PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Risto Raivo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tapmaster Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raivo's entrance music is Rammstein - Amerika . A fine choice. The key to victory for Risto Raivo has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Raivo
vs
Gracie

177 cm
26
191 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

175 cm
26
200 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

ADCC Champion
Basic striking
Granite chin

Hades ®

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 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Risto Raivo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tapmaster Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie with a poor takedown

and Raivo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gracie's guard.
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.
Raivo lands a couple of digs.
Raivo looking to pass the guard.
Raivo trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Raivo keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gracie's head.
Gracie looking for a sweep. Not yet Gracie, not yet.
Raivo postures up in Gracie's guard and throws a big left but Gracie blocks it.
Raivo looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gracie postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Raivo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gracie, into his guard.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raivo throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Raivo wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.
Raivo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Raivo wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Gracie controls Raivo momentarily but Raivo frees himself.
Raivo throws and elbow that misses. Gracie uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Raivo's guard. Nice move by Gracie!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Raivo is on top in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Raivo controlling from the top position.
Raivo looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Raivo is keeping the position for now.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Raivo is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Raivo has escaped and now he's on top!
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Raivo from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Raivo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Raivo scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Gracie working for a triangle but Raivo defends it easily.
Raivo landing with the ground and pound.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Raivo from controlling successfully.
Gracie preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracie controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Raivo stands and throws Gracie's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Raivo landing strikes.
Gracie is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Raivo throws an elbow but Gracie slips to the side and avoids it well.
Gracie manages to work his way to half guard, despite Raivo's best efforts.
Raivo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.
Raivo looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Gracie desperately trying to maintain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Raivo dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Raivo dives in and grabs Gracie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes down on Raivo's head and hops out.

Raivo closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Gracie can't do much from the bottom here.
Gracie is working to avoid the ground and pound but Raivo connects with a decent elbow.
Raivo lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Gracie down.
Raivo working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Gracie is not content to let Raivo control the position.
Gracie on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Raivo tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raivo is trying to ground and pound but Gracie uses the momentary lack of control by Raivo to regain half guard.
Raivo thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Gracie's head.
Gracie is pressing down on Raivo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Raivo won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.

Raivo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Raivo has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Raivo connects with a couple of short punches.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Raivo is proving a slippery customer.

Raivo drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Raivo jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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.
Raivo sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gracie's guard.
Raivo lands strikes from half guard.
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Raivo sits in half guard.

Raivo is looking for a kimura but Gracie is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Raivo to get the leverage.
Raivo trying to mount his opponent but Gracie defends it.
Nice strikes from Raivo there.
Raivo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Raivo is looking to advance position but Gracie won't allow it.
Raivo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gracie.
Raivo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Gracie has his foot on Raivo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Raivo works his way back into a safe position though.
Raivo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Raivo trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Raivo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Raivo with a nice head shot there.
Raivo is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Raivo throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Raivo!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Raivo is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Raivo and Gracie has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Gracie works to advance to full mount. Raivo defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Raivo can't escape the position.
Gracie wants to control the pace but Raivo is squirming around nicely.
Gracie moves to the back position.

Gracie tightening his grip on Raivo, looking for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Risto Raivo dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Raivo drives through with a takedown into guard.
Raivo trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Raivo manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Raivo is retaining full guard.

Gracie is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Raivo is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Raivo has escaped and now he's on top!
Raivo stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Raivo throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Raivo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Raivo from controlling successfully.
Gracie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Raivo is one step ahead there.
Gracie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Raivo throwing strikes from guard but Gracie blocks nicely.
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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Raivo!

Gracie swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Raivo is now in Gracie's guard. A big mistake from Gracie there, giving up the dominant position!
Raivo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Raivo stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Raivo is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
Risto Raivo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raivo throwing strikes but missing.
Raivo preventing the sweep.
Raivo wants to pass the guard but Gracie is keeping the position.
Raivo postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Risto Raivo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Raivo engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Raivo has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Raivo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Raivo has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Tapmaster Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Raivo trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Risto Raivo has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Raivo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gracie looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Gracie tries to buck Raivo off but Raivo is having none of it.
Raivo is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Gracie is trying to control Raivo's posture but Raivo avoids it.
Gracie tries to bench press Raivo off him but Raivo keeps the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Risto Raivo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Raivo, 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Risto Raivo!