PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joao Granada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcelio Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Granada comes to the cage accompanied by Vida Loka - Racionais MC's. On his way into the cage it seems that Joao Granada has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Joao Granada seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Granada
vs
Garcia

180 cm
22
182 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

184 cm
23
186 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Powerful

LHK Clothing
Ka-POW Clothing

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joao Granada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Marcelio Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Alexandre Firmino and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Garcia throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Granada tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Garcia is in Granada's guard.
Granada not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Garcia controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Granada looking to hit a scissor sweep but Garcia is one step ahead there.
Garcia being controlled here momentarily.
Garcia's corner is telling him to maintain position.

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

A momentary lapse in concentration from Granada enables Garcia to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Granada manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Granada looking for a sweep. Not yet Granada, not yet.
Garcia controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Garcia works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Granada tries to get to full guard but Garcia has control of the leg.
Garcia tries to pass the half guard into mount. Granada knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Garcia in particular looking to stall.
Granada is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Garcia perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Marcelio Garcia hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Granada fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Garcia manages to avoid it.
Garcia looks for a takedown but Granada sprawls well.
Garcia tries for a takedown but Granada sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Garcia closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Garcia wants to lay and pray for a moment but Granada keeps working.
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That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia trying to control the position but Granada is working away.
Granada is trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Granada can't do much from the bottom here.
Granada is trying to get back to half guard.

Garcia is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Granada is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Granada is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia trying to control the position but Granada is working away.
Granada gets back to half guard.
Granada wants to get back to full guard.
Granada gets full guard.

Garcia got a little sloppy there for a moment and Granada has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Garcia has managed to get both his arms back between Granada's legs - danger averted.
Granada not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Granada looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Garcia trying to control but Granada is working from the bottom.
Granada wants to sweep but no luck.
Granada can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Garcia controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Garcia won't allow Granada to sweep him here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Marcelio Garcia hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Garcia feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Granada keeping full guard, as Garcia tries to pass.
Garcia slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Garcia is pushing down on Granada's leg trying to pass to half guard. Granada is fighting to maintain full guard but Garcia has managed to sneak the leg through.
Garcia trying to control the pace.
Granada is trying to get back to full guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Garcia in particular looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcelio Garcia dominated that round.
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.

Garcia closes this distance looking for a takedown but Granada circles away.
Garcia fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Garcia shoots in and bounces Granada off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Garcia wants to pass the guard but Granada is keeping the position.
Granada looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Granada keeping moving, preventing Garcia from controlling successfully.
Garcia pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Granada is keeping the position for now.
Granada looking to control.
Garcia is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia won't allow Granada to get back to his feet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Garcia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Granada tries to avoid it but Garcia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Granada to the ground. Granada escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Joao Granada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcelio Garcia.
Nice sprawl there from Granada as Garcia shoots in.
Garcia uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Granada.

Granada looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Marcelio Garcia has got the better of the ground game so far.
Granada is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Granada throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Garcia works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Granada preventing the sweep.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Garcia looking to control.
Granada sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joao Granada wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Garcia fails with the takedown

and Granada counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Granada with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Granada wants to lay and pray for a moment but Garcia keeps working.
Still in half guard, Granada seems content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joao Granada wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Granada shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Garcia is trying to defend but Granada finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Granada is taking a breather. Garcia says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Granada lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granada is keen to just control but Garcia is a slippery customer.
Garcia is looking for a sweep. Granada is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Granada is just content to waste time from the top position. Garcia takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Granada trying to control the position from guard on top but Garcia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Garcia keeping full guard, as Granada tries to pass.

Joao Granada has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Garcia shoots and misses

and Granada counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Granada has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Granada avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Granada is pushing down on Garcia's leg trying to pass to half guard. Garcia is fighting to maintain full guard but Granada has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like Granada is going to stand back up.
Granada keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Granada is trying to control. Garcia wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Joao Granada just wasn't active enough.
Garcia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Granada counters by clinching up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Granada has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Garcia regains guard immediately.
Granada advances position into side control!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garcia is not content to let Granada control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joao Granada dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Garcia throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Granada sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Garcia throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Granada tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Garcia is in Granada's guard.
Garcia trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Granada working a defensive guard here.
Granada looking for a sweep. Not yet Granada, not yet.
Garcia engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Granada looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Garcia puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Granada controlling the position well.
Granada wants to improve his position but Garcia is controlling well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Garcia keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Granada tries to sprawl but Garcia drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Granada is not content to let Garcia control the position.

Granada actively working from the bottom here.
Garcia content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Granada tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Garcia has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Garcia controlling his opponent.
Garcia trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Garcia looking to secure an arm triangle but Granada defends it well.
Granada regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granada is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Granada has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Garcia is working away from the top position though.
Garcia slows the pace down in half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Granada wants to get back to full guard but Garcia has mounted him!
Granada throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Garcia prevents Granada from getting the reversal.
Garcia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Granada is wriggling around trying to escape.

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.

Granada bucks up and throws Garcia to the side - he's got back to his feet. Great escape!
Garcia bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Garcia gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Granada counters with a shoot takedown. Garcia fights it but they end up in guard.
Granada trying to control but Garcia is working from the bottom.
Granada is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Garcia is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Granada content to stall in guard here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Joao Granada.

Garcia changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Granada looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcelio Garcia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Garcia has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcelio Garcia!