PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ren Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexeyevich Romanov comes into the arena with Paint it black blaring out of the sound system. The crowd seem to be enjoying Gracie's choice of entrance music: Wu-Tang Clan - Protect Ya Neck. Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.0lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Alexeyevich Romanov
vs
Gracie

186 cm
28
203 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

188 cm
25
194 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ren Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Igor Prikhodko and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alexeyevich Romanov shoots in for a takedown but Gracie shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gracie enables Alexeyevich Romanov to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gracie manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alexeyevich Romanov chips away with some ground and pound.
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.
Gracie is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alexeyevich Romanov makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Alexeyevich Romanov trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Alexeyevich Romanov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gracie is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Alexeyevich Romanov!
Alexeyevich Romanov tries to lock up and control but Gracie gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Alexeyevich Romanov is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Alexeyevich Romanov wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Gracie.
Gracie has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Alexeyevich Romanov's face.
Poor strikes thrown by Gracie there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Gracie landing strikes from the mount.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Gracie looking to control but Alexeyevich Romanov is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie avoids the attempt from Alexeyevich Romanov to control.
Alexeyevich Romanov wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Gracie.
Gracie thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Alexeyevich Romanov is looking to escape.
Gracie scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Alexeyevich Romanov is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Gracie trying to control but Alexeyevich Romanov is having none of it.
Gracie misses with a head shot.
Alexeyevich Romanov is breathing heavily.
Gracie misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's four 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.
Gracie pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gracie thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Gracie pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Gracie landing strikes from the mount and Alexeyevich Romanov is in trouble!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Gracie cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Alexeyevich Romanov is bucking up trying to escape but Gracie cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Gracie working for a submission but Alexeyevich Romanov is keeping him at bay.
Gracie trying to control but Alexeyevich Romanov is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gracie tries for a takedown but Alexeyevich Romanov sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gracie chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Alexeyevich Romanov fails with the takedown
letting Gracie counter with a right hand.
Alexeyevich Romanov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gracie as he avoids it easily.
Gracie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gracie accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gracie stands up over Alexeyevich Romanov, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gracie stands up over Alexeyevich Romanov, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Alexeyevich Romanov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Alexeyevich Romanov has wrist control.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ren Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Alexeyevich Romanov keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gracie with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Alexeyevich Romanov can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Alexeyevich Romanov keeps working.
Gracie thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Alexeyevich Romanov's head.
Alexeyevich Romanov wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
Alexeyevich Romanov is not content to let Gracie control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Gracie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Alexeyevich Romanov does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Alexeyevich Romanov is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gracie scores with a couple of nice shots.
Gracie works his foot free and advances to mount.
Gracie has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gracie postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Alexeyevich Romanov looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alexeyevich Romanov avoids a series of strikes thrown by Gracie.
Gracie tries to control but Alexeyevich Romanov wriggling away.
Gracie misses with a head shot.
Alexeyevich Romanov taking shots to the head.
Gracie thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Gracie is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Alexeyevich Romanov is surviving well by controlling Gracie's body position as best he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ren Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie lands with a nice combination. Alexeyevich Romanov backs away looking to recover.
Alexeyevich Romanov is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.

Gracie scores with a takedown into Alexeyevich Romanov's guard.
Gracie sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Alexeyevich Romanov keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Ren Gracie.
Alexeyevich Romanov shoots and misses
and Gracie counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Alexeyevich Romanov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gracie connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Gracie has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gracie throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Alexeyevich Romanov dives in and grabs Gracie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes down on Alexeyevich Romanov's head and hops out.
Alexeyevich Romanov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Gracie counters with a nice low kick that buckles Alexeyevich Romanov's knee momentarily.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Alexeyevich Romanov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gracie thumps Alexeyevich Romanov with a low kick.
Gracie misses with the combination.
Alexeyevich Romanov closes the distance but Gracie moves to the side
and Gracie counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gracie throws an overhand right that lands on Alexeyevich Romanov's shoulder, as Alexeyevich Romanov tries to avoid the shot.
Nice defenses there by Alexeyevich Romanov.
Gracie cracks Alexeyevich Romanov with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Gracie bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie looks to land a combination but Alexeyevich Romanov avoids it well.
Alexeyevich Romanov gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Gracie counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie throws a shot from downtown. Alexeyevich Romanov moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alexeyevich Romanov with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Alexeyevich Romanov looking to control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gracie accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ren Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gracie's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Alexeyevich Romanov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie's corner calls for a 1-2. Gracie obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Gracie displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Alexeyevich Romanov.
Alexeyevich Romanov misses with a takedown attempt
and Gracie connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Alexeyevich Romanov walks into a left hand.
Gracie wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Gracie connects with a right hand. Alexeyevich Romanov shakes it off.
Gracie lands a glancing blow to the side of Alexeyevich Romanov's head.
Gracie scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Alexeyevich Romanov walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Ren Gracie seems to be getting the better of the standup.
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!
Nice shot by Gracie.
Alexeyevich Romanov gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Gracie counters with a straight right hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alexeyevich Romanov closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Alexeyevich Romanov on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Gracie. Gracie obviously looking to wear him down.
Gracie looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Gracie listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ren Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 25:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 25:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ren Gracie!