PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Flint Marko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Royce Gracie has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Gracie
vs
Marko

185 cm
27
183 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

181 cm
20
193 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Flint Marko!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie gets a double leg takedown into Marko's guard.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Marko swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Gracie drops back, looking for a kneebar! Marko looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Marko looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Marko!
Gracie is trying to control Marko's posture but Marko avoids it.
Gracie is working to avoid the ground and pound but Marko connects with a decent elbow.
Gracie tries to improve position but can't.
Gracie manages to work his way to half guard, despite Marko's best efforts.

Marko is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Marko missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marko lands strikes from half guard.
Gracie manages to get to full guard.
Marko thows a big elbow that misses.
Marko works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Marko throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

Marko is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gracie defends it well.
Gracie tries to roll over but Marko keeps him under control.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Marko trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marko landing with the ground and pound.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Marko is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marko is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie working a defensive guard but Marko manages to pass into side control anyway.
Gracie sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Marko looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Marko seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marko is looking to take a break and control but Gracie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Marko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Marko is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Marko trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marko is working Gracie over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Marko postures up.
Marko landing with the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Marko pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marko working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Marko postures up and lands a big shot to Gracie's brow.

Gracie had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Marko defends it easily.
Marko is working Gracie over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Marko trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gracie has momentary wrist control but Marko slips an elbow through the middle.
Marko looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Gracie has momentary wrist control but Marko slips an elbow through the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Flint Marko dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Marko sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Royce Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Marko which made him look bad.
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Marko was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Gracie is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Marko defends it.

Gracie is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Marko is just riding it out for now. Gracie eventually gives up the hold.
Marko wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie with the ground and pound but Marko uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Marko avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Marko swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Marko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie throwing strikes from guard but Marko blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Marko keeps moving.
Gracieis looking to pass into half guard but Marko pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Marko is in guard.
Marko trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

Gracie is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Marko working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
Marko cracks Gracie with a solid left hand.

Marko got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Marko has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Marko has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marko working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Marko wants to control from the top but Gracie keeps moving.

Gracie has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Marko can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Marko works over Gracie with some ground and pound from guard.
Marko trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.
Marko is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Gracie trying to control the position.
Marko scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Flint Marko has got the better of the ground game so far.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Marko pushes his legs off easily.
Marko trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Marko is looking to work some ground and pound but Gracie has wrist control.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.

Gracie working for submissions but it's allowed Marko to get to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie is refusing to be controlled, as Marko sits in half guard.
Marko looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marko winds up and cracks Gracie with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Marko is taking a breather. Gracie says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Marko connects with a nice short shot to Gracie's temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Flint Marko will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Marko drives through with a takedown into Gracie's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Gracie wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Marko is now in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
Marko throwing shots but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.
Gracie on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard but Marko has mounted him!
Marko raining down shots from the mount!
Marko pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Marko cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Gracie is wriggling around trying to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Marko controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marko in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Marko looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Gracie covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:30 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Flint Marko!