PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Junior Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Sherman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Sherman

190 cm
25
223 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

185 cm
20
217 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Junior Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Sherman!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Felipe Paraventi and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sherman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sherman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sherman misses the shot to the body.
Sherman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sherman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sherman goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Sherman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sherman throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Sherman throws a head kick that misses.
Sherman throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sherman pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sherman fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sherman misses with a low kick.
Sherman looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman scores with a push kick.
Sherman throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Sherman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie avoids a kick to the body.
Sherman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sherman throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Sherman looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Sherman tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
Sherman looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sherman.
Sherman misses with a head kick.
Sherman is looking to land body kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sherman tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Sherman is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Sherman wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gracie tries to score with some ground and pound. Sherman controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Sherman manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

Sherman stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Gracie to get to his feet.
Sherman is looking to land body kicks.
Sherman pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Sherman tries a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Gracie cracks Sherman with an open hand slap.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Sherman but Sherman pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sherman tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A head kick misses from Sherman.
Sherman pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Sherman.
Michael Sherman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sherman is looking to slow Gracie down with leg kicks.
Sherman misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Sherman tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Sherman 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.

A head kick misses from Sherman.
Sherman misses with a body shot.
Sherman throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gracie avoids a kick to the body.
Sherman lets loose with a powerful body kick. Gracie will feel that in the morning.
Gracie checks a low kick from Sherman.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sherman throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sherman tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sherman fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gracie checks it well.
Sherman misses with a body kick.
Sherman throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sherman throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Sherman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sherman throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Sherman wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sherman lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracie!
Sherman misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Sherman content just to control the position here.
Gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherman with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Sherman throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Sherman can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gracie is looking to escape.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Sherman maintains control.
Sherman thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Sherman get's back to his feet.
Sherman tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Sherman motions for Gracie to come forward. Sherman throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Sherman gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie prevents Sherman from improving his position.
Sherman gets back to full guard.
Sherman wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie trying to control but Sherman is working from the bottom.
Sherman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four 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 throwing strikes from guard but Sherman blocks nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sherman throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Gracie.
Sherman looks to land a left hand but Gracie moved out of range nicely.
Sherman throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sherman.
Sherman tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Michael Sherman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie misses with a looping left.
Sherman plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Gracie avoids the head kick by Sherman.
Sherman tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Sherman showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sherman throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Sherman.
Sherman missing with a left hand there. Gracie was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sherman lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sherman throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Gracie checks a leg kick nicely.
Sherman throws a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Sherman motions for Gracie to come forward. Sherman throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sherman tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Sherman tries to clinch up.
Sherman thows a body shot but no joy.
Sherman scores with a push kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sherman.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Sherman.
Sherman misses with a kick to the body.
Sherman looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
Sherman throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Gracie shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sherman slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sherman 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 postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sherman wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.
Sherman has Gracie pulled in close to control his posture.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Sherman has wrist control.
Sherman trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Michael Sherman is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Sherman is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Sherman misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gracie moves out of range as Sherman throws a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sherman throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Sherman.
Sherman is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gracie rather than just go for the knockout.
Sherman dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gracie. That did some damage!
Gracie steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sherman. That one must have hurt.
Gracie blocks a leg kick.
Sherman throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.
Junior Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie avoids the head kick by Sherman.
Sherman misses with a head kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sherman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sherman doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gracie takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Sherman tries to land a front kick but Gracie steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Sherman.
Sherman misses with a kick to the body.
Sherman connects with a solid leg kick.
Sherman tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
Michael Sherman seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sherman wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Sherman throws a hook but Gracie avoids it easily.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Sherman.
Gracie takes a shot to the body in his stride.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Sherman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sherman winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Sherman!