PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Grecko Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nariaki Kasai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Gracie
vs
Kasai

190 cm
25
280 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

194 cm
19
264 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 4 - 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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Nariaki Kasai!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kasai just misses with a punch to the body.
Kasai on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.
Gracie misses with a body shot.
Kasai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie throws a sloppy head kick and Kasai moves out of range easily.
Kasai throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie looks to land a body kick but Kasai moved away.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Kasai pinned against the cage. Kasai gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Kasai misses with a looping right.
Kasai tries to clinch up.
Kasai throws a low kick but Gracie moves out of range easily.
Kasai wants to clinch.
The fighters circling - Kasai throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Kasai rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie stalling in the clinch but Kasai improves position.
Kasai tries to pull guard but Gracie won't allow it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kasai.

Kasai successfully pulls guard.
Gracie trying to stand up but can't free himself from Kasai's guard.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Kasai is keeping the position.

Kasai looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
Kasai is adopting a defensive guard.

Kasai is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kasai looking for a sweep. Not yet Kasai, not yet.
Kasai keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Kasai working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
Gracie has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Kasai working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kasai swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasai looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.
Kasai is trying to keep Gracie in close.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Kasai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Grecko Gracie wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Kasai shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kasai looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gracie slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Kasai's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Kasai thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Kasai drops back, looking for a kneebar! Gracie looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Gracie looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Gracie!
Kasai can't do much from the bottom here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kasai is looking for a sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nariaki Kasai dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gracie scores with a shot to the body.
Gracie just misses with a punch to the body.
Kasai is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gracie sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
A left lands for Kasai.
Kasai tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
Kasai fails to land the takedown.
Kasai tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gracie swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gracie lands with a thumping leg kick.

Kasai tries to keep at a distance but Gracie has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kasai tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Grecko Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nariaki Kasai.
Kasai jumps guard but Gracie stands there with Kasai around his waist. Kasai gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Kasai has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Gracie regains guard immediately.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Gracie has his foot on Kasai's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kasai works his way back into a safe position though.
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.

Kasai actively working from the bottom here.
Kasai is breathing heavily.
Gracie performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Gracie seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Kasai for as long as he can get away with.
Gracie is looking to advance position but Kasai won't allow it.
Kasai tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

Kasai actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kasai is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kasai is not content to let Gracie control the position.

Kasai with the active half guard here but Gracie passes nicely into side control.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kasai keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kasai is trying to improve his position.
Gracie working away.

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kasai, who protects the arm well.
Gracie has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Kasai!
Kasai is trying to escape the mount.
Kasai is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Kasai is desperately trying to improve his position but Gracie has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

It looks like Nariaki Kasai has been cut.
Kasai slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Kasai is defending well.
Kasai misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Nariaki Kasai has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gracie is trying to control. Kasai wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kasai manages to get to full guard.
Kasai looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grecko Gracie dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nariaki Kasai's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie scores with a hook.
Kasai changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Gracie tries to avoid it but Kasai manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Gracie to the ground. Gracie escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kasai fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Kasai throws a leg kick but Gracie moved away.
Gracie lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kasai backs up against the cage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kasai just misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Gracie uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Kasai.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Kasai avoids them all with ease.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kasai.
Grecko Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nariaki Kasai.
Kasai tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kasai doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Kasai takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gracie lands with a good body shot.
Gracie dives in and grabs Kasai's left leg, looking for a takedown. Kasai pushes down on Gracie's head and hops out.
Nariaki Kasai is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie throws a good cross that connects.

That has opened up Nariaki Kasai's cut even more.
Gracie just misses with a punch to the body.
A right-left combo lands from Gracie.
Gracie misses with a wild combination.
Nariaki Kasai seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie looks to land a combination but Kasai avoids it well.
Kasai uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Gracie darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gracie is looking to wear down Kasai with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kasai keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kasai steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Gracie.
Sloppy strikes from Kasai. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kasai gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Gracie stops a takedown attempt from Kasai.
Gracie misses with the head strike.

Gracie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie slips under a jab from Kasai.
Kasai is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Kasai gets tackled into the cage by Gracie. Gracie maintains the clinch.
Kasai has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Gracie is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Kasai changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gracie fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Kasai stuffs the takedown.
Kasai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie connects with a looping right hand.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Kasai fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kasai throws a shot from downtown. Gracie moves away and avoids it.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Kasai sprawls well.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kasai defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Gracie throws a lazy right hand but Kasai sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gracie cracks Kasai with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gracie enables Kasai to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gracie manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Gracie on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Gracie tries to get out of the position.
Gracie is pulling down on Kasai's head to control his posture.
Kasai postures up.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Kasai!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie lands with some strikes.
Kasai wants to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.

Gracie working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Gracie with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Kasai looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Gracie knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kasai on the ground.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Kasai looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28

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