PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lauri Pasanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sakuraba Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie has chosen Gimme Shelter as his entrance music. Sakuraba Gracie has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Pasanen
vs
Gracie

185 cm
23
188 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

180 cm
27
194 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lauri Pasanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sakuraba Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Seu Braga and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie misses with an uppercut. Pasanen saw that one coming.
Pasanen pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Pasanen closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Gracie did well to prevent Pasanen getting side control.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
Pasanen prevents Gracie from improving his position.
Pasanen thows a huge punch but Gracie dodges it nicely.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pasanen controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pasanen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Pasanen.
A big right from Gracie misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Pasanen as Gracie shoots in.
Nice uppercut lands for Pasanen. That snapped Gracie's head back.
Pasanen stuns Gracie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Gracie.
Pasanen jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Pasanen does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Pasanen lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gracie's sensitive parts.
Pasanen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Pasanen lands a jab to the nose.
Pasanen staying out of range there.
Pasanen jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Pasanen with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Gracie throws a lazy right hand but Pasanen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gracie with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pasanen to score with a decent uppercut.
Pasanen lands an overhand right.
Pasanen throws a nice head kick!
Pasanen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Pasanen swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gracie.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gracie looks gassed!
Pasanen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Pasanen lands with a good body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot to de liver by Pasanen. Beautiful body shot.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Pasanen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Lauri Pasanen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sakuraba Gracie.
Pasanen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Gracie takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Pasanen scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pasanen punishes Gracie's body with a nice straight punch.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Pasanen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Pasanen lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Pasanen lands with a nice body punch.
Pasanen lands a head shot.
Pasanen fakes the leg kick and cracks Gracie in the body.
Pasanen motions for Gracie to come forward. Pasanen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd cheers as Pasanen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Pasanen moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Pasanen digs a good hook to Gracie's body.
Gracie takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Pasanen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Gracie at a distance.
Gracie takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Gracie gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Pasanen from controlling successfully.
Pasanen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Pasanen trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pasanen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Pasanen slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Pasanen is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
Pasanen stands up over Gracie, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Pasanen tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Pasanen pushing down on Gracie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Pasanen is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
Pasanen 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.

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.
Pasanen trying to pass the guard but Gracie defending well.
Gracie is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Pasanen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Pasanen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Pasanen perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Gracie tries to get to full guard but Pasanen has control of the leg.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.
Pasanen works his way into full mount!
Pasanen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Gracie?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pasanen lands a big elbow.

Pasanen is giving the impression that he's looking to ground and pound but he switches suddenly into a beautiful far side armbar! Gracie is forced to tap! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Lauri Pasanen!