PBP Commentary

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

Hoffman
vs
Gracie

183 cm
24
172 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

186 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Enjoys gardening

(MFS) Macto Fight System $15

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Josh Hoffman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Andy Gracie!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Winston Howard and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left and a right from Gracie both land. Nice combination.

Hoffman scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Gracie wants to get back to full guard.
Gracie moves into full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gracie working for a triangle but Hoffman defends it easily.
Gracie is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Gracie keeping moving, preventing Hoffman from controlling successfully.

Gracie is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hoffman defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie working a defensive guard here.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gracie wants to improve his position but instead Hoffman has moved into half guard.
Hoffman trying to control the pace.
Hoffman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gracie keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.

Hoffman is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Gracie sees it coming and defends easily.
Gracie tries to roll over but Hoffman keeps him under control.
Hoffman missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gracie is staying active underneath Hoffman, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoffman wants to get back to his feet.

Josh Hoffman has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Hoffman closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Gracie's guard.
Hoffman trying to control but Gracie is working from the bottom.

Hoffman avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Gracie is looking for a triangle here but Hoffman uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is not content to let Hoffman control the position.

Hoffman decides to stand back up. Hoffman steps back and let's Gracie get back to his feet.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch but Hoffman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gracie just misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hoffman is defended easily by Gracie.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Hoffman 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.

Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Hoffman counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gracie swings for the body but Hoffman moves out of range.
Hoffman fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gracie tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hoffman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Gracie ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hoffman fails with an attempt to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Hoffman does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hoffman as he avoids it easily.

Gracie pushes Hoffman up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Come on Hoffman - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Hoffman is trying to pull guard but Gracie turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Gracie wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hoffman, who protects the arm well.
Gracie working away.
Hoffman is trying to get back to half guard.
Gracie trying to control the action but Hoffman is working from the bottom.
Gracie advances to mount.

Gracie is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Hoffman can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hoffman gets back to half guard.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Gracie tries to pass to full mount but Hoffman defends it.
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!
Gracie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hoffman does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hoffman moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hoffman controlling the position.

Hoffman looking for a guillotine here but Gracie defends easily.
Gracie trying to control but Hoffman is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie advances to half guard.

Hoffman kicks Gracie off and gets back to his feet.
Andy Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hoffman was well out of range. Poor timing from Gracie.
Gracie lands with a nice body punch.
Josh Hoffman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hoffman throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Gracie. No joy for Hoffman on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Josh Hoffman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hoffman doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Gracie throws a body punch but Hoffman moves out of range.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Gracie rushes Hoffman and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie tries to score a body lock takedown but Hoffman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy 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!

Hoffman fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A combination from Hoffman does no damage.

Gracie shoots in and bounces Hoffman off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Hoffman keeps moving.
Hoffman keeping full guard, as Gracie tries to pass.
Gracie passes Hoffman's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Gracie is just content to waste time from the top position. Hoffman takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Hoffman is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hoffman pulls Gracie in to control the position.
Hoffman lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Gracie!
Andy Gracie has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gracie wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Hoffman.
Gracie bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Gracie trying to control but Hoffman is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hoffman is keeping the position for now.

Hoffman working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gracie passes into half guard.

Gracie is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoffman trying to control here.

Gracie is looking for a kimura here.
Hoffman is trying to control but can't.
Hoffman is trying to stand back up but Gracie is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hoffman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gracie.
Gracie is trying to control the action in half guard but Hoffman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hoffman trying to control from the bottom.
Hoffman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Gracie works his way into full mount!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gracie looking to control but Hoffman is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andy 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andy Gracie!
Andy Gracie made sure to mention his sponsor, (MFS) Macto Fight System $15 in his post fight interview.