PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Raull Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Obasi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Gracie
vs
Obasi

183 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
25
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Raull Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Obasi!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Matheus Silva and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Obasi scores with a head kick.
Obasi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Obasi fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gracie avoids it really well and circles away.

Obasi decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.
Gracie has his hands clasped together around Obasi's back. He's all about the action.
Gracie is not content to let Obasi control the position.

Gracie actively working from the bottom here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obasi wants to free his trapped foot but Gracie is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Obasi is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
Obasi is thwarting Gracie's attempts to control the position.
Obasi trying to pass the guard but Gracie defending well.
Obasi 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.
Obasi seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Obasi is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.

John Obasi has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Obasi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Obasi wants to take a breather but Gracie is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gracie looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Obasi controlling from the top position.
Gracie has Obasi pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by John Obasi.

Obasi drives through and clinches with Gracie against the cage.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Obasi sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A head kick misses from Obasi.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Obasi plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Gracie keeps the fight on the outside.

Obasi pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Obasi moves in looking to clinch but Gracie pushes him off.
A looping hook to the body misses from Obasi. Gracie does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gracie gets tackled into the cage by Obasi. Obasi maintains the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Obasi.
Knees in the clinch landing for Obasi.
Gracie wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raull Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
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 lands a body punch.
Obasi looking to throw knees to the head but Gracie is blocking nicely.
Obasi scores with a shoulder strike.
Gracie wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Obasi breaks the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Obasi misses with a two punch combination.
Gracie avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gracie throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Obasi makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Obasi dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Obasi rushes Gracie and presses him up against the cage.

Obasi breaks the clinch.

Obasi darts in and clinches Gracie up against the cage.
Obasi lands a nice knee to the body.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.

Obasi has closed the distance and engaged Gracie in a clinch.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Obasi is defended easily by Gracie.

Obasi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Obasi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Obasi swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obasi fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Gracie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Obasi circles away.

Obasi instigates a clinch.

Obasi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Obasi closes the distance and pushes Gracie back into the cage.
Gracie is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Obasi.
Obasi stalling in the clinch.
Gracie is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Obasi is defending well for now.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Obasi clinches.

Obasi breaks the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obasi with a knee to the head.
Gracie trying to stall but Obasi improves his position.
Gracie changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Obasi fights it off and pushes away nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Obasi throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling Gracie to counter with a crisp jab.
Obasi scores with a head kick.
Gracie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gracie misses with a takedown

and Obasi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Obasi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raull Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie trying to keep a closed guard but Obasi is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Obasi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gracie has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Obasi has managed to get both his arms back between Gracie's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Obasi won't allow Gracie to get back to his feet.
Obasi trying to stand up but can't free himself from Gracie's guard.
Obasi trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Obasi looking to sit in guard and control but Gracie gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Obasi swivels though and keeps the full guard.

OK we're going to have a standup here. John Obasi hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Obasi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Obasi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Obasi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Obasi has closed the distance and engaged Gracie in a clinch.

Obasi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie with a poor takedown
and Obasi counters with a nice kick to the body.

Obasi has Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
John Obasi seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Gracie takes an elbow to the temple.
Obasi's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Gracie jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Obasi walks away with a smile on his face. Gracie gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Obasi has taken the fight to the clinch.

Obasi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gracie shoots in but Obasi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Raull Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obasi wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.

Obasi closes the distance and clinches.
Obasi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gracie backwards.
A short right from Obasi.

Obasi breaks the clinch.

Obasi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Obasi lands a nice uppercut.
A short left from Obasi.
Gracie looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gracie tries to break free but Obasi pushes him back against the cage.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Obasi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Obasi has managed to clinch.
Gracie letting Obasi take a breather here.

Obasi breaks the clinch.

Obasi rushes Gracie and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jab from Obasi.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gracie closes the distance but Obasi moves to the side
and Obasi counters with a slapping leg kick.

Obasi rushes Gracie and presses him up against the cage.

Obasi breaks from the clinch.
Gracie throws a nice looking combination but Obasi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gracie there as he acknowledges the shot.
Obasi tries to clinch up.
Gracie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Obasi tries to avoid it but Gracie manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Obasi to the ground. Obasi escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Obasi tries to clinch up but Gracie circles away and keeps his distance.

Obasi moves into the clinch successfully.

Obasi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Obasi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Obasi wants it to stay on the feet.
Obasi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Obasi gets a double leg takedown into Gracie's guard.
Obasi has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gracie is proving hard to escape from.

Gracie looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gracie keeping full guard, as Obasi tries to pass.
Obasi advances to half guard.
Obasi is keen to just control but Gracie is a slippery customer.
Gracie wants to control but Obasi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Obasi trying to control the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Obasi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Obasi 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Obasi!