PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Diego Graziella (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Andersson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Diego Graziella has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Graziella
vs
Andersson

177 cm
18
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
170 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Diego Graziella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Daniel Andersson!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Sergei Dronov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Graziella gets caught flat footed, as Andersson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Graziella is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Graziella throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Graziella looking to hit a scissor sweep but Andersson is one step ahead there.
Graziella being controlled here, momentarily.
Graziella wants to stand and escape but Andersson is having none of it.
Graziella keeping moving, preventing Andersson from controlling successfully.
Graziella trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graziella can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Andersson controls the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick misses from Graziella.
No luck for Andersson with that takedown attempt.
Graziella misses with a takedown

and Andersson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Graziella jumps guard and drags Andersson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Andersson trying to control but Graziella is working from the bottom.
Graziella looking for a sweep. Not yet Graziella, not yet.

Andersson stands and steps away. Graziella gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Graziella slips under a jab.
Graziella tries to clinch but Andersson moves out of range.
Graziella with a lazy takedown attempt

and Andersson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Graziella's guard now.
Graziella is breathing heavily.
Graziella wants to sweep here but Andersson controlling him for the moment.
Graziella can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Andersson controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Andersson postures up.
Graziella can't keep his opponent in guard - Andersson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Andersson is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Graziella has managed to free his arm - good work.
Graziella trying to control from the bottom.
Graziella is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Andersson tries to pass to full mount but Graziella defends it.
Graziella trying to control but Andersson postures up.
Andersson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Graziella pushes Andersson off and gets back to his feet.
Graziella doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Andersson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Graziella's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Graziella. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Andersson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Andersson connects with a couple of short punches.
Andersson is pushing down on Graziella's leg trying to pass to half guard. Graziella is fighting to maintain full guard but Andersson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Andersson wants to free his trapped foot but Graziella is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Andersson is looking for a kimura but Graziella is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Andersson to get the leverage.
Graziella is trying to maintain the position but Andersson is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graziella looks like he's trying to stand up.
Graziella wants to control but Andersson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Graziella is trying to get back to full guard.
Graziella is trying to control but can't.

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

Andersson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Andersson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Graziella pushes Andersson off looking to stand but Andersson dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Andersson dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Andersson closes the distance but Graziella moves to the side
and Graziella counters with a right hand to the body.
Graziella misses with a takedown attempt

and Andersson counters by clinching up.
Graziella has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Andersson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Andersson gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Graziella regains guard.
Graziella is looking to sweep but instead, Andersson has passed into half guard.
Graziella wants to control the action here but instead Andersson manages to pass to full mount!
Graziella tries to hold on but Andersson pushes him away.
Andersson controlling the pace for now.
Graziella is looking to improve his position but Andersson isn't that keen on the idea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Andersson content just to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Andersson lands a nice shot to the head.
Graziella tries to control Andersson's body but Andersson pushes him off. Graziella squirms to his side and now Andersson has his back!
Andersson is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Andersson throwing damaging strikes from the back! Graziella could be in trouble here!
Andersson controlling well, preventing Graziella from escaping the position.
Graziella trying to control the hands but Andersson breaks the grip.
Andersson has the hooks in. Graziella is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Graziella trying to control the position but Andersson manages to sink in the hooks.
Graziella tries to escape the position.
Graziella trying to control the hands but Andersson won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Graziella holding both Andersson 's hands and preventing any damage.
Graziella turns into Andersson and is now in his guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Andersson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Graziella tries to stand but Andersson is controlling from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Graziella with a lazy takedown attempt

so Andersson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Graziella. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Graziella trying to keep a closed guard but Andersson is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Andersson trying to control the position from guard on top but Graziella is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Andersson advances position into side control!
Andersson content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Andersson scoring with punches and elbows.
Graziella is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Andersson is looking to take a break and control but Graziella is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Daniel Andersson has got the better of the ground game so far.

Andersson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Graziella is looking to get back to his feet here but Andersson is keeping cool and he's managed to take Graziella's back.
Andersson keeps control of the position easily here as Graziella tries to buck him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graziella is really stuck here.

Andersson tightening his grip on Graziella, looking for the choke.
Graziella wants to escape the position.

Andersson working for the choke.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Andersson controlling well, preventing Graziella from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel Andersson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Graziella scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Andersson doesn't seem bothered though.
Graziella lands with a cross.

It looks like Daniel Andersson has been cut.
Graziella looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Andersson is fending him off so far but Graziella persists. Nope, Andersson circles away and we're back to standing.
Graziella closes the distance and clinches up with Andersson, looking for a takedown. Graziella pushes Andersson against the cage but Andersson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Graziella drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Graziella has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Graziella controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Andersson trying to control the position.
Graziella wants to pass the guard but Andersson is keeping the position.
Graziella looking to sit in guard and control but Andersson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Andersson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Andersson trying to control the position from guard on top but Graziella is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Andersson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Andersson passes Graziella's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Andersson has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Andersson with a couple of short strikes.
Andersson manages to capitalize on a mistake by Graziella to take his back!
Graziella wants to control his opponent's hands but Andersson gets his hands free.

Andersson is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Graziella is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graziella tries to break free.
Graziella wants to control his opponent's hands but Andersson gets his hands free.
A lull in the action here.
Graziella is trying to get back to his feet but Andersson has full control of the position and if anything, Graziella has just worked his way into a worse spot.
You can see the frustration on Graziella's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Graziella rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Graziella wants to control but Andersson is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice body punch from Graziella.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Andersson with that takedown attempt.
Graziella has his takedown stuffed

and Andersson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Graziella. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Andersson trying to control the pace.

Graziella looking for submissions off his back.
Graziella wants to control but Andersson is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Andersson decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Graziella misses with a takedown

and Andersson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
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!
Graziella preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Andersson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Andersson takes Graziella's back.
What can Graziella do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Graziella is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Andersson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Andersson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel Andersson!