PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gabriel Francisco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Richie O Grady (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). O Grady has chosen (no) Self Esteem as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Richie O Grady told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Francisco
vs
O Grady

225 cm
29
280 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

200 cm
22
300 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gabriel Francisco !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Richie O Grady!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Damien Edna and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Grady throws a hook but Francisco blocks it.
O Grady works the jab nicely.
O Grady misses the shot to the body.
Richie O Grady seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Francisco on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Francisco looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Francisco throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. O Grady tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Francisco is in O Grady's guard.
Francisco stops O Grady from standing up.

Francisco thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Francisco won't allow O Grady to get back to his feet.
O Grady is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Francisco will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Francisco trying to control but O Grady is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Francisco throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as O Grady works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
O Grady wants to stand but Francisco is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francisco tries to free his leg and advance position but O Grady is retaining full guard.

Francisco thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
O Grady wants to stand up but Francisco is controlling him.
Francisco controls from within his opponent's guard.
Francisco trying to control the position from guard on top but O Grady is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Francisco stops O Grady from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Francisco tries to free his leg and advance position but O Grady is retaining full guard.
O Grady wants to stand but Francisco is controlling the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
O Grady shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Francisco pinned against the cage. Francisco gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
O Grady looks gassed!
Francisco has a takedown stuffed.
O Grady tries to clinch up but Francisco circles away and keeps his distance.
O Grady tries to clinch but Francisco moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Grady is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Francisco tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but O Grady swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gabriel Francisco . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Francisco looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
O Grady tries to close the distance and clinch up but Francisco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Grady tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Francisco paws at him with a jab and circles away.
O Grady looks to clinch

and Francisco counters with a shoot takedown. O Grady fights it but they end up in guard.
Francisco trying to control the position from guard on top but O Grady is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
O Grady really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Francisco . If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
O Grady wants to stand but Francisco is controlling the position.

Francisco drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and O Grady dives on top into guard.

Francisco is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and O Grady defends well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Grady tries to stand but Francisco is controlling from the bottom.

Francisco isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. O Grady stacks Francisco on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by O Grady!
Francisco really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
O Grady wants to stand but Francisco has his arm trapped.
Francisco is trying to improve his position.

O Grady has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
O Grady is looking to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Richie O Grady will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

O Grady tries to clinch but Francisco moves out of range.
O Grady wants to clinch.
O Grady wants to clinch.
O Grady dives in and grabs Francisco 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Francisco pushes down on O Grady's head and hops out.
Francisco is trying hard to land a takedown here. O Grady sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
O Grady missing with a left hand there. Francisco was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
O Grady doesn't manage to clinch there - Francisco circles away.
Francisco doesn't succeed with the takedown

and O Grady counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
O Grady creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Francisco 's defenses.
Francisco wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gabriel Francisco . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Francisco tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. O Grady just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from O Grady.
Francisco fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Francisco takes an elbow to the temple.
O Grady with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Gabriel Francisco has been cut.
O Grady with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Francisco fails to pull guard.
O Grady has Francisco pushed against the cage.
O Grady landing knees to the head.
O Grady just leaning against Francisco , taking a breather.
O Grady lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
O Grady lands an elbow just above Francisco 's eye.
O Grady lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

O Grady breaks the clinch.

O Grady instigates a clinch.
Francisco tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. O Grady just stands there and leans against the cage.
O Grady connects with a knee to the head.
Francisco takes a knee to the side of the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
O Grady comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
O Grady lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
O Grady lands an uppercut.
O Grady scores with a knee to the head.
O Grady lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
O Grady unloads a knee to the mid-section. Francisco lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
O Grady lands a nice uppercut.
Francisco tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. O Grady smiles and moves away.
O Grady is looking to clinch but Francisco is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Grady tries to clinch but Francisco is having none of it.
No luck for O Grady with that takedown attempt.
O Grady tries to close the distance and clinch up but Francisco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Grady is looking to clinch.
O Grady scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

O Grady moves into range and clinches up with Francisco .
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
O Grady gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Francisco tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. O Grady smiles and moves away.
Francisco swats away the attempt to clinch by O Grady.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Grady tries to clinch but Francisco moves out of range.
O Grady doesn't manage to clinch there - Francisco circles away.
O Grady leaves Francisco with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - O Grady looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Francisco circles away from the clinch attempt.
O Grady tries to clinch up.
O Grady tries to close the distance and clinch up but Francisco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Grady doesn't manage to clinch there - Francisco circles away.
O Grady tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Francisco counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Grady is trying to stand back up but Francisco is controlling him
Francisco keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
O Grady pushes Francisco off looking to stand but Francisco dives back in and keeps control.

Francisco is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Francisco is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, O Grady has managed to free his arm - good work.

Francisco is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
O Grady is trying to stand back up but Francisco is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richie O Grady showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Gabriel Francisco 's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

O Grady closes the distance looking to clinch

and Francisco counters with a shoot takedown. O Grady fights it but they end up in guard.
Gabriel Francisco overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
O Grady wants to stand and escape but Francisco is having none of it.

Francisco drops back looking for a leg! O Grady is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and O Grady manages to kick Francisco off! Francisco jumps back into O Grady's guard.

Francisco drops back, looking for a kneebar! O Grady looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. O Grady looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from O Grady!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

O Grady has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francisco swats away the attempt to clinch by O Grady.
Horrible takedown by Francisco or perhaps it was just good defense by O Grady which made him look bad.
The fight stays on the outside here - O Grady looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
O Grady misses with a series of wild punches.
O Grady moves in looking to clinch but Francisco pushes him off.
O Grady moves in looking to clinch but Francisco pushes him off.

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.
O Grady looks to clinch

and Francisco counters with a takedown into side control.
Francisco prevents O Grady from escaping the position.

Francisco is trying to get an arm triangle but O Grady is defending well.
Francisco wants to lay and pray for a moment but O Grady keeps working.

O Grady bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
O Grady doesn't manage to clinch there - Francisco circles away.
O Grady misses with an uppercut. Francisco saw that one coming.
O Grady tries to close the distance and clinch up but Francisco swats him away and circles back towards the center.
O Grady with a lazy takedown attempt

and Francisco decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in O Grady's guard.
Francisco trying to control but O Grady is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Francisco makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Francisco trying to control but O Grady is working from the bottom.
O Grady wants to get back to his feet but Francisco is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Francisco scoring with punches to the head and body.
Francisco trying to control the position from guard on top but O Grady is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
O Grady is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Francisco is controlling him.
Richie O Grady is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Francisco is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Francisco is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! O Grady is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! O Grady has escaped and now he's on top!
Francisco wants to sweep here but O Grady controlling him for the moment.
O Grady trying to stand up but can't free himself from Francisco 's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

O Grady avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gabriel Francisco showed his dominance in that final round.
I think O Grady 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Gabriel Francisco !