PBP Commentary

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

Gracie
vs
Strider

178 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

169 cm
18
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Benja Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bruce Strider!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strider wants to clinch.
Benja Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strider shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Gracie defends it nicely.

Strider gets caught napping as Gracie dives in and scores a takedown. Strider manages to retain guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gracie passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Gracie trying to control the position but Strider is working away.
Strider regains half guard, as Gracie was trying to land strikes.
Strider wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

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

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie drops an elbow to the side of Strider's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Strider looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gracie performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Strider tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strider trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.
Strider won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Strider is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Strider wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy.
Strider looks gassed!
Strider is pressing down on Gracie's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Gracie landing some decent shots from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Strider is keeping the position for now.

Gracie got a little sloppy there for a moment and Strider has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Gracie has managed to get both his arms back between Strider's legs - danger averted.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Strider is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benja Gracie dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Strider sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Strider dodges the punch combination from Gracie.
Strider fails to land the takedown.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Strider.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Strider sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Benja Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Strider shows good takedown defense.
Strider fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Strider is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gracie sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Strider sprawls well.
Strider shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Strider looks for a takedown but Gracie sprawls well.

Gracie scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gracie is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Strider reverses the position - he's now on top in Gracie's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strider advances to half guard.

Gracie kicks off Strider and gets to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Strider is defended easily by Gracie.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Strider enables Gracie to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Strider manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Strider wants to sweep here but Gracie controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Strider's head.
Strider trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Strider trying to keep a closed guard but Gracie is proving a slippery customer.
Gracie pushing down on Strider's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie slips a nice elbow through Strider's hands, connecting with Strider's forehead.

Gracie 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.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Strider is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strider is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benja Gracie dominated that second 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. And we move into the final round!

Strider gets tackled into the cage by Gracie. Gracie maintains the clinch.
Strider is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Gracie is keeping busy.
Gracie throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gracie prevents the takedown attempt.

Gracie works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Strider keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Strider is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie pushing down on Strider's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strider is refusing to be controlled, as Gracie sits in half guard.
Strider missing with punches from the bottom.
Strider has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.
Gracie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Strider does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gracie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to free his trapped foot but Strider is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Gracie trying to work for an americana but Strider has managed to regain full guard.
Strider thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Strider lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracie!
Gracie is looking to improve his position but Strider isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strider avoids the attempt from Gracie to control.
Strider has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Gracie's face.
Strider looking to control but Gracie is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gracie is looking to improve his position but Strider isn't that keen on the idea.
Strider trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gracie is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is working hard here to advance position.
Gracie tries to improve his position but instead Strider has taken his back!
Gracie holding both Strider 's hands and preventing any damage.
Strider tries to get the hooks in deep but Gracie pushed the leg off.
Benja Gracie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Strider is hanging on to Gracie's back as he tries to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bruce Strider has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Benja Gracie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benja 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27

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