PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Strasser (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rashad Strasser could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Thomas Gracie's chin.

Strasser
vs
Gracie

178 cm
19
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
24
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Prefers standup

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Determined

Brute
Charlie Wang's Nutrition and 95 % Laundry

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rashad Strasser!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thomas Gracie!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Arvi Lind and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strasser throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.
Strasser takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Gracie doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Strasser counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Strasser throws a looping overhand right but Gracie ducks down to avoid it.
Strasser misses with an uppercut.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Strasser makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Strasser swings away with a body shot that misses
and Gracie counters with a stiff right hand.
Gracie throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Strasser fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gracie on the side of the head.
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Strasser swivels and escapes.
Rashad Strasser has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Gracie.
Gracie looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strasser misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Gracie takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Strasser misses the shot to the body.
Gracie misses with a kick to the body.
Strasser looks to land a combination. Gracie sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gracie gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Strasser counters with a nice uppercut.
Strasser lands with a shot to the body.
Strasser fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Strasser jabs at Gracie's body.
Strasser ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Strasser misses with a wild body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Strasser counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gracie takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Strasser lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Strasser counters with a left to the body.
Strasser ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Strasser is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Strasser thuds a left hand into Gracie's body.
Gracie takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Rashad Strasser is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Strasser thuds his right hand into Gracie's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Strasser misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Strasser connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Gracie fails with the takedown
and Strasser counters with a nice body shot.
Strasser lands a glancing blow to the side of Gracie's head.
Strasser with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Strasser scores with a jab to the jaw.
Strasser slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Strasser scores with a nice strike.
Gracie has his takedown stuffed
and Strasser makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strasser scores with a one two! Gracie had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Strasser lands a jab-cross combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Strasser lands with a shot to the body.
Gracie shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Strasser.
Gracie takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Strasser's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gracie under the eye.
Gracie has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Good exchange - Strasser coming out on top.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Nice jab there from Strasser.
Nice body punch from Strasser.
Nice shot lands for Strasser.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Strasser dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Strasser with a nice cross.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Strasser circles away easily
and Strasser counters with a nice uppercut.
Strasser avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Strasser scores with a punch to the head.
Gracie tries for a takedown but Strasser sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Strasser connects with a body shot.
Strasser throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gracie on the side of the head.
Gracie is looking to clinch but Strasser is avoiding it.
Gracie throws a head kick but Strasser moves out of range.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Strasser lands a two punch combo.

Gracie is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strasser lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gracie is still on wobbly legs! Can Strasser finish him?
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
Rashad Strasser has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Gracie.
Strasser lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Gracie gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Strasser.
Strasser fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gracie looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Thomas Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Strasser darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Gracie closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Strasser is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gracie can do to turn this around?
Strasser lands a body shot.
Gracie slips a jab from Strasser.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Gracie seems to have recovered his senses.
Rashad Strasser is winning the standup battle so far.
Gracie takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Strasser misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Strasser lands with a cross.
Strasser connects with a crisp jab.
Gracie tries to clinch but Strasser moves out of range.
Strasser bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Gracie walks into a jab.
Gracie on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Strasser.
Gracie takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Gracie 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A punch lands to the side of Gracie 's head but he takes it in his stride.
The fighters circle momentarily. Strasser darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Strasser lands with a nice body punch.
Strasser feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Gracies jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Gracie is trying desperately to land a takedown but Strasser is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Gracie.
Gracie tries to move into range but Strasser moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Strasser connects with a right hand. Gracie shakes it off.
Strasser digs a good hook to Gracie's body.
Strasser circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie needs to keep his hands up - Strasser had a free shot at his head there.
Strasser digs a good body shot into Gracie's ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots and misses
and Strasser cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Thomas Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strasser wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Gracie takes one on the button.
Strasser moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Strasser lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Strasser fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Gracie looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Gracie takes one on the button.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie moves forwards but Strasser connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Gracie takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Strasser jabs Gracie to the body, keeping him at a distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Strasser dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Gracie tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gracie thows a body shot but no joy.
Strasser lands a jab to Gracie's midsection.
Strasser lands a jab to the nose.
Gracie fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Strasser's jab looks to have found its range, popping Gracie under the eye.
Strasser avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice shot by Strasser.
Gracie takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gracie tries to clinch up.
Strasser thows a body shot but no joy.
Strasser scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strasser scores with a hook to the body. Gracie takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Decent striking displayed by Strasser there.
Strasser takes a swing at Gracie's ribcage but misses.
Strasser connects with a body shot that sends Gracie's belly button to the back.
Strasser ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gracie moves away.
Strasser lands with a nice body punch.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Gracie might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Strasser has got the better of the exchanges.
A looping hook to the body misses from Strasser. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie walks into a left hand.
A combination from Strasser does no damage.
Gracie takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Gracie takes one on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strasser scores with a shot to the body.
Gracie walks into a straight right hand from Strasser.
Strasser lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Strasser just misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Strasser throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Strasser keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Strasser. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Strasser swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gracie.
Rashad Strasser is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Gracie with that takedown attempt.
Strasser misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Strasser moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gracie with a lazy takedown attempt
and Strasser counters with a stiff right hand.
Rashad Strasser has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Gracie.
Gracie's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Strasser connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gracie scrambles back to his feet.
Gracie takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Strasser tests Gracie's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Decent striking displayed by Strasser there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Strasser.
Gracie is looking to clinch.
Strasser gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Strasser lands a head shot.
A jab from Strasser does it's job there.
A shot to the liver by Strasser. Beautiful body shot.
Strasser scores with a jab to the body.
Strasser scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strasser throws a shot to the body.
Strasser changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Thomas Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Strasser throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gracie on the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rashad Strasser showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Strasser 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rashad Strasser!