PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sakuraba Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christopher Reyes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gracie might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Gimme Shelter. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Gracie
vs
Reyes

180 cm
27
194 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

185 cm
22
190 lbs
12 - 9 - 1

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
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 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sakuraba Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Christopher Reyes!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Emerson Jorge and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reyes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Reyes throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Reyes swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gracie stands up over Reyes, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gracie scoring with punches to the head and body.
Reyes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gracie in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gracie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Reyes pulls Gracie in close to prevent any damage.

Gracie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Reyes has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gracie has managed to get both his arms back between Reyes's legs - danger averted.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Reyes 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.
Reyes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gracie ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie shoots in but Reyes avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Christopher Reyes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Reyes looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
Reyes misses with a series of wild punches.
Reyes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Reyes jabs Gracie right on the nose. Gracie blinks but takes it well.

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Reyes is looking to improve his position.

Gracie is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Reyes doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Gracie.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reyes is positioning himself well to prevent Gracie advancing to mount.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Reyes is defending against the submission attempts here by Gracie.

Reyes is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gracie pulls his head out easily.
Reyes manages to get to full guard.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Reyes is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Reyes is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
Gracie passes Reyes's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Reyes defends it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie is pressing down on Reyes's thigh, looking to free his foot. Reyes is holding on for now.
Reyes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Reyes.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Reyes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Reyes manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Reyes's guard.

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.
Reyes trying to control the position.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Reyes is pulling down on Gracie's head. It's preventing any offense from Gracie, at least for the moment.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Reyes is keeping the position for now.

Reyes had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gracie defends it easily.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Reyes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Reyes manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Reyes's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sakuraba Gracie dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gracie walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Reyes as he jumps to the side.
Reyes misses with a jab, cross combination.
A swing and a miss from Reyes.
Nice body punch from Reyes.
Reyes thuds his right hand into Gracie's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
No joy there for Reyes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Reyes tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie lands a body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Reyes ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Reyes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A looping hook to the body misses from Reyes. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie walks into a left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Reyes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Gracie fails to land.
Reyes dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Reyes manages to break the clinch.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Reyes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Reyes scores with a hook.
Reyes throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
Reyes lands a jab to the head.
Reyes lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Reyes.
Reyes misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Reyes does no damage.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gracie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie misses with a body punch
and Reyes counters with a nice body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Reyes looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Reyes thuds his right hand into Gracie's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from Reyes.
Reyes swinging wildly here.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Reyes counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sakuraba Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A decent looking cross lands there for Reyes.
Gracie takes a jab right on the kisser.
Gracie has his takedown stuffed
and Reyes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Reyes digs a good hook to Gracie's body.
Reyes uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gracie has time to react.
Reyes fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gracie looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Reyes lands a head shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reyes looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Reyes misses with a wild combination.
Reyes throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Reyes swings away with a body shot that misses
and Gracie counters with a straight right hand.
Reyes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gracie connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
No joy there for Reyes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt
and Reyes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Some wild striking there from Reyes.
Reyes looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Reyes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Reyes sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Reyes scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gracie tries to score a power double leg takedown but Reyes sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gracie somewhat.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Reyes but Reyes pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie throws a sloppy head kick and Reyes moves out of range easily.
Reyes lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Reyes lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
A punch combination from Reyes misses.
Reyes darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Reyes circles away.
Christopher Reyes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Reyes lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gracie at a distance.
Reyes swinging wildly here.
Gracie walks into a stiff left hand from Reyes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Reyes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gracie on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Reyes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Reyes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Christopher Reyes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Reyes misses with a jab, cross combination.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gracie showed some decent athleticism there.
Gracie has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Reyes defends it well.
Reyes wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Reyes wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are battling for position here. Reyes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Reyes is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.
Gracie advances to half guard.
Gracie is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Reyes trying to control the position here.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Reyes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Reyes manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Reyes's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Reyes 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.
Reyes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Reyes is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Reyes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Reyes is keeping the position.

Reyes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Reyes looking to control.

That's four 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.
Reyes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Reyes has his hands on Gracie's head, controlling the position.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Reyes working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Christopher Reyes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Reyes 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christopher Reyes!