PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ryosuke Takahashi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiago Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie has chosen THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS as his entrance music. Tiago Gracie struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 186.3lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Takahashi
vs
Gracie

180 cm
26
185 lbs
11 - 13 - 0

190 cm
25
200 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryosuke Takahashi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tiago Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Hirohito Nitta and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Takahashi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Takahashi looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gracie is not content to let Takahashi control the position.

Takahashi is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gracie has escaped the position, nice work there.
Gracie wants to control but Takahashi postures up.
Takahashi trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Gracie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gracie struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is not content to let Takahashi control the position.
Gracie struggling a bit here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Tiago Gracie wasn't active enough on the ground.

Gracie shoots in and bounces Takahashi off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Gracie thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gracie is looking to stand up but Takahashi won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Takahashi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Takahashi is retaining full guard.
Gracie trying to control but Takahashi is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tiago Gracie was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Gracie misses with a body punch

and Takahashi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gracie looks gassed!
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Takahashi from controlling successfully.
Takahashi is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Gracie is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Gracie is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Takahashi trying to control but Gracie postures up.
Gracie wants to control but Takahashi is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Takahashi looking for submissions off his back.

Takahashi actively working from the bottom here.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but Takahashi is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Gracie to get the leverage.

Takahashi actively working from the bottom here.
Gracie perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Ground and pound from Gracie.
Gracie works his foot free and advances to mount.
Gracie controlling the position easily from mount.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Takahashi tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.
Gracie working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Gracie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's six 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 referee warns Takahashi that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Gracie moves to the back position.
Gracie controls the position.
Gracie cracks Takahashi with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Takahashi from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Gracie has good solid back control here.
Gracie trying to control.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling from the back.
Gracie not allowing Takahashi to control his hands.
Gracie is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Takahashi looking very determined here, making life difficult for Gracie.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Tiago Gracie.
Takahashi with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Takahashi fights it but they end up in guard.
Gracie is pushing down on Takahashi's leg trying to pass to half guard. Takahashi is fighting to maintain full guard but Gracie has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gracie is taking a breather. Takahashi 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.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Takahashi is defending it quite comfortably.
Still in half guard, Gracie seems content to control.
Takahashi won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Gracie wants to stand up but Takahashi has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Gracie is trying to control. Takahashi wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura but Takahashi is defending well.

Takahashi looking for submissions off his back.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Takahashi wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
Gracie uses his free foot to push down on Takahashi's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Takahashi.
Gracie wants to control the pace but Takahashi is squirming around nicely.

Gracie working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Takahashi looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Gracie! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 9:56 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Tiago Gracie!