PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rick Dillon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dillon comes to the cage accompanied by run this town . The crowd seem to be enjoying Gracie's choice of entrance music: I am ironman . Rick Dillon has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dillon
vs
Gracie

172 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

181 cm
23
153 lbs
6 - 13 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rick Dillon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dillon tries to clinch up.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dillon.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Dillon.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dillon fails to land with a series of punches.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Dillon saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rick Dillon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Gracie.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Dillon sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Dillon lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gracie circles away quickly and effectively.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Dillon which made him look bad.
Dillon lands a jab-cross combination.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie dodges the punch combination from Dillon.
Dillon with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Dillon lands a nice hook to Gracie's body. Gracie takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Dillon throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Dillon gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Gracie is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Dillon gets underhooks to prevent Gracie's takedown attempt.
Gracie misses with a knee to the head.
Still in the clinch, Dillon scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Come on Dillon - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Gracie successfully pulls guard.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Dillon from controlling successfully.
Dillon missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dillon is in close to Gracie's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dillon trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Rick Dillon just wasn't active enough.
No joy there for Dillon, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Dillon throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Dillon wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Dillon forces Gracie back against the cage and clinches.
Dillon is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Dillon tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Gracie just stands there and leans against the cage.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dillon avoids it really well and circles away.
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Dillon circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Dillon moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Dillon stuffs the takedown.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dillon sprawls well. Dillon wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Dillon dominated that 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.

Dillon looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Dillon stuffs the takedown.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dillon sprawls well. Dillon wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.

Gracie closes the distance and clinches.
The referee is keeping an eye on Gracie - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Gracie prevents Dillon from breaking the clinch.
Dillon is working for takedown but Gracie is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dillon jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gracie walks away with a smile on his face. Dillon gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Matt Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Dillon shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Rick Dillon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Gracie.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Dillon throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gracie on the side of the head.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown but Dillon manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gracie's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Rick Dillon is winning the standup battle so far.
No joy there for Dillon, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Dillon connects with a body shot.
Dillon leaves Gracie with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Dillon throws a nice looking combination but Gracie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dillon tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Dillon moves into the clinch.
Come on Dillon - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Gracie tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Dillon just stands there and leans against the cage.
Dillon is working for takedown but Gracie is calmly controlling the position for now.
Dillon stalling.
Dillon tries to pull guard but Gracie won't allow it.
Dillon takes a shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dillon wants a takedown but no success here.
Dillon tries to break the clinch but Gracie is controlling the position.
Dillon is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Dillon jumps into guard, dragging Gracie to the mat.
Gracie trying to control but Dillon is working from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dillon striking off his back but it's not causing Gracie any problems.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Dillon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dillon is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Matt Gracie has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Dillon throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie shoots in looking for a takedown. Dillon tries to sprawl out of it but Gracie keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Dillon manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Dillon slaps away a takedown attempt from Gracie, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from Dillon. Those never looked like landing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Dillon tries to keep at a distance but Gracie has taken the fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rick Dillon will probably get the nod.
That's time! Dillon's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Dillon has closed the distance and engaged Gracie in a clinch.
Gracie fails to pull guard.
Gracie is trying to stall.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie is trying hard to land a takedown here. Dillon sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gracie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dillon throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rick Dillon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Gracie.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dillon sprawls well. Dillon wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Gracie wants to clinch up but Dillon keeps it at a distance.
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Dillon throws a series of punches but Gracie avoids them all with ease.
Gracie shoots in for a double leg but Dillon sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dillon sprawls well. Dillon wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Dillon is trying to force a seperation but Gracie has the dominant position.
Gracie jumps guard but Dillon stands there with Gracie around his waist. Gracie gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Dillon is trying to break free.
A nice right hand lands inside from Dillon.
Gracie is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Gracie keeps control of Dillon as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dillon stalling against the cage.
Dillon fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Gracie misses with a punch to the body.
Matt Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dillon jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gracie walks away with a smile on his face. Dillon gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Dillon closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Dillon pinned against the cage. Dillon gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gracie misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Dillon to the mat! Dillon manages to get full guard.
Dillon knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Gracie on the ground.
Gracie throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dillon works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dillon looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Dillon trying to control the position.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Dillon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rick Dillon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gracie accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Matt Gracie.
I think Dillon has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rick Dillon!