PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ren Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hero Tasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie's entrance music is Wu-Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Tasaki

188 cm
24
194 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

186 cm
26
197 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Murder Inc.

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ren Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hero Tasaki!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie shoots in but Tasaki avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tasaki throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Gracie.
Tasaki defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Tasaki misses with a takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tasaki's guard now.
Tasaki can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gracie controls the pace.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Tasaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie thows a big elbow that misses.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Tasaki is keeping the position.

Tasaki is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Tasaki is retaining full guard.
Gracie trying to control but Tasaki is working from the bottom.

Tasaki escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie trying to control but Tasaki is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tasaki has momentary wrist control but Gracie slips an elbow through the middle.
Gracie lands a couple of digs.
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 is in close to Tasaki's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Tasaki throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Tasaki is keeping the position.

Tasaki has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Gracie can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gracie is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gracie with a nice head shot there.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Tasaki keeps moving.

Tasaki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tasaki is looking to stand up but Gracie isn't so interested in that idea.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Gracie tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gracie has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gracie working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tasaki keeps working.
Gracie has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Tasaki!
Gracie breaks from Tasaki's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Tasaki tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Gracie connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie dominating with strikes here.
Gracie lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Tasaki hang on?
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tasaki is looking to escape.
Gracie controlling from mount.
Gracie lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Tasaki wants to try and get back to his feet.
Gracie takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gracie lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Tasaki bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gracie is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tasaki doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tasaki manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Tasaki wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tasaki won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie misses with a takedown
and Tasaki counters with a straight right hand.
Tasaki lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Tasaki scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Gracie doesn't seem bothered though.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tasaki.
Tasaki throws a low kick but Gracie moves out of range easily.
Tasaki throws a jab but it's blocked by Gracie.
Horrible takedown by Tasaki or perhaps it was just good defense by Gracie which made him look bad.
Tasaki slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gracie with a poor takedown

and Tasaki counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ren Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Tasaki from controlling successfully.
Tasaki is looking to stand up but Gracie won't let him.
Gracie pulls Tasaki in close to prevent any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tasaki wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie is pulling down on Tasaki's head. It's preventing any offense from Tasaki, at least for the moment.
Tasaki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Hero Tasaki was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Gracie fails with the takedown
enabling Tasaki to counter with a crisp jab.
Tasaki displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.
Tasaki scores with a one two! Gracie had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Ren Gracie has been cut.
Hero Tasaki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tasaki lands with a right hand.
Gracie scores with a jab. Tasaki acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tasaki will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Tasaki circles away easily
letting Tasaki counter with a right hand.
Tasaki swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Tasaki.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tasaki counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tasaki moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
Tasaki throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.
Tasaki 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.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Tasaki keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tasaki pushes Gracie off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Tasaki looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Tasaki shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Gracie misses with a straight right.
Hero Tasaki seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gracie moves out of range as Tasaki strikes.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Tasaki shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Gracie decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Tasaki is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him
Tasaki moves into full guard.

Tasaki is looking for a triangle but Gracie pushes his legs off easily.
Ren Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gracie postures up and lands a big shot to Tasaki's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tasaki is on top in guard.
Gracie trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Gracie keeping full guard, as Tasaki tries to pass.
Tasaki won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tasaki!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hero Tasaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ren Gracie's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Gracie steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tasaki.

Tasaki tries to sprawl but Gracie drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Tasaki is working away.
Tasaki tries to kick Gracie off but Gracie keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Tasaki is staying active underneath Gracie, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tasaki is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gracie scores with a couple of nice shots.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Tasaki is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.
Gracie working over Tasaki with some ground and pound. Tasaki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Tasaki is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.

Tasaki looking for submissions off his back.
Tasaki is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Tasaki is defending it quite comfortably.
Gracie controlling the pace.
Tasaki wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Gracie working the head and body with strikes.
Gracie wants to take a breather but Tasaki is having none of it.
Gracie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gracie takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Gracie is nestled in close to Tasaki, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Tasaki has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gracie working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Tasaki's thigh. Tasaki counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tasaki is keeping the position for now.

Gracie drops back looking for a leg! Tasaki is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Tasaki manages to kick Gracie off! Gracie jumps back into Tasaki's guard.
Gracie slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Tasaki, who protects the arm well.
Tasaki struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tasaki is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Gracie lands some shots froms side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Tasaki tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie advances to full mount.
Tasaki in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Tasaki is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Gracie locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Tasaki is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ren Gracie!