PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Natonni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeffson Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Natonni
vs
Gracie

170 cm
21
146 lbs
9 - 1 - 0

160 cm
23
140 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Paul Natonni!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jeffson Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Natonni lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gracie circles away quickly and effectively.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Natonni swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A big right from Natonni misses.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Natonni sprawls well.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Natonni.
Natonni loads up on a big right hand but Gracie slips the punch.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.
Gracie controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Natonni is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Gracie is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Natonni is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Gracie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jeffson Gracie.
Gracie has a takedown stuffed.
Paul Natonni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffson Gracie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Nice uppercut there from Gracie.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Natonni swivels and escapes.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Natonni swivels and escapes.
Gracie slips a jab from Natonni.
Natonni scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gracie doesn't seem bothered though.
Paul Natonni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Natonni sprawls well.
Natonni scores with a nice strike.

Natonni drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Natonni pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Natonni controls from within his opponent's guard.
Natonni won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
Natonni is looking to stand up but Gracie won't let him.

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.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Natonni postures up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Gracie holds on and takes a little breather.
Natonni stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Natonni manages to get himself to full guard.
Natonni can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracie controls the pace.
I looks like Gracie might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jeffson Gracie will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nice takedown defense from Gracie. No joy for Natonni on that attempt.
Natonni thows a left - swing and a miss!
A jab from Natonni misses.
Gracie slips under a jab.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Natonni counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Gracie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gracie misses with a takedown
and Natonni counters with a stiff right hand.
Paul Natonni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffson Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Natonni lands a glancing blow to the side of Gracie's head.
Natonni changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Natonni throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

Natonni drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Natonni wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Gracie is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie has control of Natonni's left arm, preventing Natonni from doing any damage.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Natonni defends well.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Natonni controlling him for the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Natonni walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gracie on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Natonni circles away easily

and Natonni counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gracie won't be happy with that.
Natonni controlling the position.
Gracie manages to work his way to half guard, despite Natonni's best efforts.
Natonni keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Gracie is looking for a sweep. Natonni is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie trying to hold on to Natonni's head to control him but Natonni postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Natonni trying to control from half guard but Gracie is working away.
Natonni is taking a breather. Gracie says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Gracie is staying active underneath Natonni, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gracie is controlling Natonni's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Gracie tries to roll over but Natonni keeps him under control.
Gracie is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Natonni counters with a two punch combo.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Natonni counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gracie moves out of range as Natonni strikes.
Gracie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Natonni counters with a nice uppercut.

Gracie rushes Natonni and presses him up against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Gracie wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Natonni tries to circle away but Gracie has him pinned against the ropes.
Gracie keeps control of Natonni as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gracie takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Natonni.
Natonni thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Natonni counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Paul Natonni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffson Gracie.
Gracie falls off balance throwing a combination
and Natonni counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Natonni swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Natonni won't be happy with that.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Natonni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie taking a breather here.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Natonni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Natonni kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jeffson Gracie.
Natonni throws a shot from downtown. Gracie moves away and avoids it.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Natonni counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Natonni throws a lazy right hand but Gracie sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

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.
Natonni swats away the attempt to clinch by Gracie.
Natonni looks to land a right hand but Gracie moved out of range.
Natonni throws a good cross that connects.
Gracie scores with a hook to the body. Natonni takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Natonni counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Natonni circles away easily
enabling Natonni to counter with a crisp jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Natonni to counter with a crisp jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie shoots and misses

and Natonni counters with a takedown into side control.
Natonni remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Natonni wants to control but Gracie is keeping him busy.
The referee asks Natonni politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Natonni prefers to stall for the moment though.
Gracie wants to control but Natonni postures up.
Natonni gets to mount! Gracie was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Gracie regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie won't allow Natonni to pass to mount.
Natonni controlling the action here.
Gracie trying to control here.
Paul Natonni overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Natonni prevents Gracie from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Natonni is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.
Gracie is pressing down on Natonni's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gracie is trying to keep Natonni in close.
Natonni tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Gracie looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Natonni.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Natonni counters with a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Natonni.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Natonni circles away.
Natonni lands with a nice body punch.

Gracie throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Natonni was covering up waiting for the punch and Gracie finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gracie trying to control but Natonni is working from the bottom.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Natonni swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Natonni is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Natonni keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Natonni wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Natonni is trying to keep Gracie in close.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie cracks a nice hook into Natonni's ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Paul Natonni will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

The crowd cheers as Natonni lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Natonni throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.

Gracie closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Gracie looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Natonni manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Gracie.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Natonni swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Natonni looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Natonni is keeping the position.
Natonni not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Natonni manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracie tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gracie pulls Natonni in close to prevent any damage.

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 controls Natonni momentarily but Natonni frees himself.
Natonni being controlled here momentarily.

Natonni got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Natonni has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Natonni is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Natonni's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Natonni 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 slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Natonni looking for a sweep. Not yet Natonni, not yet.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Natonni keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Natonni counters with a straight right hand.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Natonni uses good head movement to avoid it.
Natonni swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jeffson Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Andi Peters scores the fight 47:48
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 47:48
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 47:48

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jeffson Gracie!
Jeffson Gracie is the new bantamweight champion!