PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marcelo Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Pokrajac (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.

Gracie
vs
Pokrajac

175 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
23
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marcelo Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Igor Pokrajac!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Elvis Blanc and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pokrajac tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pokrajac to the ground. Pokrajac escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gracie pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Pokrajac looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Gracie!
Pokrajac fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Gracie is desperately trying to improve his position but Pokrajac has a good base and remains in mount.
Gracie is squirming around, avoiding Pokrajac's attempts to control the action.
Pokrajac looking to finish Gracie with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gracie!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pokrajac scoring with strikes but Gracie is staying in there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gracie tries to reverse the position but Pokrajac maintains control.
Pokrajac controlling from mount.

Pokrajac has hold of Gracie's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Gracie manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pokrajac wants to take his opponent's back but instead Gracie manages to regain half guard.
Gracie is concentrating on defense, preventing Pokrajac from advancing position.
Pokrajac 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.
Gracie trying to control here.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Pokrajac trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pokrajac trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pokrajac really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Pokrajac must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gracie wants to get back to his feet but Pokrajac is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Igor Pokrajac has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Pokrajac pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pokrajac fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie has his takedown stuffed

and Pokrajac counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pokrajac.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Pokrajac from controlling successfully.
Pokrajac won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.
Pokrajac wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Gracie trying to control the position.

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

Pokrajac decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pokrajac seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gracie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Ground and pound from Pokrajac.
Pokrajac is just content to waste time from the top position. Gracie takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Gracie looking to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Pokrajac to get to half guard.
Gracie misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Pokrajac dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pokrajac pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Pokrajac lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Marcelo Gracie has been cut.

Gracie pulls guard.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Pokrajac tries to free his leg and advance position but Gracie is retaining full guard.
Gracie wants to stand but Pokrajac is controlling the position.
Pokrajac's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Pokrajac chips away with some ground and pound.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Pokrajac trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Pokrajac shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gracie napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Pokrajac working the strikes but Gracie uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Gracie trying to control from the bottom.
Pokrajac tries to stand and escape but Gracie actually recovers to full guard.
Gracie manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Igor Pokrajac has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pokrajac tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Pokrajac is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pokrajac is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gracie trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gracie looking to finish with strikes here!
Pokrajac wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Gracie.
Gracie raining down hammerfists from mount.
Gracie looking to control but Pokrajac is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pokrajac is just holding on here. Gracie manages to take his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Pokrajac is defending well though. Gracie let's go of the attempt for now.
Gracie controlling well, preventing Pokrajac from escaping the position.
Gracie is landing with strikes. Pokrajac can't take much more of this.
Pokrajac wants to control his opponent's hands but Gracie gets his hands free.
Gracie throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Gracie avoiding Pokrajac 's attempts to control his hands.

Gracie is working for a rear naked choke. Pokrajac is not defending it well and Gracie has tightened it up quickly! This could be all over! Pokrajac refuses to tap and goes to sleep, forcing the referee to intervene. A little trickle of blood came out of Pokrajac's nose as his head slumped to the floor. That is naaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:01 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Marcelo Gracie!