PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Roger Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and San Vedita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gracie
vs
Vedita

190 cm
24
200 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
24
185 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Roger Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, San Vedita!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Vedita as he avoids it easily.

Gracie rushes Vedita and presses him up against the cage.
Gracie keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vedita's efforts to push away.
Vedita is looking to break free of the clinch but Gracie has double underhooks.
Vedita wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gracie has him pressed against the cage.

Vedita escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Vedita but Vedita pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gracie dives in and grabs Vedita's left leg, looking for a takedown. Vedita pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.

Gracie closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Vedita did well to prevent Gracie getting side control.
Vedita wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Vedita is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vedita is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Vedita is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Vedita is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gracie scores with a couple of nice shots.
Vedita is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Vedita wants to get back to full guard but Gracie has passed into side control.
Gracie raining down shots from the mount!
Gracie scoring with strikes but Vedita is staying in there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vedita really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gracie lands a big shot there that rocks Vedita but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Vedita is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Vedita is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Gracie is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Gracie gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Gracie gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Gracie apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Vedita keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Vedita closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Vedita looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Vedita looks gassed!
Vedita trying to mount his opponent but Gracie defends it.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie manages to get to full guard.
Vedita throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gracie is trying to control the position but Vedita postures up.
Vedita stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
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.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Vedita doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Vedita manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Gracie is working an open guard so Vedita takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Vedita counters with a single leg into guard. Gracie didn't expect that.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Vedita defends it easily.
Vedita trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Vedita got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Vedita has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Vedita pushes down on Gracie's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vedita is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.

Gracie looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Gracie 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.

Vedita drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Gracie is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Vedita off and has taken his back!

Gracie is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Vedita has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Gracie doesn't have the hooks in and Vedita manages to turn into his guard.
Vedita is pushing down on Gracie's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gracie is fighting to maintain full guard but Vedita has managed to sneak the leg through.
Vedita slows the pace down in half guard.
Gracie trying to control from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie gets full guard.
Vedita advances to half guard.
Vedita passes the guard and advances to mount!
Gracie is in all sorts of trouble here.
Gracie is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Vedita prevents Gracie from getting the reversal.
Roger Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Vedita throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Vedita there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Gracie wants to hold on but Vedita pushes him away.
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Vedita is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Vedita trying to control but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

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.
Vedita wants to control the pace but Gracie is squirming around nicely.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gracie is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Gracie drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gracie jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Vedita throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie passes into half guard.
Vedita wants to get back to full guard.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Vedita has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gracie moves into full mount! Vedita won't be happy about that!
A nice elbow there by Gracie.
Vedita can't escape the position.
Gracie breaks from Vedita's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control but Vedita is having none of it.

Gracie is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Vedita to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Vedita shrugs it off.
Vedita is trying desperately to improve position.
Gracie looking to control and managing it successfully.
Gracie landing strikes from the mount and Vedita is in trouble!
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vedita is looking to escape.

Gracie jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Vedita manages to avoid the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Gracie dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie moves into full mount!
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vedita is looking to escape.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Gracie cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Gracie with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Gracie tries to control but Vedita wriggling away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vedita is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie scoring with strikes but Vedita is staying in there.
Gracie manages to capitalize on a mistake by Vedita to take his back!
Gracie punishes Vedita with strikes from the back mount.
Vedita is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Gracie off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.

Vedita is trying to roll into a better position but Gracie has get a rear naked choke and Vedita is forced to tap out! This one is allllll over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Roger Gracie!