PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Matt Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonnys Ariosbaldo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Ariosbaldo

181 cm
21
153 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
164 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jonnys Ariosbaldo!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Alexandre Firmino and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ariosbaldo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ariosbaldo moves into the clinch.
Ariosbaldo lands an elbow inside that Gracie shrugs off.
Gracie working hard to break the clinch.
Ariosbaldo's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Gracie has had enough of the clinch but Ariosbaldo keeps him there for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ariosbaldo stalling the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ariosbaldo prevents Gracie from breaking the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Ariosbaldo.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jonnys Ariosbaldo.
Gracie fails with the takedown

and Ariosbaldo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ariosbaldo.

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.
Ariosbaldo is stalling here.
Ariosbaldo receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Gracie fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie goes for a takedown attempt but Ariosbaldo pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jonnys Ariosbaldo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ariosbaldo clinches.
Gracie is trying to force a seperation but Ariosbaldo has the dominant position.
Ariosbaldo has Gracie pressed against the cage.
Gracie taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ariosbaldo lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Gracie or not.
Ariosbaldo lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Gracie is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ariosbaldo lands a knee to the head.
Gracie letting Ariosbaldo take a breather here.
Ariosbaldo throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gracies head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gracie tries to pull guard but Ariosbaldo won't allow it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonnys Ariosbaldo dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ariosbaldo fails in his attempt to clinch.

Ariosbaldo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gracie, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ariosbaldo.
Ariosbaldo slows down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ariosbaldo continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jonnys Ariosbaldo.
Ariosbaldo tries to close the distance and clinch but Gracie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ariosbaldo clinches up with Gracie and pushes him back against the cage.

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.
Ariosbaldo just leaning against Gracie, taking a breather.
Ariosbaldo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Gracie looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gracie tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gracie's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ariosbaldo walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Ariosbaldo counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ariosbaldo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Ariosbaldo has Gracie pressed against the cage.
Gracie can't break the clinch.
Gracie is trying to maintain a safe position but Ariosbaldo gets an underhook and turns Gracie into the cage.
Ariosbaldo stalling in the clinch.
Ariosbaldo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Gracie's defenses.
Ariosbaldo has Gracie pressed against the cage, preventing Gracie from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Come on Ariosbaldo - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ariosbaldo lands a body shot in the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Ariosbaldo.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jonnys Ariosbaldo.
Ariosbaldo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gracie wants to clinch

and Ariosbaldo counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jonnys Ariosbaldo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Gracie swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Ariosbaldo moves into the clinch.
Ariosbaldo scores with a hook to the body.
Ariosbaldo stalling against the cage.
Gracie trying to stall but Ariosbaldo improves his position.
Ariosbaldo stalling the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ariosbaldo lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Matt Gracie has been cut.
Gracie is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Ariosbaldo dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Jonnys Ariosbaldo.
Gracie misses with a takedown

and Ariosbaldo counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ariosbaldo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Gracie has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ariosbaldo leaning against his opponent.
Gracie can't break the clinch.
Gracie looking to slow down the pace here.
Ariosbaldo manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Gracie is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Ariosbaldo is defending well for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ariosbaldo taking a breather.
Ariosbaldo unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gracie lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Gracie jumps guard.
Ariosbaldo wants to get up but he can't break Gracie's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Ariosbaldo decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four 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.
Ariosbaldo closes the distance but Gracie moves to the side

and Gracie counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Ariosbaldo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gracie is controlling him.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Matt Gracie.
I think Ariosbaldo 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Jonnys Ariosbaldo!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Jonnys Ariosbaldo!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Jonnys Ariosbaldo!

Jonnys Ariosbaldo wins by unanimous decision!