PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rorion Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johny Blaze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is AC/DC - Hells Bells. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Gracie
vs
Blaze

175 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rorion Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Johny Blaze!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Blaze throws a leg kick which misses Gracie's front leg but catches the back leg as Gracie tries to avoid it.

Gracie clinches with his opponent.

Gracie jumps guard and drags Blaze to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Blaze must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Blaze defends easily.
Blaze trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Blaze wants to stand and escape but instead Gracie has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Gracie controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaze working a defensive guard here.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Blaze is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Blaze being controlled here, momentarily.
Blaze working a defensive guard here.

That's two 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 controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Blaze is trying to keep Gracie in close.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Blaze is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Blaze manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Blaze's guard.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Blaze works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Blaze wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Blaze shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Gracie defends it nicely.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Blaze tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gracie sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Blaze somewhat.
Gracie tries a head kick but it misses.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Blaze's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracie lands some shots froms side control.

Gracie decides to stand up, so the ref orders Blaze to his feet.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Blaze scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Blaze tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Blaze is trying to keep Gracie in close.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Blaze swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Blaze is trying to keep Gracie in close.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Blaze is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie stands and steps away. Blaze gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rorion Gracie dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Blaze tries to clinch up

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Blaze tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gracie working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Blaze 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.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Blaze is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Blaze 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.
Gracie pushes down on Blaze's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaze tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Blaze has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.
Blaze tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Blaze is looking to control Gracie's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Blaze avoid being mounted?
Gracie passes to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Blaze is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Blaze is looking for a sweep.
Blaze is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
Gracie prevents Blaze from escaping the position.
Blaze is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Gracie is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Blaze is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Blaze is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Blaze can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Gracie tries to control but Blaze wriggling away.
Blaze is trying to escape the mount.
Blaze is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Blaze wants to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Blaze throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Blaze wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.

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 sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gracie scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Blaze?
Blaze really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Blaze tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Blaze working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rorion Gracie dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Blaze gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gracie to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Blaze.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Blaze is looking to stand back up but Gracie counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Blaze.
Gracie is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Blaze wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Gracie.
Blaze is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Blaze to control.

Gracie looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Blaze to control.

That's two 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.
Blaze is looking to get to half guard.
Blaze tries to hold on but Gracie postures up.
Gracie breaks from Blaze's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Blaze is looking to improve his position but Gracie isn't that keen on the idea.
Blaze wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Blaze is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
A head kick misses from Gracie.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Blaze.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Blaze.
Blaze fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gracie avoids it really well and circles away.
Blaze fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Blaze shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Blaze's guard now.
Blaze wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Blaze looking to control.
Blaze utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gracie passes Blaze's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Blaze tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Blaze defending well though.
Johny Blaze has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rorion Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gracie blocks the strikes from Blaze.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rorion Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gracie, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27

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