PBP Commentary

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

Phichai
vs
Gracie

170 cm
21
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
19
165 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

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 Montreal, Phrayaa Phichai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Junior Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, William Peck and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phichai throws a front kick that sends Gracie stumbling back into the cage.
Phichai scores with a spinning back kick!
Phichai throws a head kick that misses.
Phrayaa Phichai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phichai throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.
Phichai displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Gracie avoids a kick to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Phichai.
Phichai tries a low kick but Gracie avoids it.
Phichai misses with a low kick as Gracie jumps back.
Phichai tries a head kick but it misses.

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!

Gracie working for a submission but Phichai is keeping him at bay.

Gracie has hold of Phichai's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Phichai manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Phichai turns into him and now he's in Gracie's guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Phichai from controlling successfully.

Gracie pushes Phichai off and scrambles back to his feet.
Phichai misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Phichai misses.
Phichai pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Phichai throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Phichai lands a nice looking kick to the body. Gracie takes a step back to recover.
Phichai throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Phichai misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gracie.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Phichai is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Phichai struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws an elbow but Phichai slips to the side and avoids it well.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Phichai is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Phichai prevents Gracie from moving into mount.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gracie looks gassed!
Phichai is looking for a sweep.

That's four 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 advances to full mount.
Phichai knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.

Gracie goes for an armbar but Phichai turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Phichai.
Phichai looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Phichai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Phichai looking for a sweep. Not yet Phichai, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Gracie dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches.
Phichai tries to land knees in the clinch but Gracie avoids the damage to the body.
Gracie avoiding damage.
Phichai with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Phichai misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Phichai manages to get underhooks.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gracie.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Phichai.
Gracie is struggling to control the position.
Gracie continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Gracie prevents a body shot from Phichai.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phichai tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Phichai throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gracie.
Phichai gets underhooks to prevent Gracie's takedown attempt.
Gracie tries to pull guard but Phichai holds him up against the cage and eventually Gracie drops back down to his feet.
Phrayaa Phichai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Gracie.

Gracie has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Phichai clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
I really don't envy Phichai right now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Phichai is defending well though. Gracie let's go of the attempt for now.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

Gracie looking for the choke but no joy.
Gracie is trying to stick to Phichai's back but Phichai is turning into Gracie. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Gracie's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Phichai.

Gracie looking for a guillotine here but Phichai defends easily.
Phichai showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Phichai drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gracie looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gracie looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gracie!

Gracie thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Gracie tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phichai tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie tries to move into full mount but can't pass Phichai's legs.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Phichai regains half guard.

That's four 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 is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Phichai defends it well.

Phichai makes his way to full guard, as Gracie worked for a kimura.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Phichai is proving hard to escape from.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Junior Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Phichai dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Gracie. That did some damage!
Phichai scores with a leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Phichai.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Phichai is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Phichai circles away and we're back to standing.
Phichai lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Phichai scores with a leg kick.
Gracie takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Gracie takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

Phichai gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Phichai controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.
Gracie prevents Phichai from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throws a big right hand that misses.
Junior Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Phichai keeps moving.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.
Gracie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Phichai wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Phichai sees it coming and defends easily.
Phichai is trying to get back to full guard.
Gracie uses his free foot to push down on Phichai's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Phichai.
Phichai has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.

Gracie working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Phichai is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Gracie working for a choke but Phichai is defending well.
Phichai wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie tightening his grip on Phichai, looking for the choke.
Phichai trying to get back to his feet but Gracie is in full control for now.
Phrayaa Phichai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gracie is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Phichai knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Phichai for a finish.
Junior Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Well, with Gracie on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Phichai is tapping out... Can he escape the position?
Phichai can't escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Junior Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gracie 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30

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