PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Adam Saburo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie has chosen Born To Win as his entrance music. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Saburo
vs
Gracie

178 cm
20
165 lbs
5 - 34 - 0

175 cm
23
175 lbs
16 - 15 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 34 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Adam Saburo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryan Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie cracks Saburo with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Gracie has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Saburo to stand back up!

It looks like Adam Saburo has been cut.
Saburo looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Gracie feints and as Saburo raises his hands in defense, Gracie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie passes Saburo's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gracie tries to pass the half guard into mount. Saburo knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Gracie decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Gracie is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Saburo's half guard.
Saburo tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Saburo has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.
Saburo tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gracie in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saburo wants to get back to full guard.
Gracie working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Saburo wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

Gracie escapes and gets back to his feet.
Gracie swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Saburo.
Gracie tries to bum rush Saburo with a series of wild strikes but Saburo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gracie fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Saburo walks into a straight right hand from Gracie.
Saburo drops his hands momentarily and Gracie takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Saburo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Gracie scores with a one two! Saburo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Saburo shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Saburo trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Saburo is controlling him.
Gracie has a closed guard, preventing Saburo from standing up.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Saburo from controlling successfully.

Gracie uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Saburo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gracie lands with an overhand left.
Gracie lands with a nice combination. Saburo backs away looking to recover.
Saburo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie lands a right hook to the body.
Saburo tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily
and Gracie counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Saburo thinking.
Saburo tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily

and Gracie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Saburo's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie stands up and waves to Saburo to follow him.
Ryan Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Saburo throws a lazy body kick
and Gracie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Saburo misses with a takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Saburo won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Adam Saburo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Saburo is looking to reverse the position.
You can see the frustration on Saburo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracie advances to mount.
Saburo tries to lock up and control but Gracie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Gracie gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Saburo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Saburo takes one to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Gracie dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Adam Saburo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Saburo blocks a jab.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.
Saburo controls Gracie momentarily but Gracie frees himself.

Gracie gets to his feet - Saburo follows without any prompting.
Saburo misses with an attempted mid kick.
Saburo with a lazy takedown attempt
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Saburo moves out of range.
Adam Saburo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Saburo explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Saburo takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Saburo tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie moves into range and connects with a jab.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Saburo throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie scores a takedown into full mount!

Gracie get's back to his feet.
Gracie misses with a few strikes there.

Saburo rushes Gracie and presses him up against the cage.
Saburo is trying to drag Gracie to the mat but Gracie just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Saburo tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Adam Saburo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saburo is trying to drag Gracie to the mat but Gracie just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Saburo tries to pull guard but Gracie won't allow it.

Gracie gets a trip takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is thwarting Saburo's attempts to control the position.
Saburo wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Saburo is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Saburo wants to get back to full guard.
Saburo looks like he's trying to stand up.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.
Saburo trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie seems to be working for a kimura but Saburo defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie blocks the strikes from Saburo.

Saburo pushes Gracie off and gets back to his feet.
Saburo throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Gracie looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Saburo!

Gracie is working for a guillotine from mount but Saburo frees his head quite easily.

Gracie is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Saburo misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Gracie to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Saburo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Saburo looking for a sweep but Gracie has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Saburo tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gracie misses the jab.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Saburo. Gracie shrugs it off though.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Gracie, as that shot connected.
Gracie misses with a wild combination.
Saburo throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Adam Saburo's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Saburo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gracie connects with a nice looking jab.
Gracie lands a slapping body shot.
Saburo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Gracie throws a one two combo.
Gracie works the jab nicely.
Saburo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Saburo won't be happy with that.

Gracie decides to stand up, so the ref orders Saburo to his feet.
Saburo takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie throws a body punch but Saburo moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Saburo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saburo scores with a head kick.
Gracie fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Saburo is out of range.
Gracie rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Saburo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Saburo fails with the takedown
enabling Gracie to counter with a crisp jab.
Saburo shoots and misses
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Adam Saburo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saburo throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Saburo crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Gracie - the referee stops the clock and Saburo gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Gracie. Saburo manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Gracie stuns Saburo with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Saburo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Gracie counters with a two punch combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Saburo moves out of range.
Saburo tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.

Saburo shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Gracie tries to kick Saburo off in order to stand up. Saburo Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Saburo throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Gracie sneaks back into half guard.
Gracie is staying active underneath Saburo, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Saburo seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Gracie moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Saburo misses with a takedown attempt
and Gracie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gracie avoids the head kick by Saburo.
Gracie scores with a one two! Saburo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Saburo throws a left and a right that both miss

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Saburo fights it but they end up in guard.

Gracie decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Saburo, up you get!
Saburo misses with a takedown
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Gracie swings for the body but Saburo moves out of range.
Ryan Gracie seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gracie stalks Saburo and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Saburo's face. Saburo staggers backwards, shaken.

Gracie drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Saburo is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ryan Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saburo misses with a wild body shot.
A good leg kick by Gracie.
Gracie looks to land a combination. Saburo sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gracie cracks a nice hook into Saburo's ribs.
Saburo doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gracie counters with a single leg into guard. Saburo didn't expect that.
Saburo is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Saburo is working an open guard so Gracie takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A right-left combo lands from Gracie.
Saburo moves forwards but Gracie connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Adam Saburo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 26:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 26:30

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