PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jonas Sakalas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Gracie might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to cult of personality. Sakalas has chosen Deliver Me as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Gracie
vs
Sakalas

181 cm
27
167 lbs
11 - 16 - 0

169 cm
26
172 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
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 11 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Matt Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jonas Sakalas!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Radbod Blank and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sakalas swings widly with a right hand
and Gracie counters with a two punch combo.
Sakalas should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sakalas sprawls well. Sakalas wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Sakalas fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sakalas is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Sakalas circles away and we're back to standing.

Sakalas closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Gracie quickly recovers to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sakalas not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sakalas throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Gracie to regain full guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Sakalas throws a big right hand that misses.

Sakalas drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Gracie dives on top into guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Sakalas keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sakalas is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

We're going to have a standup here because Matt Gracie wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Gracie takes the fight into the clinch.
Sakalas is working for takedown but Gracie is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sakalas tries to score a body lock takedown but Gracie shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Matt Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonas Sakalas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakalas has Gracie pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Gracie manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Gracie manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sakalas throws a strike but Gracie rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sakalas keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie content to stall in guard here.
Gracie wanted to stand there but Sakalas had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Sakalas keeps moving.

Matt Gracie has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Gracie throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sakalas's waist but Sakalas gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gracie off to one side.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Sakalas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sakalas avoids a punch combination nicely.
Horrible takedown by Sakalas or perhaps it was just good defense by Gracie which made him look bad.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Gracie tries to clinch up but Sakalas circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Sakalas shows good takedown defense.
Sakalas dives in and grabs Gracie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Gracie pushes down on Sakalas's head and hops out.
Sakalas fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Jonas Sakalas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sakalas throws a right and a left that Gracie avoids nicely.
Gracie shoots for a takedown but Sakalas saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sakalas buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Sakalas will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sakalas tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.
Gracie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Gracie dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gracie throws a right hand that Sakalas ducks under and follows up with a left that Sakalas also avoids with ease.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sakalas avoids it really well and circles away.
Sakalas looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gracie is fending him off so far but Sakalas persists. Nope, Gracie circles away and we're back to standing.
Sakalas is looking to clinch.
Gracie tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Sakalas is able to avoid easily.

Sakalas moves into the clinch.
Gracie prevents a takedown attempt there.
Sakalas tries to score a body lock takedown but Gracie shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Matt Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jonas Sakalas.
Sakalas wants a takedown but no success here.
Sakalas has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Gracie avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sakalas is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Gracie is defending well.
Sakalas can't get the takedown.
Sakalas is breathing heavily.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Gracie clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakalas is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Gracie lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Sakalas backwards.

Gracie breaks the clinch.
Sakalas throws a head kick but Gracie moves out of range.

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Sakalas.
Gracie lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Sakalas backwards.
Sakalas goes for a takedown attempt but Gracie pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Sakalas defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gracie.
Sakalas misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Gracie gets the takedown into side control.
Sakalas takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Gracie wants to control for a moment but Sakalas uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Sakalas is working away.

Gracie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sakalas sees it coming and defends easily.
Gracie working over Sakalas with some ground and pound. Sakalas looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Gracie wants to control but Sakalas is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.
Nice strikes from Gracie there.
Gracie is controlling the pace.
Gracie moves nicely into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie tries to get to his feet but Sakalas is in the middle of advancing position himself and ends up with Gracie in his guard.
Sakalas keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie wants to stand and escape but instead Sakalas has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Gracie dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gracie scores with a jab to the head.

Sakalas changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Gracie looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sakalas sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Gracie is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Sakalas goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Gracie has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Sakalas but great work by Gracie.

Gracie in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Sakalas is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Matt Gracie!
Matt Gracie got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'