PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Inoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Royce Gracie has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gracie
vs
Inoki

185 cm
27
178 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

178 cm
26
180 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Royce Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Antonio Inoki!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Inoki feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Gracie has his foot on Inoki's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Inoki works his way back into a safe position though.
Gracie controls Inoki momentarily but Inoki frees himself.
Inoki wants to stand but Gracie is controlling his posture from full guard.
Inoki must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Inoki looking to pass the guard.
Inoki with a flurry of punches that miss.

Inoki decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Gracie, up you get!
Inoki keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gracie fails to land with a series of punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Inoki misses with a few strikes there.
Inoki is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Inoki tries for a takedown but Gracie circles away easily
and Inoki takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie misses with the combination.
Inoki throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
Gracie jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gracie throws a right hand that Inoki ducks under and follows up with a left that Inoki also avoids with ease.
Gracie throws a right and a left that both miss.
Inoki misses with a double jab.
Inoki looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Inoki looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Inoki's waist but Inoki gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Inoki.
Good work by Gracie as he checks the leg kick.
Gracie throws a right and a left that Inoki avoids nicely.
A jab from Gracie misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a hook but Inoki avoids it easily.
Gracie lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Inoki circles away quickly and effectively.
Inoki staying out of range there.
Gracie misses with a double jab.

Inoki moves into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Inoki throws an elbow but misses.
Gracie is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Inoki pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gracie tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Royce Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Inoki lands with a light punch inside.
Gracie fails to pull guard.

Inoki lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Inoki tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gracie knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gracie is pressing down on Inoki's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Inoki throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Inoki tries to stand but Gracie is controlling from the bottom.
Inoki stopping the sweep attempt from Gracie.
Inoki wants to stand but Gracie has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Inoki working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Inoki stands up from Gracie's guard - Inoki perhaps looking for a knockout.
Inoki shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gracie pinned against the cage. Gracie gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Inoki looks gassed!
Gracie misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Inoki's head but Inoki sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Gracie shoots in and gets a takedown into Inoki's guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Inoki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Inoki keeps moving.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Inoki can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gracie cracks Inoki with a solid left hand.
Gracie sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Inoki's guard.
Inoki wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Inoki is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Inoki is trying to stand up here but Gracie is controlling him well.

Gracie is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Inoki has managed to free his arm - good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Royce Gracie will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gracie throws a nice looking combination but Inoki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Royce Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie connects with the punch.
Gracie showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Inoki.

Inoki fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Gracie to the ground. Inoki is now in Gracie's guard.
Inoki wants to get up but he can't break Gracie's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Gracie has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Inoki should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Gracie has tightened it up now! Inoki should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Royce Gracie!