PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kirk Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kaheli Sonni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gracie comes into the arena with Bodies/Drowning pool blaring out of the sound system. Sonni has chosen Chica as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gracie
vs
Sonni

178 cm
28
177 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

186 cm
20
185 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kirk Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kaheli Sonni!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonni misses with an attempted mid kick.
Gracie looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sonni misses the shot to the body.
Sonni swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
An inside leg kick lands from Sonni.
Sonni goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sonni is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Sonni circles away and we're back to standing.
Sonni misses with a looping left.
Sonni throws a leg kick but Gracie sees it coming and moves out of range.
Sonni fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gracie checks it well.
Sonni jabs Gracie to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sonni thows a left - swing and a miss!
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sonni circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirk Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Sonni breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gracie blocks the body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonni throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sonni. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Gracie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sonni looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sonni 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 tries to advance to mount but Sonni denies him.
Sonni tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Gracie presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Gracie controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonni tries to hold on but Gracie pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kirk Gracie wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Sonni avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sonni misses with a straight right.

Gracie closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sonni did well to prevent Gracie getting side control.
Gracie controlling the pace.
Sonni is looking to improve his position.
Gracie wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sonni keeps working.
Sonni has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.
Sonni wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Gracie seems content to control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Kirk Gracie has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Sonni wants to land a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.
Sonni is looking to score with low kicks.
Sonni thows a body shot but no joy.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Sonni tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Sonni to the ground. Sonni escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Sonni throws a low kick, looking for Gracie's leg but Gracie calmly moves out of range.
Sonni looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Sonni misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Sonni misses with a looping right.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
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 displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sonni throws out the jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonni fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Gracie checks it well.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sonni misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kaheli Sonni will probably get the nod.
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 in and drives through. Sonni sprawls well.
Gracie takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Sonni avoids the body shot from Gracie.
Sonni thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sonni displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gracie.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Sonni to the mat! Sonni manages to get full guard.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Sonni is retaining full guard.
Sonni tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Sonni pulls Gracie in close to prevent any damage.
Gracie trying to control but Sonni is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonni looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sonni throws a low kick but Gracie moves out of range easily.
Sonni is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Gracie rather than just go for the knockout.
Gracie checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sonni defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirk Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonni throws a big shot that misses.
Nice takedown defense from Sonni. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sonni.
Gracie shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sonni counters by clinching up.
Sonni has Gracie pushed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonni looking to stall.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Kirk Gracie has been cut.
Sonni trying to stall but Gracie improves his position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Kaheli Sonni.
Sonni waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gracie.
Sonni moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A thudding body kick lands there by Sonni!
Kaheli Sonni seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Sonni misses with a hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sonni looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
Gracie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Sonni.
A jab from Sonni does it's job there.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Sonni napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sonni can do anything to dispel that myth.
Gracie trying to control the position but Sonni is working away.
Sonni really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Gracie. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonni is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Gracie asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Sonni is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Sonni 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonni being controlled for a moment.
Gracie wants to control for a moment but Sonni uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Sonni wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracie wants to control but Sonni is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Gracie is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kaheli Sonni will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Kirk Gracie's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A kick lands to the mid section there for Sonni.
Gracie walks forward, straight into a front kick from Sonni.
Gracie throws a looping overhand right but Sonni ducks down to avoid it.
Gracie throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Sonni lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Gracie gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Sonni.
Sonni throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Sonni looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt - Sonni sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sonni throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gracie is defended easily by Sonni.
Sonni throws a solid leg kick but Gracie takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Sonni.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Sonni. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirk Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sonni.
Sonni ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sonni stuffs the takedown attempt from Gracie. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet.
Sonni thumps Gracie with a low kick.
Sonni throws a front kick aimed at Gracie's knee but Gracie avoids it well.

Gracie drives through with a takedown into Sonni's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Gracie slips nicely into half guard.

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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sonni trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Sonni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonni moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gracie stopping the sweep attempt from Sonni.
Gracie sitting in guard here, content to control.
Sonni thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Kirk Gracie just wasn't active enough.
Gracie throws out a loose jab but Sonni uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kaheli Sonni is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Sonni forces Gracie back against the cage and clinches.
A bit of stalling here from Sonni.
Sonni throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gracie blocks it with crossed arms.
Gracie wants to stall.
Sonni avoiding damage.

Sonni pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie blocks a head kick by Sonni.
Sonni fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gracie manages to avoid it.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Sonni sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Kirk Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sonni lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gracie's sensitive parts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kaheli Sonni comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Sonni winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kaheli Sonni!
After winning the bout, Kaheli Sonni thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.