PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Manoel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kyron Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Manoel
vs
Gracie

193 cm
18
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Antonio Manoel!
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, Kyron Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Luis Engracia and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie throws a shot from downtown. Manoel moves away and avoids it.
Manoel throws a shot from downtown. Gracie moves away and avoids it.
Manoel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
The fighters circling - Manoel throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Manoel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Manoel.
Gracie slips a jab and a cross from Manoel.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A swing and a miss from Manoel.
Manoel uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manoel.
Antonio Manoel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Manoel swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Antonio Manoel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie ducks under a wild hook from Manoel.
Gracie on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Manoel displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Gracie throws out the jab.
Gracie with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Manoel to score with a decent uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Manoel.
Manoel staying out of range there.
A left lands for Manoel.
Gracie tries to move into range but Manoel moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Manoel uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Gracie.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Manoel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manoel lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gracie staying out of range there.
Manoel connects with a looping right hand.
Manoel misses with an uppercut. Gracie saw that one coming.
Manoel slips under a jab from Gracie.
Manoel scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Manoel uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gracie.
Manoel is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Manoel lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Gracie takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Gracie takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Manoel connects with a nice looking jab.
Gracie is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Manoel swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Manoel dips to his left and cracks Gracie with an uppercut!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Manoel dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Manoel throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.
Gracie moves out of range of the strikes.
Manoel lands a lovely overhand right.
Manoel misses with a looping right.
Manoel swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Manoel misses the jab.
Manoel throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manoel throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Manoel misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Manoel takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Manoel waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Manoel ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gracie bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie blocks a jab.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Gracie has eaten all the pies!
Gracie avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gracie pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Manoel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A swing and a miss from Manoel.
Gracie misses with a straight left.
Manoel is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie moves forwards but Manoel connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Manoel scores with the left hand. Gracie knows he should have avoided that one.
Antonio Manoel is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manoel.
Gracie throws a looping overhand right but Manoel ducks down to avoid it.
Gracie is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Manoel.
Manoel uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Manoel throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie slips under a jab from Manoel.
Gracie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Manoel.
Good shot there by Manoel.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Manoel misses with a looping left.
Nice defenses there by Gracie.
Manoel misses the jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Manoel dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A big right from Gracie misses.
Nice uppercut lands for Manoel. That snapped Gracie's head back.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Gracie might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Manoel has got the better of the exchanges.
Nice defenses there by Manoel.
Manoel misses with a straight left.
Manoel throws the left hand but Gracie avoids the punch easily.
Manoel thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Manoel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Manoel is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Manoel drops Gracie with a beautiful combination! Gracie stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Manoel is looking for the KO!
Manoel tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Gracie was well out of range. Poor timing from Manoel.
Manoel misses with a looping left.

Gracie looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Gracie content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie prevents Manoel from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is stalling in the full guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Manoel wants to stand but Gracie is controlling the position.
Antonio Manoel is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gracie in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kyron Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Manoel is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Manoel manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Manoel's guard.
Manoel wants to get back to his feet but Gracie is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Manoel showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Manoel, 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:25
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:25
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Manoel!