PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jacko Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lauri Mononen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lauri Mononen has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jacko Gracie's chin.

Gracie
vs
Mononen

180 cm
22
183 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

184 cm
20
195 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jacko Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lauri Mononen!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, John Kavanagh and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mononen with a hook.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mononen manages to avoid it.
Mononen scores with a nice strike.
Nice shot by Mononen.

Gracie is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Mononen's half guard.
Gracie wants to control but Mononen is keeping him busy.
Gracie throwing shots but Mononen is blocking nicely.
Gracie not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie blocks the strikes from Mononen.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Mononen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Mononen is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control the action but Mononen is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A left lands for Gracie.
Mononen with a jab.
A telegraphed right hand from Gracie misses the target.
Mononen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie connects with a body shot.
Mononen lands a jab to the head.
Mononen lands a right hook to the body.
Mononen needs to keep his hands up - Gracie had a free shot at his head there.

Mononen gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gracie to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Gracie trying to control but Mononen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Mononen keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Mononen's guard.
Gracie wants to pass to mount but Mononen is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mononen tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Mononen throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gracie on the side of the head.
Jacko Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Mononen saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gracie throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gracie swings for the body but Mononen moves out of range.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mononen manages to avoid it.
Mononen avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie is looking to wear down Mononen with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Gracie throws a looping overhand right but Mononen ducks down to avoid it.
A shot to the body from Gracie misses
and Mononen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Mononen cracks Gracie with a good jab.
Gracie scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mononen throws a hook but Gracie blocks it.
Gracie lands a nice looking body shot.
Mononen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Mononen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Mononen does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mononen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
The crowd cheers as Mononen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Gracie doesn't seem phased though.
Gracie thuds his right hand into Mononen's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Mononen connects with a good right hand that stumbles Gracie. Gracie circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Mononen might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Mononen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Mononen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mononen manages to avoid it.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mononen manages to avoid it.
Mononen throws a shot to the body.
Mononen pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gracie looks to score with a jab to the body but Mononen is just out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mononen. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mononen takes one on the button.
Mononen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Mononen cracks Gracie with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mononen.
Mononen throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Mononen takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jacko Gracie will probably get the nod.
That's time! Gracie's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Gracie clobbers Mononen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Nice jab there from Gracie.
Mononen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Mononen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie throws a shot to the body.
Mononen stuffs the takedown.
Gracie lands a nice looking body shot.
Mononen misses with a straight left.
Mononen throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mononen tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Some wild striking there from Mononen.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie swings away with a body shot that misses
and Mononen counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mononen lands a glancing blow to the side of Gracie's head.
Nice straight punches there by Gracie. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gracie.
Gracie lands with a cross.
Mononen throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie feints and as Mononen raises his hands in defense, Gracie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Mononen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gracie working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Mononen is looking for a sweep.
Gracie working away.
Mononen taking a bit of punishment here - Gracie scoring with strikes.
Mononen is not content to let Gracie control the position.
The ground and pound from Gracie seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to move to mount but Mononen blocks the move with his legs.
Gracie 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.
Mononen is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Mononen is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Gracie tries to move into full mount but can't pass Mononen's legs.
Gracie trying to control the position but Mononen is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mononen prevents Gracie from improving position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mononen.
Gracie scores with a jab to the jaw.
Mononen uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Mononen takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Mononen throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Mononen connects with a jab.
Lauri Mononen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie slips a straight right by Mononen.

Gracie shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Mononen pushes Gracie off looking to stand but Gracie dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gracie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Mononen knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gracie sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mononen defending well though.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Mononen defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Mononen 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 is looking to stall here but Mononen recovers full guard.
Mononen looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacko Gracie dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gracie lands a right hook to the body.
Lauri Mononen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Mononen sprawls well.
Gracie takes a swing at Mononen's ribcage but misses.
Gracie fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mononen manages to avoid it.
Mononen lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.

Gracie throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mononen was covering up waiting for the punch and Gracie finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Mononen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gracie controlling from the top position.
Mononen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Gracie content to stall in guard here.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gracie postures up in Mononen's guard and throws a big left but Mononen blocks it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.
Gracie trying to control but Mononen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie stops Mononen from standing up.
Gracie trying to control but Mononen is working from the bottom.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mononen is keeping the position for now.
Mononen keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mononen has his hands on Gracie's head, controlling the position.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Mononen is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mononen throws a one two combo.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie ducks right into an uppercut from Mononen.
Mononen misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Mononen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Mononen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Mononen misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mononen throws a sloppy head kick and Gracie moves out of range easily.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Mononen.
Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mononen.
Gracie has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gracie there as he acknowledges the shot.
Mononen catches Gracie with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mononen shoots in for a double leg but Gracie sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Gracie takes a swing at Mononen's ribcage but misses.
Mononen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Mononen ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Gracie slips a jab from Mononen.
Gracie misses with a shot to the body
and Mononen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gracie lands a nice looking body shot.
Mononen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
A punch combination from Mononen misses.
Gracie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mononen.
Lauri Mononen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jacko Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gracie digs a good body shot into Mononen's ribs.
Gracie uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jacko Gracie.
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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27

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