gracie!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:50 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Rermes Gracie!
Rermes Gracie is the new featherweight champion!