PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Francois Dominic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Gracie (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!

Dominic
vs
Gracie

157 cm
27
140 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

164 cm
26
142 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Francois Dominic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Edson Gomes and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie drives through and clinches with Dominic against the cage.
Gracie misses with an elbow strike.

Gracie gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Dominic regains guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
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.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

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

Dominic throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Gracie escapes and throws Dominic's legs to the side, diving into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Dominic's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Gracie is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Dominic's shoulder. That is not cool.
Dominic is looking to reverse the position.
Dominic wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Gracie controls the position from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dominic. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Let's hope that Gracie has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Thiago Gracie hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Dominic clinches up with Gracie and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dominic is trying to break the clinch but Gracie is controlling him.
Dominic is trying to push Gracie away but Gracie has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Dominic misses with a knee to the head.

Gracie wants the takedown. Dominic is fighting it off but Gracie persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Dominic's guard against the cage.
Gracie won't allow Dominic to get back to his feet.
Dominic looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Gracie slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Thiago Gracie.
Dominic fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Dominic shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dominic avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Dominic moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dominic goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Dominic on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Dominic lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Gracie 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.

Dominic fails with the takedown

and Gracie counters by moving into the clinch.
Gracie keeps control of Dominic as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gracie gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Gracie is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Gracie prevents Dominic from improving his position.
Gracie is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Thiago Gracie was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Dominic doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Gracie counters by clinching up.

Gracie wants the takedown. Dominic is fighting it off but Gracie persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Dominic's guard against the cage.

Dominic throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie preventing the sweep.
Gracie's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Gracie's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Thiago Gracie hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Gracie moves into the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Gracie turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dominic pushes Gracie away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Gracie gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Dominic is looking for a sweep.
Gracie controls the position.
Dominic can't do much from the bottom here.
Dominic could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gracie remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Thiago Gracie was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Dominic fails with the takedown

and Gracie counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Francois Dominic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dominic blocks the elbow strike.

Gracie has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Dominic clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
A bit of a pause in the action here. Gracie controlling the positon.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Gracie showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie throws a low kick but Dominic avoids it.

Gracie instigates a clinch.
Gracie looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Dominic pulls guard.
Dominic wants to stand and escape but Gracie is having none of it.
Gracie not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Dominic is trying to hold Gracie in close to prevent damage but Gracie has managed to pass into half guard.
Gracie controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Dominic defending well.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Thiago Gracie hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Gracie closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Dominic taking a breather.
Dominic tries to pull guard but Gracie forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Dominic is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Gracie to keep the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dominic taking a breather.

Gracie has clasped his hands together around Dominic's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Gracie decides to stand back up.
Gracie stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Francois Dominic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Gracie moves into the clinch successfully.

Gracie is trying to trip Dominic. He has hold of a leg but Dominic is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Gracie persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dominic is trying to keep Gracie in close.
Gracie not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Dominic escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dominic looking for subs off his back but Gracie has passed one foot through into half guard.
Francois Dominic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thiago Gracie is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gracie controlling the pace.

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.
Dominic is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Gracie's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Gracie's back!
A lull in the action here.
Gracie is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Gracie is having to fend off submission attempts from Dominic, who is looking to sink in the choke. Dominic doesn't have the hooks in though and Gracie manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Gracie comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gracie has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thiago Gracie!
Thiago Gracie thanked the fans post fight for their support.