PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Benja Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucho Rodriguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lucho Rodriguez is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Gracie
vs
Rodriguez

178 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

167 cm
24
146 lbs
3 - 11 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

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 0 - 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 3 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lucho Rodriguez!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Luis Engracia and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie moves into the clinch.
Gracie has Rodriguez pushed against the cage.

Rodriguez manages to pull guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Rodriguez keeps moving.
Gracie seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Rodriguez holds on and takes a little breather.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rodriguez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Gracie stacks Rodriguez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Gracie!

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Rodriguez, who protects the arm well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie grinds an elbow into Rodriguez's temple.
Rodriguez can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie controls the position from side control.
Rodriguez wants to control but Gracie postures up.
Rodriguez is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controls the position from side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rodriguez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Rodriguez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Gracie has hold of Rodriguez's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Rodriguez tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Gracie cranks the arm and Rodriguez screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Rodriguez, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Benja Gracie!