PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Valerio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Oddi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes to the cage accompanied by Emiinem - The Way i am. Antonio Oddi has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Oddi

186 cm
21
182 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

182 cm
22
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Valerio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Oddi!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Edson Gomes and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Oddi looks for a takedown but Gracie sprawls well.

Gracie scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie swings around for an armbar but Oddi sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gracie's guard.
Oddi looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Oddi looking for a sweep. Not yet Oddi, not yet.
Oddi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Gracie is pressing down on Oddi's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Oddi looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie passes Oddi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Oddi is controlling Gracie's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Oddi sees it coming and defends easily.
Oddi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Oddi wants to get back to his feet.

That's two 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 wants to pass the guard but Oddi is defending well.
Oddi is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Oddi is defending well.
Gracie is breathing heavily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Oddi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Gracie won't allow Oddi to pass to mount.
Oddi tries to stand and escape but Gracie actually recovers to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Oddi from controlling successfully.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Oddi manages to get himself to full guard.
Oddi striking off his back but it's not causing Gracie any problems.

Oddi throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Oddi keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.

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.
Oddi thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Oddi wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Oddi throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Oddi looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A slapping body kick lands there for Oddi.
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 Valerio Gracie will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Oddi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Oddi shoots and misses

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Oddi is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Oddi is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Gracie is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Oddi defends it well.
Gracie trying to control the action but Oddi is working from the bottom.
Oddi tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

Gracie seems to be looking for submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oddi wants to get back to full guard.
Oddi throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Gracie tries to land a leg kick but Oddi saw it coming and moves away.
Oddi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Oddi misses with a takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Oddi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Oddi pulls Gracie in close to his closed guard and prevents Gracie from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Oddi keeps moving.
Gracie looking to sit in guard and control but Oddi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Oddi is proving a slippery customer.
Oddi trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oddi wants to get up but he can't break Gracie's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Oddi trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Oddi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into side control. Oddi won't be happy with that.
Valerio Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Antonio Oddi.
Oddi is trying to get back to half guard.
Oddi wants to control but Gracie postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Oddi keeps working.
Oddi is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.
Oddi holding on.
Oddi tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie advances to mount.
Gracie fails to take his opponent's back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Valerio Gracie dominated that second 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Oddi throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.

Gracie closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Oddi did well to prevent Gracie getting side control.

Gracie wants to work for an arm triangle but Oddi is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Oddi tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

Oddi kicks off Gracie and gets to his feet.
Oddi tries to clinch
and Gracie counters with a nice body shot.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Oddi.
Nice body punch from Oddi.
Antonio Oddi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Oddi shoots in and bounces Gracie off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Valerio Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Oddi controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oddi wants to get up but he can't break Gracie's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Oddi postures up.
Gracie 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.
Oddi sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oddi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Oddi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

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.
Oddi lands a couple of digs.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Oddi works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Oddi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Antonio Oddi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Valerio Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Oddi is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Gracie has managed to free his arm - good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Oddi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gracie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 29:28

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