PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Grecko Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Borgstein (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Gracie
vs
Borgstein

190 cm
24
280 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

199 cm
23
247 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Grecko Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nate Borgstein!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Taro Takaoka and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Borgstein misses with a right hand
and Gracie connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gracie. That's going to slow Borgstein down.
Gracie slaps away a takedown attempt from Borgstein, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gracie throws a combination. Borgstein tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Borgstein takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Borgstein closes the distance looking to clinch

and Gracie counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Borgstein is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Gracie stands up from Borgstein's guard - Gracie perhaps looking for a knockout.
Gracie throws a lazy right hand but Borgstein sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borgstein avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Borgstein tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Borgstein closes the distance looking to clinch

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gracie thows a big elbow that misses.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gracie throwing strikes but missing.
Borgstein can't keep his opponent in guard - Gracie advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Gracie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Borgstein does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Gracie with the ground and pound but Borgstein uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Gracie knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Borgstein on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Borgstein looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Borgstein keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Borgstein wants to stand but Gracie is controlling the position.
Borgstein has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Gracie has passed into side control.

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.
A lull in the action here.
Borgstein wants to get back to his feet but Gracie drags him back down.

Gracie goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Borgstein rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Gracie's guard! Nice work there by Borgstein!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Borgstein fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie dips to his left and cracks Borgstein with an uppercut!
Borgstein misses with a series of wild punches.
Gracie fails to land with a series of punches.
Gracie scores with a hook.
No luck for Borgstein with that takedown attempt.
Borgstein swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Gracie counters with a shoot takedown. Borgstein fights it but they end up in guard.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Borgstein.
Gracie is looking to work some ground and pound but Borgstein has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Borgstein is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Gracie is controlling him.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Borgstein keeps moving.
Gracie seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gracie's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Grecko Gracie just wasn't active enough.
Borgstein looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Nate Borgstein seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two 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.

Borgstein clinches up against the cage.
Borgstein tries to break free but Gracie pushes him back against the cage.
Borgstein fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Grecko Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Borgstein.
A head punch on the inside from Borgstein fails to land.

Borgstein jumps guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Borgstein is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie stands and throws Borgstein's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Borgstein, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Borgstein sneaks back into half guard.
Gracie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Borgstein tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.

That's four 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.
Borgstein is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Borgstein is looking to improve his position.
Gracie prevents Borgstein from standing back up.
Gracie trying to control from Borgstein's half guard. Borgstein has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grecko Gracie dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. 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.

Borgstein throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
Gracie ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Borgstein wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side
and Gracie counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gracie scores with a sloppy right hand. Borgstein should have avoided that one.
Nate Borgstein is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Gracie connects with a leg kick. Borgstein looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Borgstein sprawls well.
Nice uppercut lands for Borgstein. That snapped Gracie's head back.
Gracie lands with a good body shot.
Borgstein darts in trying to clinch
and Gracie counters with a flying knee. Nice.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Borgstein throws a leg kick
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Gracie scores with a three punch combo!

It looks like Nate Borgstein has been cut.
Gracie cracks Borgstein with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Gracie, as that shot connected.
Borgstein takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches.
Borgstein can't break the clinch.
Borgstein can't break the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Gracie fails to land.

Borgstein jumps guard.
Gracie connects with a couple of short punches.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gracie trying to control but Borgstein is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling from the top position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Grecko Gracie wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Borgstein moves into the clinch successfully.
Gracie tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Borgstein smiles and moves away.
Gracie throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Borgstein uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gracie.
Gracie wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Borgstein tries to work over Gracie's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Gracie manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Borgstein's efforts to push away.
Borgstein tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gracie is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Borgstein pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grecko Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie keeps control of Borgstein as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Borgstein wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Gracie lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Gracie doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gracie is pushing Borgstein up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Borgstein wants to get back to striking at distance but Gracie won't allow it.
Gracie pressing his opponent against the cage.
Gracie lands with a light punch inside.
Gracie manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Gracie lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

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.
Gracie has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Borgstein avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Gracie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Borgstein is looking to clinch but Gracie is avoiding it.

Gracie has managed to clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Gracie.
Borgstein blocks an uppercut.
Borgstein wants to get back to striking at distance but Gracie won't allow it.
Borgstein misses with a short punch on the inside.
Gracie has Borgstein pressed against the cage, preventing Borgstein from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gracie scores with a hook to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gracie.
Gracie is working Borgstein over against the cage.

Gracie has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Borgstein uses from the top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Borgstein trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
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.
Nate Borgstein has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gracie passes to side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Grecko Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gracie has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

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