PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Julio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zachary Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie's entrance music is Deadmau5 - Some Chords. A fine choice. This should be a great matchup!

Gracie
vs
Smith

184 cm
22
190 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
196 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Julio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zachary Smith!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gracie being controlled against the cage.
Smith drops down looking for an ankle pick but Gracie pulls his leg out and moves away.
Gracie cracks a nice hook into Smith's ribs.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Smith.
Gracie throws a big shot that misses.
Smith throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.

Smith moves into the clinch.

Gracie gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Smith regains guard.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Smith is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Smith has escaped and now he's on top!

Gracie working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Smith has passed into half guard!
Smith tries to pass to full mount but Gracie defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie works his way to full guard. Good work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie 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 lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Smith!
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Smith is looking to escape.

Gracie is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Smith has managed to escape the submission attempt.

Gracie is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Smith to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Smith shrugs it off.
Smith is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to control but Smith wriggling away.
Smith is trying to escape the mount.

Smith defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Gracie.
Gracie tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Gracie tries to control but Smith wriggling away.
Gracie prevents Smith from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.

Gracie working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Smith can't escape the position.
Smith sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Gracie is just content to waste time from the top position. Smith takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Smith not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Smith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gracie trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.
Smith working a defensive guard here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith shoots in but Gracie avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gracie throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.

Gracie shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Smith's guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Smith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Smith looks gassed!
Gracie trying to move into half guard but instead Smith has managed to sweep!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Julio 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.

Gracie tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Smith stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Zachary Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Gracie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Smith is trying desperately to improve position.

Gracie with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Smith manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Gracie is thwarting Smith's attempts to control the position.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Smith looking for submissions off his back.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Smith defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie lands with a nice combination. Smith backs away looking to recover.
Smith ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Smith misses with a low kick as Gracie jumps back.
Smith throws a sloppy body shot
and Gracie makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gracie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Smith.
Gracie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
Gracie is looking to wear down Smith with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Smith looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Smith fails with a takedown attempt.
A big left from Gracie misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a series of strikes that have Smith backpedaling.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie throws a hook but Smith avoids it easily.
Gracie closes the distance looking to clinch
letting Smith counter with a right hand.
Gracie misses the body punch

and Smith counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Gracie!
Gracie is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith working for a submission but Gracie is keeping him at bay.
Smith is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Smith prevents Gracie from getting the reversal.
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Smith maintains control.
Smith moves to the back.
Gracie tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Gracie keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Smith breaks from Gracie's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Zachary Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gracie is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Smith is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Gracie is surviving well by controlling Smith's body position as best he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zachary Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Smith!
Smith wants to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.

Gracie jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Smith manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Smith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith regains half guard.
Gracie prevents Smith from improving his position.
Gracie is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Smith!
Smith flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Smith is trying desperately to improve position.
Smith tries to lock up and control but Gracie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Gracie with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gracie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gracie prevents Smith from getting the reversal.

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.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Smith is looking to escape.
Smith is looking to get to half guard.
Smith bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie pulls Smith in close to his closed guard and prevents Smith from doing any damage or advancing position.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.
Smith pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Smith trying to mount his opponent but Gracie defends it.
Smith prevents Gracie from improving his position.

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

Smith seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie has his foot on Smith's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Smith works his way back into a safe position though.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gracie wants to improve his position but instead Smith has moved into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Zachary Smith.
I think Smith 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zachary Smith!